Is Ultra Sun a Sequel or Remake? Examining Pokémon‘s "Third Version" Legacy
When Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon were announced in 2017, excitement and speculation brewed within the fan community. What would these enhanced follow-ups to Pokémon Sun and Moon hold? As a longtime Pokémon fan who sank 120 hours into my initial playthrough, I was incredibly curious to dive into the mysterious new titles and see if they could rekindle the magic.
The Tradition of Third Versions
These upgraded sequels fall into the long-running tradition of "third versions" throughout Pokémon history. Crystal, Emerald, and Platinum all followed up paired initial games with an enhanced experience mixing old and new. Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon seemed poised to continue that legacy.
Analyzing third versions historically shows a trend of adding substantial new content on top of minor gameplay tweaks:
- Approximately 10-15 hours of additional main story gameplay
- Up to 100 new Pokémon available depending on generation
- New legendary Pokémon and deeper lore expansion
- Postgame areas opening up expanded adventures
Priced at $39.99, third installments cost two-thirds of the initial release price. Given all the fresh content provided, this made them great value for money.
Over time though, some fans began to suggest Game Freak were relying too heavily on the three-version model as a cash grab…
An Enhanced Retelling or True Sequel?
Early marketing showed off mysterious new characters called the Ultra Recon Squad. This interdimensional police force investigates bizarre phenomena involving Ultra Wormholes – rifts leading to the enigmatic Ultra Space.
Right away, the extended storyline with new dimensions signaled significant lore expansion. Seeing iconic villain Giovanni from a parallel world later blew the doors wide open!
By journeying to strange new realities, Game Freak freed themselves from constraints limiting past remakes. The wormholes form an unpredictable framing device that shakes up dynamics, introduces unpredictability, and suggests Sun/Moon‘s story was just the beginning…
While it undeniably spins off from the established tale, seeing familiar characters in new scenarios and incorporating massive additions like Rainbow Rocket also moves Ultra Sun/Moon distinctly forward rather than just retreading the same ground.
Breaking Down What‘s New
So how much actual new content did the Ultra duo deliver? Let‘s analyze the numbers:
- New Pokémon: 5 (All Ultra Beasts like Blacephalon, Poipole etc)
- Regional Variants: 0
- New Moves: 9
- New Abilities: 2
- New Items: 16
- New Areas: 3
- Story Runtime: 35.5 hours (4 hrs longer than Sun/Moon)
Plus various miscellaneous tweaks to established features and mechanics.
Additionally, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon have several Pokémon exclusive to each version:
| Ultra Sun | Ultra Moon |
|---|---|
| Stakataka | Blacephalon |
| Solgaleo | Lunala |
| Own Tempo Rockruff evolution (Dusk Lycanroc) |
The additions feel meaningful given it‘s an enhanced version rather than a brand new generation. Brand new areas like Ultra Megalopolis greatly expand the explorable Alola region. All in in all, a hefty amount of fresh content!
Closing Thoughts
Looking back on Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon with some distance, I believe Game Freak did an admirable job revamping Sun/Moon in creative ways rather than just settling for a lazy rehash.
The Ultra Recon Squad act as engaging new story drivers. Several awesome Mythical additions like Zeraora shook up gameplay and competitive battling. Quality of life changes fixed divisive Sun/Moon criticisms. Hours upon hours of bonus adventures beyond the core story rewarded players.
Of course, a cloud of skepticism will always linger around these "third versions" and whether they should instead just be DLC expansions. However, as an enriched standalone package, the Ultra duo provided immense value. Their wormhole hijinks push Alola‘s story into thrilling new territory rather than just rerunning the same race.
So while not direct numbered sequels, their fresh irreverence helps them stand distinctly apart from Sun/Moon as alternate takes rather than just definitive retellings. Ultimately, Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon earns its "enhanced version" mantle with aplomb to cap off Gen VII with a wormhole-warping, Ultra Beast-busting bang!
