Honestly, I remember the collective groan when Game Freak announced Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon instead of a big, flashy console debut for the then-new Nintendo Switch. It felt like we were being asked to buy the same game twice, barely a year after the originals dropped in 2016. But looking back from 2026, those skeptics—myself included—were kinda missing the point. These games weren't just a cash grab; they were the absolute peak of what Pokémon looked like before it moved into the messy, experimental world of open-world 3D.
They are weird games. They are dense. And frankly, they are much harder than anything we’ve seen in Scarlet or Violet.
Alola was always a vibe. The tropical setting, the lack of traditional Gyms, the "Island Challenge"—it felt fresh. But the "Ultra" versions took that foundation and cranked the stakes up until the story basically became a sci-fi horror movie involving interdimensional parasites and a literal god of light that wants to consume the sun. If you haven't played them in a while, or you skipped them because you thought they were just "Director's Cuts," you missed out on the most mechanically polished version of the classic Pokémon formula.
The Ultra Beast Problem and the Difficulty Spike
One thing most people get wrong about these games is assuming they’re as easy as X and Y. They aren't. Not even close. If you walk into the Ultra Necrozma fight unprepared, you’re going to get wiped. Period. This boss has a +1 boost to every single one of its stats the moment the battle starts. In a series that usually holds your hand until the credits roll, this was a genuine "Prepare to Die" moment for ten-year-olds everywhere.
It wasn't just Necrozma, though. The Totem Pokémon—those giant, aura-boosted versions of regular mons—were designed with actual competitive strategies in mind. Remember the Totem Ribombee? It comes out with a specialized partner that sets up Tailwind, effectively doubling its speed, while Ribombee itself holds an Occa Berry to survive the fire moves you definitely brought to counter it. That’s smart game design. It’s the kind of tactical depth that felt like Game Freak was finally respecting the player's intelligence.
The introduction of the Ultra Recon Squad added this strange, sterile flavor to the narrative. They weren't your typical bumbling Team Grunt. They were people from a world that had literally lost its light, and their desperation felt real. It made the stakes of Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon feel much higher than "I want to be the champion." You were literally fighting to keep the lights on for the entire planet.
👉 See also: Why Xenoverse 2 Mods Unleashed Is Still Reshaping How We Play DBZ
Mantine Surfing and the Post-Game Content
Let’s talk about the stuff people actually spent hundreds of hours on. Mantine Surfing wasn't just a mini-game; it was the best way to earn Battle Points (BP) without grinding the Battle Tree for days. You could literally hop on a giant manta ray, pull off a "Primarina Twist," and earn enough points to buy a Life Orb or a Choice Spec in twenty minutes.
Then there’s the Ultra Warp Ride. This was the first time we got to see where Legendaries actually lived. Instead of just finding a Mewtwo sitting in a random cave in Kanto, you were flying through wormholes into "Ultra Space Wilds."
- The red holes led to cliffs.
- The blue holes led to waterfalls.
- The green holes led to fields.
- The yellow holes led to caves.
It was a shiny hunter's dream. The odds of finding a shiny Pokémon in those wormholes could climb as high as 36% if you traveled far enough (over 5,000 light-years). That is insane. To put that in perspective, the base shiny rate is 1 in 4,096. You could walk away from a single afternoon session with a box full of shiny Sigilyph and Abomasnow. It felt like the developers were finally giving the hardcore collectors a break.
The Team Rainbow Rocket Nostalgia Trip
If you grew up with the older games, the post-game episode in Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon was pure fan service, but the good kind. Giovanni returns, but not just any Giovanni. This is the version of him that actually won in his original timeline. And he brought friends.
Archie, Maxie, Cyrus, Ghetsis, and Lysandre all show up, each having succeeded in their respective goals in alternate universes. Seeing Ghetsis—who is arguably the most evil villain in the franchise—interact with the Alolan cast was genuinely chilling. The difficulty here spiked again, as every single one of these leaders used a Legendary Pokémon on their team. It was a brutal gauntlet that required actual team building, not just over-leveling your starter.
👉 See also: Finding All Special Star Locations Adopt Me Players Keep Missing
Technical Brilliance or Technical Burden?
The 3DS was screaming for mercy by the time these games launched. If you play them on an original 3DS (not the "New" model), you can actually see the frame rate dip during double battles. The Alola region was so detailed—the NPCs had full body proportions instead of the chibi look of Omega Ruby—that the hardware was basically melting.
But that’s why these games are special. They represent the absolute limit of what that era of handheld gaming could do. The Z-Moves, while controversial because the animations were unskippable and long, were a visual spectacle. Watching 10,000,000 Volt Thunderbolt or Light That Burns the Sky was a reminder that Game Freak could do cinematic flair when they wanted to.
Misconceptions About Version Differences
People often ask: "Is there a real difference between Sun and Moon besides the clock?"
Yes. And no.
The most obvious difference is the 12-hour time shift. If you play Ultra Sun, the game matches your system clock. If you play Ultra Moon, it’s nighttime during the day. This sounds like a gimmick, but it affects everything from which Pokémon appear to how the world looks. However, the real meat is in the exclusives. Ultra Sun gets the heavy hitters like Buzzwole, Kartana, and Dusk Mane Necrozma. Ultra Moon gets Pheromosa, Celesteela, and Dawn Wings Necrozma.
If you're a competitive player, you probably ended up needing both, or at least a very active Link Trade connection. The "Dusk Form" Lycanroc was also a weird sticking point—you could only get it via a specific Rockruff distributed at launch, which made it a rare commodity for latecomers.
📖 Related: Black Jack Free Game: Why Most Players Are Still Doing It Wrong
Why Alola Still Holds Up
We’ve moved on to "open zone" and "open world" Pokémon now. And while Scarlet and Violet offer freedom, they lost something in the transition: deliberate environmental storytelling. In Alola, every route felt handcrafted. The lush jungles of Akala Island, the snowy peaks of Mount Lanakila, and the eerie, desolate Po Town—the home of Team Skull.
Team Skull remains the best "evil" team in the history of the franchise because they weren't actually trying to destroy the world. They were just kids who failed their Island Challenges and had nowhere else to go. Their leader, Guzma, is a tragic figure once you realize he’s just a guy with a huge chip on his shoulder and a love for "Big Bad" Bug-type Pokémon. His dialogue in the "Ultra" versions gets a bit more depth, showing his begrudging respect for the player.
The Necrozma Lore Deep Dive
What’s fascinating about Necrozma is how it recontextualizes the mascots, Solgaleo and Lunala. In the original Sun and Moon, they were just legendary protectors. In the "Ultra" sequels, they are basically batteries. Necrozma is a literal "prism" Pokémon that was shattered in the past. It’s searching for its lost pieces, and it doesn't care who it hurts to get them back.
This lore connects back to the Z-Crystals. Those "sparkling stones" you collect throughout the game? They are literally pieces of Necrozma’s body. Every time you use a Z-Move, you are tapping into the power of a broken, starving god from another dimension. It’s dark. It’s heavy. It’s great.
Actionable Insights for Players in 2026
If you’re digging out your 3DS to revisit these or picking them up for the first time, here is how you actually get the most out of the experience:
- Don't skip the Roto-Loto. The Rotom Dex is annoying—it talks way too much—but the "Roto Boost" powers are game-changing. They can boost your stats in battle or help you hatch eggs faster. Use them during the Ultra Necrozma fight; you'll need the help.
- Focus on the Totem Stickers. You'll see gold stickers all over the islands. Collect them. Samson Oak (the tan, long-haired cousin of the famous Professor Oak) will give you giant-sized "Totem" versions of Pokémon based on how many you find. A Totem Araquanid is a beast in the mid-game.
- The Battle Agency is underrated. Located in the Festival Plaza, this lets you rent powerful Pokémon. It’s a great way to try out strategies and earn Rare Candies without having to breed a perfect team from scratch.
- Island Scan is your friend. Every day, you can scan QR codes (you can find these online) to trigger an "Island Scan." This spawns non-Alolan Pokémon like Charmander, Deino, or Honedge. It’s the only way to fill out a diverse team early on.
- Preparation for Ultra Necrozma. Seriously, I cannot stress this enough. If you don't have a Focus Sash or a Pokémon with the "Sturdy" ability, you're toast. A Zoroark disguised as a Fighting-type can also cheese the AI, as Necrozma will keep trying to use Psychic moves that have no effect.
Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were the end of an era. They were the last games to feature the National Dex (sort of—you could transfer everything in, even if they didn't have a local entry). They were the last to use the grid-based movement system. And in many ways, they were the last time a Pokémon game felt truly "finished" and polished to a mirror sheen. Whether you're there for the high-stakes story or the endless shiny hunting in the Ultra Wormhole, Alola remains a destination worth visiting.
To get started, make sure your 3DS firmware is updated and check your Pokémon Bank subscription if you plan on moving your team forward to the Switch or future consoles. Start your journey by focusing on a diverse team that can handle the "SOS" calling mechanic—Pokémon with the move False Swipe and Thunder Wave are mandatory for catching the more aggressive Alolan species.