In the pantheon of Pokémon games, Sun & Moon occupy a strange space. Released in 2016 for the Nintendo 3DS, they were the 20th-anniversary titles. They broke tradition by ditching Gym battles for "Island Trials." They introduced regional variants. And they gave us one of the most controversial (and beloved) characters in series history: Hau.

But "better" isn't always "preferred."

Why, in 2024, fans are revisiting Alola—legally and otherwise.

So, why are thousands of players still searching for the download? Most fans agree: Pokémon Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon (released 2017) are the "better" games. They have more Pokémon, a harder post-game, the Rainbow Rocket episode, and a slightly altered story.