Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Time to upgrade your 3DS SD card: 'Pokémon Sun,' 'Moon' need more than 3GB each

Danny Cowan
By

digital versions of pokemon sun and moon may max out sd cards pokemonsize
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Looking forward to downloading digital copies of Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon for your Nintendo 3DS next month? You may need to upgrade your external storage, as Nintendo confirmed (via Serebii) that Pokémon Sun and Moon are large enough to max out a stock 3DS SD card.

Weighing in at 3.2GB each, Pokémon Sun and Moon will claim the majority of available space offered by the 4GB SD cards that are bundled with most Nintendo 3DS handhelds, giving players little room for other games and applications.

Recommended Videos

Nintendo also warns that some players who download the demo versions of Pokémon Sun and Moon may not be able to transfer their saved data to purchased copies, as 4GB SD cards don’t offer enough storage space to accommodate both a demo and a full version of Pokémon Sun or Moon.

Related

According to Nintendo, Pokémon Sun and Moon will each claim approximately 26,215 “blocks” of 3DS-defined external storage space, making them two of the largest 3DS games released to date, in terms of file size. A fan-curated list of Nintendo 3DS game file sizes reveals that few titles rival Pokémon Sun and Moon‘s hunger for storage space, save for exceptions like Square Enix’s expansive RPG Bravely Default: Flying Fairy and Capcom’s survival horror series sequel Resident Evil: Revelations.

Pokémon Sun and Moon also take up more space than previous Pokémon series releases Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, which each weigh in at 14,395 blocks, or 1.8GB. Pokémon X and Y, meanwhile, occupy a comparatively paltry 13,801 blocks.

New Nintendo 3DS XL handhelds sold at retail include a free 4GB SD card for external storage, though players have the option of upgrading to a larger card and transferring their saved data using an included system utility. If you want to upgrade your system’s storage prior to the launch of Pokémon Sun and Moon, keep in mind that new Nintendo 3DS XL platforms require microSD cards, while original Nintendo 3DS, Nintendo 3DS XL, and Nintendo 2DS systems accept standard SD and SDHC cards.

Pokémon Sun and Moon premiere at retail and digitally via Nintendo’s eShop on November 18.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Danny Cowan
Danny Cowan
Contributor
Danny’s passion for video games was ignited upon his first encounter with Nintendo’s Duck Hunt, and years later, he still…
Nintendo 2DS XL vs. Nintendo 3DS XL
new nintendo 2ds xl review 13703

Although the Nintendo Switch poses as a great portable console and reigns supreme in popularity, Nintendo isn't ready to let their handheld consoles fall to the side. Since the Switch's release, the 3DS has gotten a plethora of great games, including Metroid: Samus Returns, WarioWare Gold, Luigi's Mansion,Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga + Bowser's Minions, and Hey! Pikmin.

It wasn't a total surprise when Nintendo announced a new 3DS to add to their family of portable consoles. The Nintendo 2DS XL was announced just months after the initial release of the Switch. Additionally, Nintendo continued to provide support for its 3DS platform. Those of us who are in love with the Nintendo handheld consoles have a chance to continue to pick up these systems and find new games to explore.

Read more
The most common Nintendo 3DS problems, and how to fix them
common nintendo 3ds problems and how to fix them d72661797c228a53b550835a16f6ff6ed709e7e8

The 3DS is one of the best gaming consoles around, with a great library built up after nearly 10 years in circulation. But the system has also run into its fair share of technical hiccups over the years. There’s nothing worse than pulling out your favorite 3DS games, only to find the system doesn't work as expected, particularly when you aren't sure how to fix them.

Below, we’ve compiled a list of known technical issues 3DS owners have been dealing with, along with some steps you can take to fix or prevent them. Some of these only apply to a particular version of the system -- the original 3DS’ design is substantially different than the New 3DS XL, for instance -- while others are issues that occur across the entire 3DS family.
How to get in touch with Nintendo
 

Read more
Where to find the rarest Pokémon in Pokémon Sun and Moon
where to find the rarest pokmon in sun and moon aerodactyl thumb

The region of Alola was first introduced in Pokémon Sun and Moon. These games gave us new Pokémon as well as reinterpretations of Pokémon we know and love. Naturally, there are some Pokémon that are obviously better than others, but there are also a few Pokémon that no trainer would want to miss out on. Although these Pokémon aren't necessarily the hardest to catch, it can be difficult to track them down. 

Luckily, we've compiled a list of the 10 most difficult-to-find Pokémon. Hopefully, this will make your training a little easier. Rather than blindly searching for these elusive Pokémon, we have the location of each one and the best tactics for finding them.

Read more