Pokémon Sun and Moon Reviews

Pokémon Sun and Moon is ranked in the 96th percentile of games scored on OpenCritic.
Essential
Nov 15, 2016

Tearing up the rulebook but bringing back the fun, Pok'mon Sun and Moon make for the best generation in more than a decade.

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IGN
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

After 20 years of slow but steady evolution, Pokemon gets a bit of a reinvention in Sun and Moon. An engrossing and rich new region makes the Alola journey — along with all the changes Sun and Moon make to the existing formula — enjoyable throughout the main adventure, and small interface and variety of upgrades along the way make a few of the things that stayed the same feel better than before.

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Nov 15, 2016

A comfort blanket of a game that appeals if you’ve played none or all of the series’ entries. Sun and Moon’s mix of classic callbacks and cheerful changes are super-effective.

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Metro GameCentral
GameCentral
Top Critic
9 / 10
Nov 15, 2016

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.

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Mar 19, 2017
Pokémon Sun and Moon - Easy Allies Review video thumbnail
8.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

You’re still collecting monsters by throwing Poké Balls and taking on the competition in turn-based battles, but Sun & Moon feels like a brand new Pokémon game in some fundamental and worthwhile ways

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8 / 10
Nov 18, 2016

For better and worse, Sun and Moon is essentially the same Pokemon experience that comes out every few years, just with enhancements to make it feel more modern. But this an entry that should appeal to more than just the series' devoted fanbase who'll notice those details.

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8.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

Pokémon Sun and Moon makes big changes, for the better

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Unscored
Nov 18, 2016

For 20 years now, Pokémon games have presented fantasies where people live, battle, and grow alongside powerful monsters. In Pokémon Sun and Moon, that wistful reverie invites you take a holiday, leave your worries behind, and grab yourself a lei. As it happens with all good vacations, Pokémon found itself again.

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Nov 18, 2016

Pokémon Sun and Moon's trek through Alola is the most engaging campaign the series has offered in a long time. Not everything on Sun and Moon's plate is perfect – Z-Moves feel underwhelming, and you're still going to commit the overwhelming majority of the Pokémon you catch to PC Box Hell – but this is one tropical getaway that's worth every penny.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 16, 2016

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.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

For every issue I found with Pokemon Moon, whether it was an old problem that just caught up with the series or something new -- I found solace in the indomitable likability of a cast member, or the thrill of finding another party member that I would battle with for years to come. I'm already seeing myself playing for several hundred hours before the end of 2016, and I haven't even fully experienced all of the online features yet. Such is the power of Pokemon, and I hope we get to see Alola's influences linger as Game Freak gears up for its next adventure.

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9 / 10
Nov 15, 2016

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. If you can avoid any spoilers, difficult as that may be, Pokémon Sun & Moon eclipse all expectations.

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9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

Pokémon Sun & Moon is a magnificent work from Game Freak. This renewed aspect looks greate and the exotic region of Alola has lots of surprises for the fans. Every detail has been polished and the new gameplay mechanics are great.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Ollie Barder
Top Critic
9 / 10.0
Nov 28, 2016

Pokémon Sun and Moon is a wonderful investment of time and I can happily recommend it to anyone that owns a 3DS, regardless of whether you want to catch all the Pokémon or not.

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8.8 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

Pokémon Sun and Moond clearly want to change some aspects of a long-standing series. The new features actually bring some of the mechanics up-to-date and, at last, there's a good level of challenge. A deeper plot makes the whole adventure even more enjoyable, too. Unfortunately, there are also some flaws: Alola is definitely too linear and the Pokédex has very few new entries. Overall, the graphics are good, but the frame rate drops dramatically kinda often.

Review in Italian | Read full review

9 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

Pokemon Sol and Luna are the best possible way that Nintendo had to celebrate the 20th birthday of the series.

Review in Spanish | Read full review

Nov 29, 2016

Pokemon Sun and Moon are a fantastic new addition to the storied franchise. They make improvements in a ton of key areas, shaping the experience so that it is more fun, less frustrating, and just overall more enjoyable. The new mechanics, such as Z-Moves, range from good to great, but the lack of some older features might annoy a few players. There are alternatives though, so this is still a top notch entry, even for longtime fans. New players shouldn't even wonder, they should just go buy this game today.

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9.5 / 10.0
Nov 15, 2016

Prepare to say goodbye to sleep and society as catching, training and caring for your Pokémon take over your life.

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8 / 10
Dec 12, 2016

The visual overhaul makes this the best looking Pokémon yet. Naturally, the amount of Pokémon on offer is almost insurmountable and will have you catching them all for quite a while, but be aware, they are a needy lot.

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