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The seventh generation (Japanese: 第七世代 seventh generation) of Pokémon games, commonly referred to by fans as Generation VII (Japanese: 世代ＶＩＩ Generation VII), is the seventh installment of the Pokémon video game series starting with Pokémon Sun and Moon, continuing with Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and ending with Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!. Unlike previous generations, the core series games of the seventh generation were released on two different Nintendo platforms, with the Alola-based games released on the Nintendo 3DS and the Kanto-based games released on the Nintendo Switch. It is the last generation released on the 3DS and the first one on the Switch.
History
The seventh generation of Pokémon was announced with the reveal of Pokémon Sun and Moon on February 27, 2016, the Pokémon 20th Anniversary. These are the first pair of games in the generation and were released worldwide on November 18, 2016, except in Europe where they were released on November 23, 2016.
The second pair of games in this generation, Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, were revealed in a Pokémon Direct held on June 6, 2017. The games take place in Alola once again, but with a new story and includes Pokémon that cannot be found in Sun and Moon. The games were released worldwide on November 17, 2017.
The third and final pair of games, Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!, were revealed at the Pokémon 2018 Video Game Press Conference held on May 29, 2018. The games take place in Kanto and are inspired by Pokémon Yellow. The games were released worldwide on November 16, 2018.
Connectivity
Pokémon Sun and Moon and Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon can communicate with the application Pokémon Bank, via which Pokémon from the Generation VI games can be received. By way of Poké Transporter, Pokémon Bank can also receive Pokémon from the Generation V games and the Virtual Console releases of the Generation II and Generation I games, from which they can be moved to Generation VII games. Combined with other inter-generational transfer methods, this makes the seventh generation the first generation since Generation II able to communicate with all previous games.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! can communicate with the mobile app Pokémon GO and is able to receive Pokémon that originate from the app. It cannot communicate with other Generation VII games.
In-game continuity
Pokémon Sun and Moon occurs two years after the events of Black 2 and White 2 and X and Y. Various characters from previous generations such as: Sina, Dexio, Looker, Anabel, Colress, Red, and Blue make appearances, with many of them looking significantly older than in previous games.
During the postgame missions in Sun and Moon, it is revealed that Anabel fell into an Ultra Wormhole prior to the events of Sun and Moon and became a Faller, which are individuals who have passed through Ultra Wormholes, and is hinted to be the same Anabel that appeared in Pokémon Emerald's Battle Tower, however, she suffers from retrograde amnesia. Professor Burnet who originated from the side game, Pokémon Dream Radar, is revealed to be living in Alola and is researching the phenomena surrounding Ultra Wormholes.
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are set in an alternate universe similar, but slightly different, to Sun and Moon. The events of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon follow those of the first games, but slightly diverge in its details. Some of the worlds that the player may visit through the Ultra Warp Ride are hinted at being alternate versions of Alola, such as: the Ultra Space Wilds, and the Ultra Ruin, the latter being a world that is thoroughly hinted at being a destroyed Hau'oli City from an alternate dimension. In Episode RR, Team Rainbow Rocket takes over the Festival Plaza and Aether Paradise in hopes of taking over other worlds using the Ultra Wormhole technology developed by the Aether Foundation. Team Rainbow Rocket is later revealed to be composed of the villainous team leaders from previous generations, with Team Aqua and Team Magma's leaders, Archie and Maxie, appearing as they did in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. It is also revealed that each of the villainous team leaders are from alternate universes where they were able to successfully achieve their plans; further cementing the concept of alternate universes. Colress plays a major role in Episode RR by sending all of the villainous leaders back to their original dimensions; when Ghetsis is being confronted, he and Colress recognize each other, despite being from alternate dimensions, showing that Colress had involvements with Team Plasma in both universes.
Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! seems to take place in an alternate universe from Pokémon Red and Blue and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen as Team Rocket was never disbanded, and Red and Blue have already defeated the Indigo League and are now renowned Pokémon Trainers. Because of this, the player characters are now composed of Chase and Elaine with Blue's role as rival being replaced by Trace.
Since Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! are remakes of Pokémon Yellow, characters from the anime like Jessie and James make appearances and similar events from the anime occur. The games seem to occur less than five years before Sun and Moon, as Mina, albeit slightly younger, makes an appearance in Vermilion City. Despite this, the overall continuity between these games and those that precede them is not clear.
Advances in gameplay
- The addition of 81 new Pokémon, bringing the total to 802.
- The addition of 80 new moves, bringing the total to 701.
- The addition of 41 new Abilities, bringing the total to 232.
- A new region to explore, the Alola region, based on Hawaii.
- The return of different overworld music depending on the time of day, which was originally introduced in Generation IV.
- A new villainous team, Team Skull.
- Eighteen Generation I Pokémon have a form unique to Alola known as a regional form; this aspect of Generation VII is based on selective pressures which occur in the real world.
- The addition of the Rotom Pokédex, a special Pokédex inhabited by a Rotom that doubles as a real-time map on the bottom screen of the Nintendo 3DS.
- The 3D models used for characters on the overworld are refined, and Trainers can be seen behind their Pokémon during battle, similar to Pokémon Colosseum, XD: Gale of Darkness, and Battle Revolution.
- Several NPC Trainers are shown to keep their Pokémon in Poké Balls other than the standard Poké Ball.
- It is now possible to see stat changes during a battle.
- A new battle mechanic, Z-Moves, powerful moves that Pokémon can learn and perform once per battle.
- The addition of the island challenge, a traditional rite in the Alola region involving trials guided by Trial Captains, battling Totem Pokémon, and battles with island kahunas.
- The introduction of Greninja's Ash-Greninja form and Zygarde's four alternate forms, previously shown in the XY&Z arc of the anime's Pokémon the Series: XY.
- Six new Pikachu forms based on Ash's Pikachu.
- Two new battle modes:
- A battle that takes part between four Trainers called a Battle Royal, where each participating Trainer aims to defeat each other. The battle ends when all of one Trainer's Pokémon are knocked out, with the winner being the Trainer who has the highest combined number of knockouts and number of remaining Pokémon.
- A battle where wild Pokémon can summon allies to assist them called an SOS Battle.
- The new QR Scanner allows players to register Pokémon in their Pokédex and receive event Pokémon.
- The addition of Poké Rides, which allow players to summon Pokémon that they can ride to access otherwise inaccessible areas.
- The addition of Hyper Training, a system that allows players to exchange special Bottle Caps to maximize the IVs of their Level 100 Pokémon.
- The introduction of the Zygarde Cube, an item that allows the player to collect Zygarde Cells and Cores scattered across the region to assemble their own Zygarde.
- The addition of the Festival Plaza, a hub accessible from the menu that allows the player to interact with other players locally or via the internet, as well as access various shops similarly to Join Avenue.
- The addition of the Poké Pelago, an option accessible from the menu that allows the player to send Pokémon that are stored in a PC Box to various islands, allowing them to gather items, discover wild Pokémon, and even raise their levels and statistics.
- The player can now replace one of their party Pokémon with a newly caught Pokémon without having to use a PC.
- One new variant of Poké Ball, the Beast Ball, retaining the twenty-six found in previous games.
- The introduction of a new Evolution stone, the Ice Stone.
- During a Pokémon battle, the bottom screen now displays a move's type effectiveness once the player has encountered the Pokémon again.
- During a wild battle, the player can now press the Y button to automatically bring up a Bag submenu consisting only of different types of Poké Balls.
Alterations from Generation VI
- The player can move freely in any direction in any area of the game, as opposed to the eight-directional grid of the previous generation.
- The player now has to open doors manually, as opposed to them opening automatically on approach.
- Several Pokémon can learn new moves upon evolution.
- Pokémon-Amie is replaced by Pokémon Refresh.
- The Player Search System is replaced and incorporated into the Festival Plaza.
- The abandonment of the following elements:
- Counting how many of each species of Pokémon the player has encountered.
- The National Pokédex, with Pokémon from outside the Alola Pokédex having no Pokédex entry at all.
- Horde Encounters, Sky Battles, Inverse Battles*, Triple Battles, and Rotation Battles.
- Super Training, O-Powers, and Poké Miles.
- Contest Spectaculars, Cosplay Pikachu, Super-Secret Bases, Mirage spots, Soaring, and the DexNav from Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
- The Hall of Fame PC function.
- The experience formula once again accounts for the difference between the level of the Pokémon defeated and the Pokémon receiving experience.
- A Pokémon's Speed after Mega Evolution is used to determine the turn order, not its Speed before.
- The following status conditions have been altered:
- Moves can no longer be used outside of battle.
- Twenty-six Pokémon from earlier generations receive an increase in one or more of their base stats. These include Arbok, Dugtrio, Mega Alakazam, Farfetch'd, Dodrio, Electrode, Exeggutor, Noctowl, Ariados, Qwilfish, Magcargo, Corsola, Mantine, Swellow, Pelipper, Masquerain, Delcatty, Volbeat, Illumise, Lunatone, Solrock, Chimecho, Woobat, Crustle, Beartic, and Cryogonal.
- The credits no longer replay upon every subsequent defeat of the Pokémon League.
- The game must now be saved before drawing a ticket at the Loto-ID.
- The Language selection screen now adds Simplified and Traditional Chinese. Each language is also displayed in its own name (such as Français for French or Deutsch for German) instead of being displayed in the game’s default language (such as French or German in an English copy)
Further additions in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon
- An altered story from Sun and Moon.
- A new post-game scenario, Episode RR, featuring a new villainous team, Team Rainbow Rocket, an alliance between the leaders of the teams of the previous generations.
- Five new Pokémon are introduced: Poipole, Naganadel, Stakataka, Blacephalon, and the Mythical Pokémon Zeraora, bringing the total to 807.
- The introduction of several new forms.
- The addition of three new moves (Mind Blown, Photon Geyser, and Plasma Fists) and six new Z-Moves (Splintered Stormshards, Let's Snuggle Forever, Clangorous Soulblaze, Searing Sunraze Smash, Menacing Moonraze Maelstrom, and Light That Burns the Sky), bringing the total to 710.
- One new Ability is introduced: Ultra Necrozma's Neuroforce, bringing the total to 233.
- An expanded Alola Pokédex, bringing the total to 403.
- A fleshed out Rotom Pokédex, including the Roto Loto feature.
- New hairstyles and clothing.
- The expansion of Ultra Space and several new locations in Alola.
- The introduction of a new Poké Ride and mini-game: Mantine Surf.
- The introduction of the Alola Photo Club.
- The introduction of the Battle Agency, an addition to the Festival Plaza.
- The replacement of Zygarde Cells and Cores with Totem Stickers, which the player can redeem to receive special, Totem-like Pokémon.
Further additions in Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!
- Doors now open automatically again.
- Two new Mythical Pokémon are introduced, Meltan and Melmetal, bringing the total to 809.
- The introduction of Partner Pokémon forms for the first partner Pokémon Pikachu and Eevee. These are stronger than their regular counterparts, cannot evolve, and can be customized with clothes and accessories.
- Partner Eevee has a new gender difference, with the female having a heart pattern on her tail.
- The addition of 14 new moves: Partner Pikachu's Zippy Zap, Splishy Splash, Floaty Fall, and Pika Papow; Partner Eevee's Bouncy Bubble, Buzzy Buzz, Sizzly Slide, Glitzy Glow, Baddy Bad, Sappy Seed, Freezy Frost, Sparkly Swirl, Veevee Volley; and Melmetal's Double Iron Bash, bringing the total to 724. Double Iron Bash is not exclusive to Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee!.
- The removal of wild battles, which are replaced by catching Pokémon similar to Pokémon GO.
- Wild Pokémon now appear in the overworld.
- By catching multiple Pokémon of the same species and a row, the game will start a Catch Combo, which gives more items and experience, as well as having a higher chance of finding rarer Pokémon and shinies.
- The implementation of motion controls. The Joy-Con is used to throw Poké Balls. In handheld mode, wild Pokémon are caught by aiming the Poké Ball with motion controls.
- The introduction of two-player simultaneous multiplayer.
- The return of Walking Pokémon, working as replacements for Ride Pokémon.
- Secret Techniques are implemented as replacements for HMs.
- Nicknames can be changed at any time.
- The implementation of the Pokémon Box, a replacement for the Pokémon Storage System that is accessible from the player's bag.
- The Exp. Share no longer exists as an item, but its effects are now present from the start of the game and can no longer be turned off.
Region
Alola
- Main article: Alola
The Alola region was introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon. This island region is made up of four main islands and one artificial island.
First partner Pokémon
The first partner Pokémon of the seventh generation follow the traditional Grass/Fire/Water trio setup. At the beginning of the game, the player must choose between the Grass and Flying-type Rowlet, the Fire-type Litten and the Water-type Popplio.
Trial Captains and Totem Pokémon
In Sun and Moon, there are seven Trial Captains and eight Totem Pokémon, Pokémon which are bigger than the rest of their species and have "auras" that increase one of their stats at the beginning of battle. Upon a Totem Pokémon's defeat, the player will get the corresponding Z-Crystal of the same type of the trial.
In Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, all of the trials are altered in some way. In addition, the final Trial Captain, Mina has a trial for the player to complete.
Grand trials
After the player completes all the trials on an island, they must battle the kahuna of the island.
Kanto
- Main article: Kanto
In its fifth appearance, Kanto appeared in Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! and Let's Go, Eevee! in a capacity similar to Generation I and its previous remakes, Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen.
First partner Pokémon
Unlike in other Pokémon games, the first partner Pokémon the player starts with corresponds with the game they are playing. Players of Let's Go, Pikachu! will start with Pikachu, while players of Let's Go, Eevee! will start with Eevee.
Gym Leaders
For the most part, Kanto's Gym Leaders are the same as they were in Generation I, but Blue takes control of Viridian Gym after the player becomes Champion and can be challenged.
Alola thematic motif
The seventh generation focuses on themes of nature, alternate dimensions, tradition, and relationships. First and foremost, Z-Moves are said to be the physical manifestation of the bond between Trainer and Pokémon, in a similar vein to Mega Evolution. The storylines of the Alolan games also focus various characters whose motives and story arcs revolve around family- or relationship-based issues. The Aether Foundation is an organization that wishes to heal and protect Pokémon from threats such as Team Skull or predatory Pokémon like Mareanie. In fact, the Alolan Pokédex is filled with more examples of Pokémon predator-prey relationships than usual. In an interview with Junichi Masuda and Shigeru Ohmori, Sun and Moon were named with the idea of the revolutions of the sun and the moon in mind, and how they influence life on the Earth, as a way to "celebrate life" and express Pokémon as living creatures. In the same interview, they mention the revolutions of the celestial bodies as being an interesting metaphor for relationships.
Title screens
English title screens
Japanese title screens
Trivia
- This is the only generation:
- This generation is tied with Generations VIII and IX for introducing the most Legendary Pokémon, with eleven and tied with Generation IV for the most Mythical Pokémon, with five.
- Generation VII has the highest number of core series games of all generations, having a total of six.
- This is the first generation to:
- Generation VII is the last generation to include a single game featuring all the known Pokémon species up to that point.
- Generation VII is the shortest generation in Japan, falling only three days short of being three years long.
