While we’ve certainly seen fewer Nintendo games this winter, Pokémon Sun & Moon makes up for this single-handedly – it looks set to become one of the 3DS’s highest-rated games of all-time.
Moreover, it’s likely to sell phenomenally well this Winter. It may even be able to remain in the UK top 10 throughout December stay there until Christmas. Don’t quote us on that, mind.
Reading through the reviews currently available, a pattern soon emerges – critic are entirely in agreement that it freshens up the franchise while adding a wealth of excellent new content.
Critics did seem to think that it pushes the ageing 3DS a little too hard in places however, leading to a few technical issues. This was perhaps to be expected – the 3DS is starting to show its age nowadays.
Take a look at the reviews below – we failed to find a single review score lower than 8/10. Also note that reviewers weren’t able to test the online aspects due to servers not going live before release.
Could online play be the cherry on top of an already highly delectable cake? Quite possibly, yes.
5/5 – Digital Spy: “Pokémon Sun and Moon is the ultimate Poké adventure. It manages to introduce a lot of new features that greatly enhance the gameplay experience, but retain enough of the original DNA to make sure it doesn’t feel totally alien to players who have been Pokémon trainers since 1996”
10/10 – Nintendo Life: “It’s got content coming out of its ears, a much more interesting story, and rewards exploration in a way no other title in the series has. Whether you’re a Pokémon fan new or old, this is an absolutely essential purchase”
9.5 – God is a Geek: “You’ll be pleased to know that Game Freak has created a great game, pushing the limits of the 3DS to realise their vision for how Pokémon games should be 20 years on from their debut. It looks good, plays better and has that same addictive quality it’s always had. Say goodbye to your life – you live in Alola now”
9.0 – Destructoid: “Simply put, Pokémon has never felt more alive to me than it does in Sun, and while I did have high expectations coming in, I can’t say I saw that coming. This series is catching up with our imaginations”
9/10 – The Metro: “The best Pokémon game yet, that expertly combines the best elements of the old games with a mountain of new features and wonderfully odd creatures”
9/10 – TheSixthAxis: “Pokémon Sun & Moon are undeniably a superior evolution to previous Pokémon games overall. It’s a little too much to handle for the 3DS at times, and steps away from certain innovative features, but the fact that the series has changed itself some much 20 years after its debut is as refreshing as sipping the water from a freshly opened coconut”
9.0 – EGM: “A couple technical issues aside, Sun/Moon might be the best Pokémon game yet. It freshens up a formula some of us PokéManics might not have realized was growing stale until now. Trials and Grand Trials provide variations on familiar gameplay, and the removal of HMs and telling players how effective their moves are rejuvenates battling”
9.0 – IGN: “Pokemon Sun and Moon switch up the formula to create an engaging adventure that improves on its predecessors”
8.5 – Polygon: “Pokémon’s 20th anniversary year has been all about celebrating what’s great about the series, but the newest pair of games prove that the series is ready and able to make big changes without sacrificing that original spirit”
8/10 – Pocket Gamer: “Pokemon Sun and Moon is another winning adventure with good ideas and oodles of charm, but a focus on making everything easier just robs the game of any real challenge or tension”
4/5 – The Telegraph: “Some of the new additions are, perhaps, a little more than the game needs to offer – simplicity is underrated – but to have so many options in a game that’s already brilliant is hardly a bad thing, in the end”
4/5 – GamesRadar: “Game Freak’s latest welcomes old fans disillusioned by previously samey entries and entices a whole new generation to pick up a Pokedex”
Pokémon Sun & Moon are out today in the US and release 23rd November in the UK.