The much anticipated Pokémon Sun & Moon demo is just around the corner, so it’s time for a little pre-release discussion about it!  Within the last hour a European press release has revealed two brand-new screenshots of it and shown that we will face Team Skull’s Plumeria as well as get to use Pikachu and its Z-move. 

While we don’t know what time the demo will be released on the Nintendo 3DS’ eShop for most areas, we do know that it will be released “late morning” for Europeans. 

An important note regarding spoilers: Anything found within normal play of the demo will not be considered a spoiler, however should the game’s file be picked apart and new information/Pokémon/etc be discovered it will be posted behind a spoiler image.  Don’t worry! 

The paragraph below contains spoilers on the Sun & Moon demo.  To read the spoilers please highlight the text. 

UPD: A video of the first 15 minutes of the demo played in German has leaked online.  For those interested here’s a quick summary of what it showed.  Apologies, in advance for the little details regarding dialogue.  I don’t speak German…but I can if you’d like:

The demo starts with you checking your mailbox to find a letter from Ash.  In it Ash comments on the weather, asks how your move to Alola went, and how the Greninja he gave you is doing.  After reading it, your mom walks out of the house, talks to you, and you are then immediately transported to Town Hall in “Hauholi City”. 

The cutscene continues with your mother talking to a clerk, and once she finishes you can finally start to move around on your own accord.  When opening the menu you only have access to your Pokémon and your bag – as previously reported you only have the special Battle Bond Greninja on hand.  There’s not much else to do in the building, so when you decide to leave Hau will enter. 

The two of you leave the building together and are confronted by two Team Skull grunts.  Hau and you then separately engage the two grunts in battle.  You take on the grunt with a level 25 Yungoos (your Greninja is level 36).  After the two of you defeat Team Skull, they run off and you’re able to explore the city a bit until you meet up with Hau again at the Pokémon Center. 

Once inside Hau will talk to you about the Pokémon Center, and lets you explore the inside of it.  Once you decide to leave Professor Kukui will intercept you and Hau.  He talks to you, and once he finishes you’re able to either explore the city more or go north of the Pokémon Center where a man will block you.  When approaching him he’ll ask to confirm whether or not you want to continue on to the next area.  If you say yes you’ll be allowed to pass and enter a route-like area called “Tenkarat Hill”. 

Prof. Kukui will explain something to you and then move on towards the end of the route without you.  There is tall grass in this area and one trainer; the player encountered a Pikipek and a Rockruff in the wild, whereas the trainer had a level 20 Rockruff.  After you beat the trainer you come to a cave.  Upon entering you run into Professor Kukui and a Pikachu. 

He talks some more, gives you the Rotom Pokédex and the Pikachu, and tasks you to use the PokéFinder to find some Pokémon.  After he finishes talking to you the “Trial Start!”  text animation is seen at the bottom of the screen, and you’re able walk around the cave, go to the holes in the wall, and use the PokéFinder to find Pokémon.  The player looked through one hole, saw a Jangmo-o using the PokéFinder and defeated it.  Before he was able to look through the second hole the video ends abruptly. 

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