Pokemon Sun/Moon: New Creatures and Pokemon Snap-Like Feature Revealed

The Pokemon Company made a series of announcements about Pokemon Sun and Moon today, including new creatures, features, characters, and more.

First up, the new Pokemon include Null, Jangmo-o, and the Alola version of Raticate. You can find official descriptions for these below, while they can also be seen in the video above.

We also learned about new Pokemon Sun/Moon characters today, specifically members of the Aether Foundation. This is a group that works in the game's Alola region and cares for Pokemon that have been hurt. The new characters, who are also on display in the video, include Aether Foundation president Lusamine, second-in-command Faba, and assistant branch chief Wicke.

The Pokemon Company also released some details on the Aether Foundation's research on the rare and mysterious "Ultra Beasts."

"All over Alola, rumors speak of creatures that possess mighty powers and pose a threat to humans and Pokemon. They're called Ultra Beasts, and there are said to be multiple Ultra Beasts in existence," reads a line from the story synopsis. "It seems that the Aether Foundation is conducting research on these Ultra Beasts, referring to each of them by a code name. UB-01 is an Ultra Beast that has a body composed of a glass-like substance. It constantly changes shape, and its movements resemble that of a young girl. Whilst evidence of something like a survival instinct can be observed in UB-01, no one knows whether it has a will of its own or any emotions at all."

It was also confirmed today that the characters Dexio and Sina from Pokemon X/Y, who are the professor's assistants, will appear in Sun/Moon. They will give you a special item called the Zygarde Cube and instruct you to collect Zygarde Cores and Cells. Collect enough of these and you may be able to find the elusive Zygarde creature more easily.

As for Sun/Moon's new features, one of these is what's being called the Poke Finder. It lets players take pictures of the creatures they find in the game. The Poke Finder is housed in the Rotom Pokedex. As with the game Pokemon Snap, the pictures you take later be evaluated, and if you do well enough, you will unlock new features that let you take better pictures like zoom lens.

The other big piece of Pokemon Sun/Moon news is that the two worlds of Sun and Moon take place 12 hours apart and are associated with what time it is in real life.

"Pokemon Sun operates on the same time as your Nintendo 3DS system, but time in the world of Pokemon Moon is shifted by 12 hours," The Pokemon Company said. "Some Totem Pokemon which appear in the trials throughout the game will also be different in each version. Players will encounter different Pokemon on the same route depending on whether it is day or night, which means players will have different experiences according to their chosen version of the game."

New Pokemon Sun/Moon Creatures:

Descriptions written by The Pokemon Company

Null

• Null is a Synthetic Pokemon which was constructed to synthesize the strengths of various Pokemon, making it adaptable enough to complete a mission that requires a Pokemon as strong as the Pokemon of mythology. The mask fitted to this Pokemon's head is a piece of equipment designed to control its power. Null is the partner Pokemon of a newly revealed character--Gladion, the taciturn enforcer of Team Skull, who places a high value on being strong in battle.

Jangmo-o

• The Scaly Pokemon Jangmo-o has the pride of a warrior and never neglects its training in its pursuit of becoming stronger. This Pokemon uses the scales on its head as a weapon both offensively and defensively. It lives in harsh locales, like canyons, where it can train.

Alolan Raticate

• Raticate in Alola live in urban areas, leading to a higher-calorie diet than that of Raticate elsewhere. This means they have tough bodies but have gotten a lot fatter. They stockpile huge amounts of food in their nests and prefer fresh fruit and high-class ingredients. Alolan Raticate is the Totem Pokemon of the trial that takes place in Verdant Cavern on Melemele Island in Pokemon Moon.

Pokemon Sun and Moon launch on November 18 for the Nintendo 3DS.