Games
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon: Alola retold around Necrozma
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are the 2017 Nintendo 3DS games that retell Sun and Moon in the same four-island Alola, with the story rebuilt around Necrozma and a longer Alola Pokédex of 403 species. Against Sun and Moon they change several totem Pokémon, add five new species, add Ultra Wormhole travel that brings back legendaries from earlier regions, and end with the Team Rainbow Rocket episode; against each other they split Ultra Beasts and older legendaries. They are played today from a 3DS cartridge or an earlier download, with online play gone since 8 April 2024 and Pokémon Bank as the one-way route to Pokémon HOME until Bank ends service on 25 February 2027.
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, both versions, and how they differ from Sun and Moon. Drafted 8 Nov 2026.
The island challenge is the same shape with different totems
The structure matches Sun and Moon: captains' trials, a totem Pokémon at the end of each, and a grand trial against each island's kahuna. Hala, Olivia, Nanu and Hapu return in the same order. The totems change in several trials. Lana's trial ends with Araquanid in place of Wishiwashi, Kiawe's with Alolan Marowak in place of Salazzle, and Sophocles' with Togedemaru in place of Vikavolt. Mina's trial moves into the main story, with a Ribombee totem, which makes eight trials. The League on Mount Lanakila has a changed Elite Four, with Molayne in Hala's seat, and the last battle of the main story is against Hau, not Professor Kukui.
Ultra Beasts and old legendaries are split between the versions
Ultra Sun has Buzzwole, Kartana and Blacephalon. Ultra Moon has Pheromosa, Celesteela and Stakataka. The cover legendary is Solgaleo in Ultra Sun and Lunala in Ultra Moon, and Necrozma fuses with it into Dusk Mane or Dawn Wings Necrozma. The Ultra Wormhole adds dozens of legendaries from earlier games, divided by version, so a full collection needs both. Passimian and Turtonator stay in Ultra Sun, Oranguru and Drampa in Ultra Moon, as in the first pair. Trade evolutions still need a trade. With 3DS online services closed, trading means two systems over local wireless, and Sun and Moon trade with Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon directly.
The same three starters open a rewritten first island
Rowlet, Litten and Popplio return, chosen in Iki Town on Melemele. Their evolutions and types are unchanged: Decidueye is Grass and Ghost, Incineroar Fire and Dark, Primarina Water and Fairy. Each starter has a signature Z-Move once fully evolved, as in Sun and Moon. The opening hour follows the Sun and Moon order with new scenes: Hau, the Rotom Dex, Ilima's trial in Verdant Cavern and Hala's grand trial. The Ultra Recon Squad, two characters from Ultra Megalopolis, appear early and carry the Necrozma story. Saves from Sun and Moon do not carry over; this is a new game with its own cartridge.
Episode RR is the postgame centrepiece
After the League the Aether Paradise is taken over by Team Rainbow Rocket, led by Giovanni with the bosses of earlier villain teams: Maxie, Archie, Cyrus, Ghetsis and Lysandre. Each fight uses that boss's legendary or signature team, and finishing the episode opens further rewards. The Ultra Wormhole, reached on the Ultra Warp Ride, is where the version-split legendaries are caught; how far the ride goes decides what appears. The Battle Tree returns, the Battle Agency in Festival Plaza adds rental-team battles, and move tutors in Alola teach older moves for Battle Points. Title defences at the League continue.
Z-Moves gain signature moves and Necrozma gets its own
Z-Moves work as in Sun and Moon: one per battle, from a held Z-Crystal that matches a move. The Ultra versions add more species-specific Z-Crystals, among them Lycanium Z, Mimikium Z, Kommonium Z, Solganium Z and Lunalium Z, and Ultranecrozium Z, which turns a fused Necrozma into Ultra Necrozma for the battle. Alolan forms, Ride Pokémon and the 18-type chart are unchanged. New side systems include Mantine Surf between islands and the Alola Photo Club. The Alola Pokédex grows from 302 to 403 entries, which gives a team more options mid-game than in Sun and Moon.
Updates are finished and online services have ended
There was no paid downloadable content. One free update, version 1.2, added Pokémon Bank support. Online modes closed with 3DS online services in April 2024: Global Trade System, Wonder Trade, Battle Spot and internet Mystery Gift. Zeraora and other event Pokémon from 2017 and 2018 can no longer be received. Local wireless trades and battles still work between two 3DS systems. The Battle Tree, the Battle Agency and the move tutors all run offline, so Battle Points can still be earned and spent. Pokémon Bank is the one online service the game still talks to, until Bank ends service on 25 February 2027.
Buy the cartridge, and choose Ultra over the first pair for a single game
Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon run on every 3DS and 2DS model, and only there. The eShop stopped selling games on 27 March 2023; a digital copy bought before that can be redownloaded. For someone picking one Alola game today the Ultra pair has the larger Pokédex, the extra postgame and the move tutors, while Sun and Moon tell the original version of the story. Pokémon Bank moves Pokémon from the game to Pokémon HOME, one way; it can no longer be downloaded and ends service on 25 February 2027. A used cartridge may carry an old save; deleting it is done from the title screen with a button combination shown in the game's manual.
| Ultra Sun | Ultra Moon |
|---|---|
| Solgaleo, Dusk Mane Necrozma | Lunala, Dawn Wings Necrozma |
| Buzzwole, Kartana, Blacephalon | Pheromosa, Celesteela, Stakataka |
| Passimian | Oranguru |
| Turtonator | Drampa |
| Ho-Oh, Groudon, Dialga, Reshiram, Xerneas (Ultra Wormhole) | Lugia, Kyogre, Palkia, Zekrom, Yveltal (Ultra Wormhole) |
| Order | Island | Leader | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melemele | Ilima (trial) | Normal |
| 2 | Melemele | Hala (grand trial) | Fighting |
| 3 | Akala | Lana (trial) | Water |
| 4 | Akala | Kiawe (trial) | Fire |
| 5 | Akala | Mallow (trial) | Grass |
| 6 | Akala | Olivia (grand trial) | Rock |
| 7 | Ula'ula | Sophocles (trial) | Electric |
| 8 | Ula'ula | Acerola (trial) | Ghost |
| 9 | Ula'ula | Nanu (grand trial) | Dark |
| 10 | Poni | Mina (trial) | Fairy |
| 11 | Poni | Vast Poni Canyon (trial) | Dragon |
| 12 | Poni | Hapu (grand trial) | Ground |
5 checks before you act
- Delete any old save on a used cartridge before starting
- Pick a starter in Iki Town; each one gets a signature Z-Move later
- Clear Ilima's trial in Verdant Cavern
- Note which Ultra Beasts and legendaries your version lacks, for a local trade later
- Move Pokémon to HOME through an installed Pokémon Bank before 25 February 2027
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