Pokémon games are always filled with secrets, Easter Eggs, and pop culture references. There are so many in them, that some players take on a zealous quest to find them all. While the player is rarely rewarded for finding those little secrets, it makes the games feel more self-conscious and fun to play.
Pokémon Sun & Moon has a lot of Easter Eggs, and most of them are deeply related to the first Generation of Pokémon games. In this list we're going to show you some of the most interesting ones of the Gen VII games, so you can experience them yourself or understand from where they came from.
10 Alolan Nugget Bridge
In Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow and their remakes, there's a bridge filled with 5 trainers who will battle you in order if you were to cross it. At the end of the bridge, there'll be a Team Rocket Grunt who will reward you a nugget as he's impressed by your skills. This same Grunt will battle you the moment you decline his invitation to join the Team Rocket.
If you return to Malie Garden in Ula'ula Island after defeating Guzma, you'll find that there's a bridge with 5 trainers who will battle you, and after defeating them, a Veteran will reward you with a Big Nugget. Their dialogue and Pokémon are the exact same that is used by those characters from the Gen I games, only they're just playing an act, they aren't members of Team Rocket.
9 Lana Fished A Shiny Pokémon
Lana is a Trial Captain that can be found in Akala Island. She'll start her trial in Brooklet Hill, where you'll be rewarded with a Waterium-Z once you beat her trial. What's interesting about her is that she will tell you that she once fished out a red Gyarados.
Red Gyarados is probably the most well-known shiny Pokémon of all, as it featured its own quest-line in the Gold, Silver and Crystal games, and it even was the protagonist of an Anime episode. It's also totally possible to fish a shiny Gyarados in the games, but the chances of doing so are very slim.
8 Alolan Youngster Joey
True Pokémon fans are very aware that there's always a Youngster Joey in every mainline game. This Rattata specialist is famous for the love and support he gives to his creatures, as he thinks that his Rattata is of the top percentage. While we'll never know what that means, his catchphrase secured him a spot in the hearts of players.
You can find this Gen's Youngster Joey at Trainers' School. Just enter the area and then head west, north, then west and pass through the gate. He'll be standing right there waiting to battle you. Sadly, he won't use a Rattata, as the only Pokémon in his team will be a Metapod, which is disappointing considering that he could have an Alolan Rattata.
7 Professor Kukui's Body Is Ready
The catchphrase "My body is ready" is probably the most famous quote related to the Nintendo franchise. It was said by Reggie Fils-Aimé when he was giving a presentation of how to play Wii Fit at 2007's E3 Convention. The phrase was quickly picked up by the internet and it's one of the few memes of old that are still relevant today.
At one point in the game, you'll be instructed to go to Kukui's house along with Lillie, and just when you're about to enter his house you'll hear him training with his Rockruff. He's probably working himself hard, as at one point he yells "My body is ready" with so much strength that his whole house shakes.
6 Mario's Overalls
The clothing options that were added in Pokémon X and Y are one of the most liked gameplay mechanics introduced in the franchise. It gave players a way to customize their characters, so they could become even more immersed in the games. If you enter most clothing shops in Alola, you can see Mario's overalls perched to the south-east corner of the store.
These overalls look exactly like the ones Mario wears thorough his games. Although, they're way bigger than what Mario probably could wear, as in the games Mario is often portrayed as somewhat shorter than other characters. It's still a nice visual touch that fans of the Mario and Pokémon franchises will appreciate.
5 Hau'oli Cemetery Cutscene
Death in the Pokémon games is a concept that isn't always explored in the games, as it's a franchise aimed for kids, but whenever there's a death story the games become more profound and thoughtful. If you're exploring Melemele Island, you can take a small detour at night time and explore the Hau'oli Cemetery to watch a small cutscene.
Once you enter the area, you will see a Machamp carrying a woman, who's paying respects to her late husband. According to her, he died due to an accident, and it saved the same Machamp that's carrying her from dying by recalling it to its Poké Ball. After hearing the woman's story, she will gift you a TM with the Fling move.
4 Pokémon Loves Stand By Me
In the first Generation games and their remakes, the first Easter Egg you'll find will be hidden right in your house's TV. If you inspect the TV, you will receive a message that states "There's a movie on TV. Four boys are walking on railroad tracks", which is a reference to the classic movie 'Stand By Me'.
In Pokémon Sun & Moon, there'll be a TV on your room, and if you inspect it you'll receive a similar message. Several other characters also reference other movies, like a man ridding a Mudsdale that yells "Hi-yo, Mudsdale! Away!" referencing 'Lone Ranger', or Lillie telling you that she watched a movie about a man singing in the rain, which references 'Singin' in the Rain'.
3 Too Much Water
The remakes of the Gen III games, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, are among the top remakes of any Pokémon Gen. Their updated visuals, beautifully remade soundtrack, added mechanics, and Soaring mode, made these game extremely fun to play, without forgoing its touch of nostalgia.
But according to IGN, the games had 'Too much water", so they gave it a 7.8 score out of 10. IGN's review outraged the Pokémon community, as the games' geography was based on an archipelago, and there is a lot of water between islands. Anyway, if you use your Poké Finder to take a picture, and there's water in it, one of the random comments may say "7.8/10 Too much water ¯\_('-- ')_/¯", obviously referencing IGN's infamous review.
2 Alolan Secret Switch
At this point you'll have realized that most Sun & Moon Easter Eggs are related to the Gen I games, and this one is another of them. Back in the Gen I games, once you enter Celadon City you'll gain access to the Celadon Game Corner, where you can play some betting games.
But the truth is that the Celadon Game Corner was being run by Team Rocket, and you could access a secret area by inspecting one of the posters found inside the building. If you explore around Hau'oli City Mall, you'll find a woman beside a poster that will tell you that there's no secret switch beside the poster, although this time, she's telling the truth.
1 Kangaskhan Lost Child
One of the most common theories related to Cubone's origins, is that this little sad Pokémon is actually a baby orphan Kangaskhan. While the games have proven time and time again that Cubone is just a normal Pokémon species, and that they can be bred without the need of... getting rid of their mothers, some fans still hold the Kangaskhan theory. Game Freak is aware of this theory, as if you face a wild Cubone for long enough, there's a chance that a Kangaskhan will come to its side after hearing his cry for help.