Pokemon Sun & Moon Guide: Facing off against Red and Blue to gain entry to the Battle Tree

Something the folks at Nintendo and The Pokemon Company made quite a big deal out of prior to the launch of Pokemon Sun & Moon was the return of two classic Pokemon trainers - Red and Blue, the original player character and rival character from the original Pokemon.

Some 20 years have passed since the events of Pokemon Red and Blue - and that goes for the game world of Pokemon as much as it does the real world. Those who played Red & Blue back then are quite a bit older - and so are this pair. Something has dragged them along to Alola - and that means your Pokemon trainer in Sun & Moon can face them down... if you so dare, anyway. 

So, where can you find this pair, and what do they have waiting for you? Allow us to explain... and please, understand that we're going to talk spoilers about where to find these guys and what battling them is like. You've been warned.

Pokemon Sun & Moon: Battling Pokemon Trainers Red and Blue

Okay, so, here's the important information: You won't be battling Red or Blue until the late game. You won't be able to get near this pair, in fact, until you've completed the 'main' bit of Sun & Moon and been crowned the champion Pokemon Trainer of Alola.

Once you have, you'll want to return to Poni Island and pass through the Poni Plains into the Poni Gauntlet. At the top of the Poni Gauntlet area in the far north you'll find the entrance to the Battle Tree. This area is basically a gathering place for super-powerful trainers - the ideal hang-out spot for a couple of the most powerful trainers to have ever graced the earth, Red and Blue.

Functionally the Battle Tree is similar to the Battle Tower and Battle Subway from previous games. The guy at the gates won't even let you in until you're champion, but the first time you enter the Battle Tree Red and Blue will greet you.

At this point in order to earn entry to the Battle Tree you have to pick which of the pair you'd rather fight in an epic Pokemon Battle.

So... which should it be? We've listed their teams below so you don't go in blind.

Red's Pokemon Team consists of the following:

• Pikachu - Level 70 (Electric - Weak to Ground)
• Charizard - Level 70 (Fire / Flying - Weak to Electric, Rock, Water)
• Snorlax - Level 65 (Normal - Weak to Fighting)
• Lapras - Level 65 (Ice / Water - Weak to Fighting, Electric, Grass)
• Blastoise - Level 66 (Water - Weak to Electric, Grass)
• Venusaur - Level 66 (Grass / Poison - Weak to Psychic, Flying, Ice, Fire)

Blue's Pokemon Team consists of the following:

• Alakazam - Level 65 (Psychic - Weak to Ghost, Dark, Bug)
• Aerodactyl - Level 65 (Flying / Rock - Weak to Electric, Steel, Ice, Rock, Water)
• Arcanine - Level 65 (Fire - Weak to Ground, Rock, Water)
• Gyarados - Level 65 (Water / Flying - Weak to Electric, Rock)
• Machamp - Level 65 (Fighting - Weak to Psychic, Flying, Fairy)
• Exeggutor - Level 65 (Grass / Psychic - Weak to Ghost, Dark, Flying, Poison, Ice, Bug, Fire)

As you can see, Red is quite a bit harder just based on having a few more raw levels on Blue, but was always the stronger of the two and has that most iconic of generation 1 teams. If you want to face that team down, you'll need to deal with their elevated levels!

Once the pair are defeated, they'll give you access to the Battle Tree. Inside you're going to find many, many more difficult challenges...