You remember that first trek onto Melemele Island, right? The sun was blinding, the music was tropical, and for the first time in twenty years, the Alola region felt like it was breaking every single rule we knew about Pokémon. No gyms. No HMs. Just a bunch of trials and a massive, terrifyingly powerful Totem Pokémon waiting to wipe your team. Honestly, looking back at a sun moon pokemon guide today feels different than it did in 2016 because we finally understand just how much these games changed the DNA of the franchise. It wasn't just a vacation; it was a total overhaul.
Alola isn't like Kanto or Sinnoh. You can’t just grind your starter to level 100 and steamroll the Elite Four. Well, you could, but the level scaling and the new SOS battle mechanic make that a nightmare. If you're diving back into these 3DS classics, or maybe visiting them for the first time because you're tired of the open-world glitches in newer titles, there is a specific rhythm to Alola you need to catch. It’s about the Island Challenge, the strange ultra-beasts, and figuring out why on earth your Persian suddenly has a giant, round face.
The Island Challenge is Not a Gym Run
Forget everything about badges. In Alola, you’re doing the Island Challenge. This is the core of any decent sun moon pokemon guide. You move through four islands—Melemele, Akala, Ula'ula, and Poni—and on each one, you face "Trials" rather than Gym Leaders. These aren't just battles; they are tasks. Sometimes you're finding ingredients for a soup, other times you're spotting the difference in a dance routine.
But the real wall? The Totem Pokémon. These things are buffed. They have aura flares that raise their stats immediately, and they can call for help. If you aren't prepared for the Totem Lurantis on Akala Island, it will call a Castform that sets up Sunny Day, and then Lurantis will hit you with a one-turn Solar Blade that heals it simultaneously. It’s brutal. You need to focus on status moves. In Alola, a well-timed Thunder Wave or Will-O-Wisp is worth ten damaging moves. Seriously.
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Picking the Right Starter for the Long Haul
Rowlet is the fan favorite. Who doesn't love a round bird in a bowtie? But if we are being real, Litten is the competitive choice once it hits its final form, Incineroar. Popplio gets a lot of hate for its "clown" aesthetic, but Primarina is a special attacking beast with a Fairy typing that absolutely shreds the mid-to-late game.
The game is deceptively hard. People complain Pokémon is too easy, but the Ultra Necrozma fight in the "Ultra" versions of these games is widely considered one of the hardest boss fights in the entire series. Even in the base Sun and Moon, the lack of traditional HMs means your team slots are actually free for the first time. You don't need a "Bidoof" to carry Strength and Cut. You have the Poke Ride system. Charizard takes you between islands, Mudsdale carries you over rocks, and Sharpedo smashes through water barriers. It changed everything. Use that extra team space for a diverse spread of types. You’ll need it for the Alolan forms.
Understanding Alolan Forms and Regional Variants
This was the game that introduced regional variants. Suddenly, Vulpix was an Ice-type and Exeggutor was a forty-foot tall palm tree with a tail. This isn't just cosmetic. An sun moon pokemon guide has to emphasize that these variants change the meta. Alolan Muk is a Poison/Dark beast with only one weakness (Ground). It is arguably one of the best Pokémon to have on a casual playthrough team because it resists so much and hits like a truck.
- Alolan Raichu: Psychic/Electric. It rides its tail like a surfboard. It's fast, but frail.
- Alolan Marowak: Fire/Ghost. You can only get this by evolving Cubone at night. It’s a total vibe change from the Ground-type original.
- Alolan Ninetales: You need an Ice Stone. It's an Ice/Fairy type that can set up Aurora Veil, which is basically Reflect and Light Screen combined.
The trick with these regional forms is that they often fill niches your team is missing. Since the Alola Dex is relatively small compared to the National Dex, these variants are your best bet for coverage. If you’re playing Sun, you get different encounters than Moon. For example, Sun players get Alolan Vulpix, while Moon players get Alolan Sandshrew. Trade with a friend. Or, if you're like most of us in 2026, dust off that second 3DS you have in a drawer somewhere.
Time Mechanics and the Day/Night Cycle
This is where people get confused. Pokémon Sun runs on your 3DS system clock. Pokémon Moon runs 12 hours ahead. If it's noon in the real world, it's midnight in your Moon game. This affects everything. Some Pokémon, like Rockruff, evolve into different forms of Lycanroc based on the time of day. In the original Sun and Moon, you have Midday and Midnight forms. The "Dusk" form was a later addition to the Ultra versions.
Also, some events only happen at night. The legendary Lunala is obviously a night-dweller, while Solgaleo is the beast that devours the sun. This shift isn't just aesthetic; it changes which wild Pokémon appear in the tall grass. You'll find different encounter rates for things like Misdreavus or Murkrow depending on whether the sun is up or down.
The SOS Battle Mechanic: A Blessing and a Curse
You’re in a battle. You get the wild Pokémon down to low HP. Suddenly, it cries out for help. A second Pokémon appears. This is the SOS mechanic. It can be incredibly annoying when you just want to catch a Pokémon and it keeps summoning friends, preventing you from throwing a Poké Ball.
However, this is the secret to high-level play. The longer an SOS chain goes, the better the rewards. You get:
- Higher IVs: After about 30 summons, you’re guaranteed at least 4 perfect IVs.
- Hidden Abilities: Some abilities can only be found via SOS calls.
- Shiny Pokémon: The odds of finding a shiny increase significantly as the chain grows.
To master this, you need Adrenaline Orbs. Use one at the start of the battle to make the wild Pokémon more likely to call for help. Then, use a Pokémon with the move False Swipe to keep the "caller" at 1 HP. Don't kill the caller! Just knock out the help as it arrives. It’s a grind, but it’s how people built competitive teams before the modern "mints" and "bottle caps" made it easier in later generations.
Z-Moves: Why They Weren't Just a Gimmick
Mega Evolution was the big thing in Gen 6, but Gen 7 gave us Z-Moves. They’ve been largely phased out of the newer games, which is a shame because they added a layer of strategic "nukes" to the battle. You give a Pokémon a specific Z-Crystal, and once per battle, they can unleash a massive attack.
Some are generic, like "Gigavolt Havoc," but the best ones are Pokémon-specific. Eevee has "Extreme Evoboost," which raises every single one of its stats by two stages. If you use Baton Pass after that, you've basically won the game. Decidueye has "Sinister Arrow Raid." These moves aren't just for show; they are your "Get Out of Jail Free" card when a Totem Pokémon or an Elite Four member is about to sweep your team. Don't hoard them. Use them.
Finding the Ultra Beasts
Once you finish the main story, the game shifts into a sci-fi thriller. The Ultra Beasts (UBs) are extra-dimensional creatures that don't follow the rules of standard Pokémon. They have the "Beast Boost" ability, which raises their highest stat every time they knock out one of your Pokémon.
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Hunting these down is the meat of the post-game. You'll work with the International Police—including a very familiar face named Anabel—to track them across the islands. You need Beast Balls to catch them effectively. Regular Poké Balls have a terrible catch rate for UBs. The lore here is deep. Nihilego, Buzzwole, Pheromosa... they feel alien because they are. This part of the sun moon pokemon guide is where the difficulty spikes again. Bring a balanced team, because these things hit like trucks.
How to Handle the Elite Four and the Champion
In a traditional Pokémon game, you fight the Champion at the end. But in Sun and Moon, Alola doesn't have a League yet. Professor Kukui is building one on Mount Lanakila. This means the Elite Four is a bit different. You’ll face Hala (Fighting), Olivia (Rock), Acerola (Ghost), and Kahili (Flying).
The twist? Since there is no reigning Champion, you aren't challenging a throne. You are fighting to become the first-ever Champion of Alola. In the original games, your final battle is against Professor Kukui himself. It’s a poetic ending. He’s the one who guided you, and now he’s the final test. In the Ultra versions, you fight Hau. Regardless of the version, the team you bring needs to be able to handle a wide variety of types. Kukui’s team is especially well-rounded, featuring the starter that is strong against yours.
Actionable Steps for Your Alolan Journey
If you’re picking up the game today, here is the roadmap to avoid frustration:
- Turn off the Exp. Share if you want a challenge. The game is balanced around it being on, but if you do every side quest, you will quickly become overleveled.
- Visit the Malie Library. There is so much lore hidden in the books there that explains the relationship between the Legendaries and the islands.
- Use Poke Pelago. This is a passive system where your boxed Pokémon can find items, berries, and even rare stones. It’s the best way to farm Evolution Stones which are strangely rare in the wild.
- Check the QR Scanner. You can scan QR codes to find non-Alolan Pokémon (like Chikorita or Kanto starters) that aren't normally in the game. You get one "Island Scan" every 10 scans.
- Talk to everyone. Alola is dense. NPC's give out held items like the Eviolite or Choice Specs just for doing simple tasks.
The Alola region was a turning point for the series. It was the bridge between the old "grid" style of movement and the fully 3D worlds we have now. It had heart, a surprisingly dark story involving family trauma and interdimensional travel, and some of the best music in the series. Whether you're chasing a shiny via SOS or just trying to survive the Mallow trial, Alola demands your respect. Grab your Z-Ring, pick your favorite Alolan variant, and get back out there. The islands are waiting.