Trainers, say aloha to Alola! 

Niantic has announced that within the next few weeks, Alolan forms of some of the classic original 151 Pokémon (known as Generation I or the Kanto Pokémon, after the region in which the first games in the series are set) will be appearing in Pokémon Go. So what exactly are Alolan forms and how do they differ?

In Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon (Generation VII games, for those counting), players explore Alola, a region of the Pokémon universe loosely based on Hawaii. In addition to creatures both familiar and brand new, trainers can encounter, battle, and capture variations on 18 of the original Pocket Monsters due to Alola’s unique environment.

Niantic seems to be introducing these forms into the game to mark the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, given their tropical theme. Because these are introduced in Generation VII, but Generation II and III are not even completely released yet, this is an unexpected move that has surprised most of the player community.

It’s still uncertain if they’ll be spawning in the wild like normal Pokémon, as some of them (looking at you, Grimer and Muk) are already exceedingly rare in their normal Kanto form. Other possible methods are including them as Raid bosses or offering them as rewards for quests under the new Field Research system.

We’ve included a gallery below to compare the 18 Alolan forms to their classic Kanto counterparts. “Catching ‘em all” is about to get a bit more colorful!

Rattata and Raticate have become nocturnal. They are now Dark-type Pokémon. Most of Alolan Rattata’s evil is said to be contained in its hipster mustache.

Sandshrew, the second-cutest yellow mouse Pokémon in Gen I, and its evolution Sandslash, have become Ice-types in the Alolan mountains.

Vulpix and Ninetales have also become Ice-types in the Alolan mountains.

The only three-evolution family among the Alolan variations, Geodude, Graveler, and Golem are now Rock/Electric rather than Ground/Rock, likely from magnetic Alolan ores but also from Golem’s impressive new Hagrid beard.

Diglett, now a Steel-type in addition to Ground, has begun to sprout hairs in preparation for its transformation into Alolan Dugtrio, also known as the Malfoy family.

The Alolan Meowth, once the property of the now-defunct Royal Family of Alola, exudes pure coolness in its new Dark-type form, while Persian kind of looks like a South Park parody.

Grimer and Muk sort of look like they’ve been experimenting with new kinds of Berries, if you know what I mean. They’re now Dark-types, too.

These three Pokémon, Raichu (Electric/Psychic in Alola), Marowak (Ghost/Fire in Alola) and Exeggutor (Grass/Dragon/hilariously absurd…no, seriously, Dragon) are unique in that their pre-evolution forms of Pikachu, Cubone, and Exeggcute have no Alolan form. Whether they will be catchable in the wild or only acquirable through a special evolution is not yet known.

-30-

Ryan Miorelli