‘Pokemon Sun’ And ‘Moon’ Demo Release Date: What Time U.S. Download May Be Available At eShop, Leaked Gameplay Video

The Pokemon Sun and Moon demo version will have a release date of just one month before the final games are distributed to the masses for their Nintendo 3DS handhelds. The demo version will allow trainers to get involved with the Alola Region and get a bit of a feel for what it will be all about. While there’s been a reveal of when the game can be downloaded for European customers, United States customers are wondering what time they can download the demo. There was also some recently leaked gameplay video which made its way online which has fans of the game talking about the preview of what to expect.

The new Pokemon Sun and Moon games arrive on November 18, but first, there’s a small demo offering a glimpse of the gameplay. So when will that new demo be released for download? A press release was published via the official Pokemon Sun & Moon website.

“Beginning October 18, the Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon Special Demo Version will be available in Nintendo eShop. This is your chance to meet the Pokémon that can be found in November 18’s Pokémon Sun and Pokémon Moon! Ash-Greninja, the Pokémon that appears with the hero Ash in the animated TV series Pokémon the Series: XYZ, will also appear in this game as a member of your team—you can adventure together!”

The iDigitalTimes gave their speculation for the time the demo can be downloaded. The website discusses how there is no specific time given for United States customers to download the demo from the Nintendo eShop. However, the European Nintendo Download press release statement may give a clue. It indicates that the Sun and Moon demo will release around 11 a.m. British time, which would be 6 a.m. Eastern Time for United States customers. Keep in mind that it’s unknown if all regions will be able to download the demo at the same time as Europe is scheduled to receive it, though.

It’s definitely an early time for U.S customers to be up if they want to download the game. For those who happen to be up at that time and see it’s unavailable, the next best bet is that the demo will be available for download before 12 p.m. Eastern Time at Nintendo eShop.

Of note, this particular demo is said to take up a whopping 3.2 gigabytes of free space on the 3DS. That’s a little over a gigabyte more than the Super Smash Bros. demo required, which until now was the biggest demo download for the platform.

As with all things Pokemon, this is expected to be a popular addition to their lineup. As of this report, Pokemon Moon was the best seller of all Nintendo 3DS games available at the Amazon website. Coming in at second on the list was the Pokemon Sun game, showing just how popular these two titles are ahead of their release date. Both games are currently listed for prices of $39.96 at the website.

As the anticipation has continued to grow to a frenzied level, a video containing leaked gameplay made its way online. The Heavy website reported that a Reddit thread for Pokemon first unveiled the video via YouTube which included the first 15 minutes of gameplay for the new Sun and Moon demo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gBxWiOckUR8

The footage, which features narration in German, shows the main character as they explore the first island of Alola region which is called Melemele Island. During the demo, the protagonist also gets a prized Ash-Greninja Pokemon and then goes through a series of battles before capturing a Pikachu.

With all that said, it should be a fun day for those who have been waiting to try the new demo out. Expect it to be at the Nintendo eShop no later than 12 p.m. Eastern Time in the United States, although delays and glitches could always occur, so make sure to keep checking the Nintendo eShop for any updates on the download status.

[Featured Image by Tristan Fewings/Getty Images]