'Pokemon Sun and Moon' news: Starter Pokemon, release date revealed

Pokemon Sun and Moon logosThe Pokemon Company/Nintendo

"Pokemon Sun and Moon" has received a brand-new trailer courtesy of The Pokemon Company and this new clip reveals not only the official release date for the highly anticipated game but also the starter Pokemon as well as a closer look at the game's setting.

As stated in a report from Geek and Sundry, the three starter Pokemon are Rowlet, Litten and Popplio. As in previous games, the player will receive at least one of these in the beginning of the game before they set out on their adventure to capture Pokemon and become the Pokemon master in the local region. 

Rowlet is an owl Pokemon and is the only hybrid, being both Flying and Grass type. Litten is a kitten Pokemon and is of the Fire-type although the report speculates that the dark coloring may indicate Litten's evolutions will gain a Dark-type property. Popplio is a sea lion Pokemon and is the game's starting Water-type.

The game's new region is known as Alola and is apparently inspired by Hawaii and Polynesian locations due to its tropical background and island setting. According to Screen Rant, it also appears that Poke Centers and Poke Marts are being revamped and they may be redesigned to better suit the game's new setting.

It is also stated that the new games will allow players to carry over their Pokemon from "Pokemon X and Y" and "Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire." Pokemon captured in the Virtual Console release of "Pokemon Red and Blue" will also be compatible with "Pokemon Sun and Moon" by transferring them first to the Poke Bank system.

The end of the trailer reveals the two legendary Pokemon and the game's box art, right before announcing that the games will launch for the Nintendo 3DS this coming Nov. 18. This is going to be a global release, ensuring that players will get their hands on the game simultaneously.