Pokémon Sun, Moon
LumiScore?Our 0–100 score for how developmentally beneficial and low-risk this game is for children. Higher is better.
Growth
55/100
Growth Value
- Problem Solving
- Strategic Thinking
- Memory & Attention
Risk
LOW
Engagement Patterns
Minimal pressure to spend or play excessively.
Heads up
Parent Pro-Tip
After your child completes a trial or reaches a new town, ask them to explain their team strategy: 'Why did you choose that Pokémon for this battle?' This turns the game's type-matchup system into an active critical-thinking conversation.
Top Skills Developed
Development Areas
Representation?How diverse the game's characters are in gender and ethnicity. Higher = more authentic representation. Display only — does not affect time recommendation.
Bechdel Test?The Bechdel Test checks whether a game has at least two named female characters who talk to each other about something other than a man. A simple measure of representation.— Passes the test
The game features multiple named female characters (Lillie, Lusamine, Professor Kukui's assistant Burnet) who interact with each other about subjects beyond male characters, including Pokémon research and family relationships.
Parent Pro-Tip
Verbalising strategy reinforces the logical reasoning and systems-thinking skills the game builds, strengthens reading comprehension as kids reference in-game descriptions, and creates a natural moment of connection and reflection — helping children practise deliberate, planned thinking rather than impulsive button-mashing.
What your child develops
Pokémon Sun and Moon is a richly rewarding RPG that exercises a wide range of cognitive skills. Building a balanced team requires genuine strategic thinking — players must learn type matchups, stat trade-offs, move coverage, and held-item synergies, a system deep enough to support competitive play for adults. The collecting loop demands memory and attention as players track hundreds of species across habitats and time-of-day conditions. The story is delivered almost entirely through reading, supporting literacy with a large, well-written script full of Hawaiian-inspired vocabulary and culturally respectful world-building. The Alola region's Pokédex and in-game Pokédex entries introduce basic ecology, biology, and even chemistry concepts, providing gentle science learning transfer. The Island Challenge structure replaces gyms with varied trial tasks that require puzzle-solving, observation, and environmental reasoning, adding welcome cognitive diversity. Crucially, the game is built around a meaningful narrative of friendship, belonging, and found family through the characters of Lillie and Hau, offering genuine emotional engagement and empathy development. The Alola setting draws on real Polynesian and Hawaiian culture with evident respect, and the cast is among the most ethnically diverse in the mainline series.
Regulatory Compliance
Tap a badge for details. Grey = not yet assessed.
About this game
Embark on a new adventure as a Pokémon Trainer and catch, battle, and trade all-new Pokémon on the tropical islands of the Alola Region. Discover the Z-Moves and unleash these intense attacks in battle.