After defeating Necrozma during the game’s climax - which we’ll get to in a second - players are sent to Mina, the laid-back master behind the Fairy-type challenge. There’s an extra Island Trial to tackle in Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon, and it’s both an exciting and infuriating one. It’s kind of reminiscent of Pokémon Stadium’s rent-a-Pokémon feature, which was a cool way to test out the battle readiness of certain Pokémon you’re on the fence about. These Pokémon are a combination of the Battle Agency’s supply and trainers also checking out the Festival Plaza. This is called the Battle Agency, where players can rent Pokémon to try fighting with a new kind of team. In the online multiplayer hub, the Festival Plaza, players will find an additional battle ground among its returning offerings. But surfing is still a decent pasttime for anyone looking to get more out of their adventure. Your mileage may vary on this one I’m not a huge fan of the controls in particullar. Prizes are then awarded based on that score these are typically Battle Points, which can be traded for further rewards. Doing special tricks will grant you additional points toward your overall score, as will avoiding other Pokémon hanging out in the waters. Mantine Surf is what it sounds like: Trainers can grab onto a Mantine and surf the waves. Scattered across Alola’s beaches are opportunities to check out this new minigame.

The Pokémon Company provided a helpful list of new features, but we’ve added a few finds of our own. It’s worth highlighting the exclusive content that both games do have, however - especially if you’re trying to decide if checking them out after beating Sun and Moon is worth your while. Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon are neither very different from each other, nor from last year’s Pokémon Sun and Moon.

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