Pokémon Sun and Moon were strange games for a variety of reasons, including the removal of traditional gyms in favor of special challenges, but the biggest change was the addition of “Alolan forms” for classic monsters. These alternate forms won’t be limited to the 3DS much longer, however, as they’re coming to Pokémon Go in a new update.
“Whether your forecast calls for rain or shine, we’re celebrating all around the world by introducing some special Pokémon from the tropical Alola region to Pokémon Go,” developer Niantic said in a post on the game’s website. “Get ready for some of the Pokémon originally discovered in the Kanto region to appear in their Alolan forms!”
The Kanto region was the area players explored in Pokémon Red and Blue, and it contained some of the most famous characters in the series. In their Alolan forms, they’re still recognizable, but have an added “twist.” You can see a few examples in the video at the top of the page.
The evolved Pokémon Dugtrio, a staple of the series since the very beginning, was given a Fabio-like hairdo, while Sandslash and Vulpix were given new ice abilities. The most jarring change is to Exeggutor, the palm-tree Pokémon with multiple heads. It now has a neck to match its tree-like appearance, as well as dragon abilities.
The decision to focus on Kanto-region Pokémon with the latest update seems fitting, if the recent rumors we’ve heard about the latest Pokémon game for Switch are correct. Supposed leaks for “Pokémon Let’s Go! Pikachu Edition” and “Pokémon Let’s Go! Eevee Edition,” along with corresponding domain name registrations, suggest the games will focus on the original location and could contain elements from Pokémon Go. This should all be taken with a grain of salt for now, however, and if Nintendo does have something in the works, we’ll likely hear about it at E3 in June.
If you’re only interested in playing Pokémon Go, the game is still going strong, with raids adding legendary monsters for limited-time events. Despite the colossal failure that was 2017’s Pokémon Go Fest, the celebration will be held this July in Chicago. Given that connection issues experienced at last year’s event led to widespread player outrage, we’re hoping this year’s goes off without a hitch.
