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Pokemon Sun & Moon guide: how to evolve every new Pokemon

Evolve 'em all.

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Pokemon Sun & Moon has a bunch of new awesome-looking new Pokemon available to trainers on the island challenge, but as always with Pokemon there's something of an element of mystery around how some of them work - and in many cases how they work.

Playing the game for review I spent way too many hours wondering how the hell I could evolve my Charjabug into a Vikavolt - and that stuff can be frustrating. Have no fear, though! We have suffered so that you don't have to. 'Cos we're nice like that.

We've compiled a list of how all the new Pokemon that evolve in Pokemon Sun & Moon do so. So... without further ado, let's explain:

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How to evolve Rowlet into Dartrix and then Decidueye

Grass-type starter Pokemon Rowlet evolves into its second form at level 17. It then evolves once more into its final form Decidueye at level 34.

How to evolve Litten into Torracat and then Incineroar

Much like the other starters, fire-type Litten evolves into second form Torracat at level 17. It will grow into the massive-looking Incineroar at level 34.

How to evolve Popplio into Brionne and finally Primarina

Water-type starter Popplio evolves into its second version in Brionne at level 17, and like the other starters reaches its final form, Primarina, at level 34.

How to evolve Rockruff into Lycanroc - Midday or Midnight Form

New rock puppy Rockruff can evolve one of two ways depending on which version of the game you have. In Sun it'll evolve at level 25 and in the daytime into the Midday form of Lycanroc. In Moon it'll also evolve at level 25, but at night and into the Midnight form of Lycanroc. The two are version-exclusive.

How to evolve Yungoos into Gumshoos

The angry-looking newcomer that is Yungoos levels up quite simply and quite early on - just get to level 20 and it'll evolve into Gumshoos. Mr. President, is that you?

How to evolve Pikipek into Trumbeeak and finally Toucannon

Pikipek looks like a pretty standard-issue early-game flying-type Pokemon, but it actually gets pretty badass by the end. At level 14 it evolves into Trumbreak, and at level 28 it evolves into the awesome Toucan-like Toucannon.

How to evolve Grubbin into Charjabug and then Vikavolt

Grubbin also looks like another fairly standard-issue Pokemon - the familiar early-game, 3-stage bug-type. It evolves into Charjabug at Level 20, but won't evolve into its final form, Vikavolt, unless you level up in the Vast Poni Canyon area of Alola. Level up there and Vikavolt is yours.

How to evolve Cutiefly into Ribombee

Tiny little new bug and fairy-type Pokemon Cutiefly evolves into Ribombee at Level 25. Simple!

How to evolve Salandit into Salazzle

New fire and poison-type lizard Salandit is an interesting case for Pokemon - only the female version of Salandit evolves. The female Salandit will evolve into Salazzle at Level 33, but the male version will remain as Salandit forever.

How to evolve Stufful into Bewear

Cutesy baby-bear Stufful will evolve into the equally cute but much more dangerous Bewear at level 27... just don't get trapped in one of its hugs. It could be deadly.

How to evolve Wimpod into Golisopod

Wimpod does just look sort of lame. It's a water and bug-type hybrid and are known well for their cowardly nature. You might want to hang onto one, though - at level 30 it evolves into the utterly bad-ass Golisopod.

How to evolve Bounsweet into Steenee and finally Tsareena

Bounsweet will evolve into Steenee at any point after level 18. To evolve into Tsareena you need to justify those dangerous-looking, sharp legs that Pokemon has - it'll only evolve if your Steenee knows the move stomp. Steenee will naturally learn Stomp at level 29.

How to evolve Mudbray into Mudsdale

New fiery donkey-looking Pokemon Mudbray will evolve into the much more regal-looking Mudsdale at level 30.

How to evolve Fomantis into Lurantis

New grass-type Fomantis will evolve into the typically unsettlingly humanoid-looking Lurantis by leveling up in the daytime to level 34 or higher.

How to evolve Sandygast into Palossand

Sandcastle-looking ghost-type Pokemon Sandygast is a late bloomer, but will level up into the even creepier and more impressive-looking Palossand at level 42.

How to evolve Morelull into Shiinotic

Grass and fairy-type Morelull resembles mushrooms, which means the evolution for it is pretty obvious... it grows. It evolves into Shiinotic at level 24 and up.

How to evolve Crabrwaler into Crabominable

Fighting-type Crabrawler is pretty much always found guarding berries. It's greedy like that. If you want to evolve it into the particularly deadly-looking and excellently-named Crabominable you'll want to level it up while in Alola's Mount Lanakila area.

How to evolve Type: Null into Silvally

Type: Null is pretty unique, and this a Pokemon you'll only have the chance to access much later in the game. Once you do, you'll want to make it happy by battling with it, hanging out with it, feeding it and spoiling it by petting it and so on. Once it has sufficient happiness, it'll evolve upon level up.

How to evolve Jangmo-o into Hakamo-o and finally Kommo-o

Despite seeming like exactly the type of Pokemon that'd have some sort of complex and convoluted evolution method, Jangmo-o evolves into Hakamo-o at level 34. It's that simple. It stays simple, too: Hakamo-o will finally evolve into Komo-o at level 45.

How to evolve Alolan Ratatta into Alolan Raticate

Alolan Ratatta evolves into Alolan Raticate at Level 20. All you have to do is keep fighting and battling with this Ratatta and it'll eventually level up as normal.

How to evolve Pichu into Pikachu then into Alolan Raichu

The iconic Pikachu line of Pokemon get an all-new Alolan form in Sun & Moon but only for its final evolution phase. Pichu is the most easy to catch. Pichu is evolved into Pikachu by having its Happiness at maximum. Max this out by feeding Pichu and caring for it. Once you have a Pikachu, present it with a Thunder Stone to get your very own levitating, half-Psychic type Alolan Raichu.

How to evolve Alolan Sandshrew into Alolan Sandslash

Alolan Sandshrew and Sandslash come with an all-new Ice-type classification and are exclusive to Pokemon Moon. To evolve into Sandslash, simply present Alolan Sandshrew with an Ice Stone.

How to evolve Alolan Vulpix into Alolan Ninetales

Alolan Vulpix and Ninetales come with an all-new Ice-type classification and are exclusive to Pokemon Sun. To evolve into the majestic Ninetales simply present Alolan Vulpix with an Ice Stone.

How to evolve Alolan Meowth into Alolan Persian

Alolan Meowth can be evolved into Alolan Persian simply by keeping it happy. Max out its happiness by feeding it, winning in battles and spoiling it by petting and grooming it, and when happiness is at a max level Meowth up - it'll then evolve.

How to evolve Alolan Geodude into Alolan Graveler and finally Alolan Golem

This one is thankfully pretty simple - Alolan Geodude will evolve into a Graveler that also has some incredible hair at Level 25. If you want to get the truly impressive mustachioed Alolan Golem you'll have to trade a Graveler, at which point it will evolve.

How to evolve Alolan Grimer into Alolan Muk

The bright green 'I look like I've been gorging on Custard' Alolan Grimer will evolve into the rainbow-coloured Alolan Muk at Level 38.

How to evolve Exeggcute into Alolan Exeggutor

The massive-necked Alolan Exeggutor has become something of a meme even before Pokemon Sun & Moon released, and, well... for good reason. Look at it! Use a Leaf Stone on a regular old Exeggcute to evolve it into this Alolan version.

How to evolve Alolan Diglett into Alolan Dugtrio

The Alolan Diglett and Alolan Dugtrio do rather look like they're having a bit of a crisis and have picked up some wigs, but they have a surprisingly serious backstory. An Alolan Diglett is easily found in a number of locations and will evolve into Dugtrio at Level 26.

How to evolve Cubone into Alolan Marowak

A regular old Cubone can be evolved into the Alolan variant of Marowak at level 28 onwards - you just need to make sure you level up at night in-game. That'll be at night in real world time for Sun owners and any time in the daytime for Moon owners - the two games have their in-game clocks offset by 12 hours, so Moon will always be 12 hours ahead.

That's all the new Pokemon that evolve in Sun & Moon! Well... almost. But I've left some off for good reason. Spoilers! Good luck, trainers.

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Pokémon Sun and Moon

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About the Author
Alex Donaldson avatar

Alex Donaldson

Assistant Editor

Alex has been writing about video games for decades, but first got serious in 2006 when he founded genre-specific website RPG Site. He has a particular expertise in arcade & retro gaming, hardware and peripherals, fighters, and perhaps unsurprisingly, RPGs.

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