CIB Sunday #18 – ‘Pokemon Moon’ – Introverted Creativity

I’m going to make these posts a bimonthly feature. They’ll go up every other Sunday, to fit with CIB Sunday on Twitter. CIB stands for complete-in-box, and it’s commonly used to describe video games. If a game includes the cartridge, case, instruction booklet, and everything else it originally came with, it is considered to be CIB.

By now, I’m sure many of us have played Pokemon video games, watched the long-running animated series, or at least heard of it before. In my case, I grew up with three older brothers, all of whom owned some of the oldest, most classic Pokemon games, including Yellow, Blue, Crystal, Gold, and Silver. Because of this, and my innate interest in video games, I was hooked into the world of Pokemon at a young age. I grew up embarking on journey after journey to become the best Pokemon Trainer, so this series has always been near and dear to my heart. Luckily, Pokemon games are still being made today, giving both new and old fans the chance to experience this amazing, ever-growing universe.

It isn’t the most recent release from the series, but Pokemon Moon is the newest game I’ve played to date. After all these years and multiple games, you may wonder if their quality has decreased somewhat. However, I think Moon still retains the magic and fun of the original Pokemon video games, while introducing fresh mechanics and putting its own unique spin on the usual journey. Somehow, each Pokemon title manages to be just as engrossing and interesting as the last, even after so many different games. Today, I’m going to go over what I loved about my experience with Pokemon Moon.

Like all the Pokemon games, Moon has a focus on battling your Pokemon against other trainers so that they level up and their stats increase. Moon introduces new mechanics that provide additional layers of depth and strategy to each battle, though. For example, you acquire an item early in the game called a Z-Ring, which allows your Pokemon to use more powerful Z-Moves. However, only one of these special moves can be used by each trainer once per battle. This system ensures that you have to be strategic and cautious when you use a Z-Move; use one at the wrong time, or against the wrong opponent, and it could cost you the entire battle. You also have to consider Move types and what will actually be most effective against opposing Pokemon.

In addition, Moon has a refreshing aesthetic and style that sets it apart from other titles in the series. Rather than Gym Leaders, you face Pokemon Captains across the region of Alola, with each one having an Island Kahuna as their deputy. As a result, you have to battle and make it through two interesting, powerful Trainers in each area. This ramps up the difficulty a bit from previous games and introduces you to even more great characters.

Every town/city has a unique appearance and entertainment to experience as well. There are salons scattered throughout Alola where you can change your character’s entire look, from their hair style to hair color. Additionally, there are several boutiques you can visit, with each one selling an array of clothes and accessories. These factors make it so you have an endless amount of customization with your character, which is something I really appreciate in video games. This time around, there are several mini-games you can complete, too, ranging from picking up trash in a mall to helping beached Pokemon make their way back to the ocean. In Pokemon Moon, there truly is so much to do and discover.

Last, but certainly not least, there’s a wide roster of new Pokemon to find, catch, and train in this installment. Of course, this has always been the case with Pokemon games, but Moon has some exciting and notable additions that will leave you scouring various areas to finally catch them. Some of my favorites specific to the Alola region are Litten, the Alolan Raichu, Lilligant, Lycanroc, and Talonflame. Since Pokemon are the driving force of each game, it’s always great to have such a good, varied roster, and I think the Alolan roster is one of my favorites in recent games. Undoubtedly, there will never be a shortage of new Pokemon for you to catch and train in this region.

Overall, I believe Pokemon Moon is yet another noteworthy game from the classic series, one that will have new and old fans alike glued to their screens. Due to its fresh battle mechanics, unique, interesting aesthetic, variety of entertainment, and an amazing roster full of appealing Pokemon, Moon makes its mark as another excellent title in the Pokemon franchise. It’s sure to keep you entertained for hours upon hours, with always more to discover and experience. If you haven’t added Pokemon Moon to your 3DS library yet, it’s definitely worth doing so and going through a playthrough or two.