A few new Pokémon has just been announced for Pokémon Sun and Moon. So has Alola Raticate and a new group of characters… Watch the trailers (English and Japanese) below!

So what did we learn?

• Type: Null is a new Normal Type Pokémon, with the Ability Battle Armor. It seems to know Tri Attack.

• Type: Null according to the official website was “constructed to synthesise the strengths of various Pokémon, enabling it to adapt to any situation.” Its mask controls its latent powers, and is very heavy, making it slower. Furthermore, it is said that “To complete a certain mission, there was need of a Pokémon powerful enough to rival those Pokémon often spoken of in mythology.”
• Jangmo-o is a new Dragon Type Pokémon with Bulletproof or Soundproof as an Ability.

• Jangmo-o uses the scales on its head for both attacking and defending, and refuses to turn its back on opponents. They live in canyons and train together.
• Ultra Beasts have been introduced, including ‘UB-01’. Type Null is apparently an Ultra Beast as well. What’s up with them? UB-01 is seen coming out of a portal in the Japanese trailer.

• From the official website in Japanese, we find out that UB-01 is made of a glass-like substance, and is constantly changing shapes. While is has some sort of survival instinct, it is unknown if it has a will of its own or any emotions. For some reason its movements resemble that of a young girl. This sounds like Lillie, and considering this image here… Lillie is surely related somehow.

• There is a new photograph minigame reminiscent of Pokémon Snap. You use the Poké Finder to use it, and can get ratings and messages from friends. More information can be found here.

A feature known as the Poké Finder allows you to take pictures of Pokémon you find. It’s loaded into the Rotom Dex. When you use the Poké Finder in certain photo spots scattered throughout the Alola region, you can take pictures of Pokémon.

The pictures you take will be evaluated, and as you take better pictures, more features—like the ability to zoom in—become available.

Check out our article and video on the topic here!

Poké Finder – the new Pokémon Snap-like game?

• Alolan Raticate keeps the same typing as its pre-evolution: Dark/Normal, with the Abilities of Gluttony/Hustle.

• Sun and Moon are set 12 hours apart. Certain events also differ between the versions, e.g. Totem Pokémon battled. Moon is set 12 hours from the time on the 3DS, with Sun being at the ‘right’ time.
• Alolan Raticate is the Totem Pokémon of the trial that takes place in Verdant Cavern on Melemele Island in Pokémon Moon. This is a Gumshoos in Pokémon Sun.
• The Aether Foundation is a group of members, apparently fighting Team Skull.
• Aether Foundation have their own private island! It is man-made.
• Lusamine, Faba and Wicke are all major characters of this team. Lusamine, the president of Aether Foundation, looks rather similar to Lillie, someone working with Professor Kukui. Lillie was described as ‘mysterious’ before in trailers and both people appear similar to UB-01… Most curious indeed.

• Gladion is Team Skull’s ‘Enforcer’. You battle him at some point in the game. He has the new Ultra Beast Type: Null on his team.

Check out our article speculating on the links between Lusamine, Gladion and Lillie, as well as UB-01 here!

The Mystery of Lillie: Relative of Gladion and Lusamine, or UB-01 in disguise?

• Team Skull try the fail-safe idea of selling Slowpoke (or possibly its Tails) for money.
• You search the region for Zygarde Cells and Cores and suck them up into a special ‘Cube’ item. Characters Sina and Dexio introduce you to this side quest. There were assistants to Professor Sycamore in Pokémon X and Y – this seemingly places Sun and Moon some years after the events in Kalos.

This new Pokémon has also been spotted by Serebii:

Serebii Picture: Screenshot of a new Pokémon https://t.co/oV6DIIA7Ub pic.twitter.com/fHd7SRBU46

— Serebii.net (@SerebiiNet) September 6, 2016

It appears to be an evolution of Cutiefly…

There’s also been a follow-up segement to the ‘Train On’ trailer:

Nobody likes a bad winner!