Pokemon Bank has finally made its way to Pokemon Sun and Moon, which means we can finally invite our older pals over to Alola for a cup of tea. If you want to get started on transferring some Pokemon from older games, read on for a detailed guide.
Download Pokemon Bank First
First, you need to know that Pokemon Bank only works with Pokemon X and Y as well as Pokemon Alpha Sapphire and Omega Ruby. With even older titles, you have to use the Poke Transporter, but we'll get to that later.
To start, you have to download the app from the Nintendo eShop. Note that there is a $5 annual fee plus you have to have a Nintendo ID to actually use it. You can use the QR code here to be taken directly to the Pokemon Bank page.
Deposit The Chosen Pokemon To The Bank
The deal with the Pokemon Bank is that you use it to "deposit" and "withdraw" Pokemon. To deposit a Pokemon, simply insert the game you want to get a creature from and put them into the PC boxes. Exit and boot the Bank app.
Once you've accessed it (after a few dialogues), you'll be taken to a screen with the Group # and the Bank #, which is called here as the box. You can divide all 100 boxes up to 10 groups if you so wish.
In the Touchscreen, you will see the PC boxes in the currently inserted game. To select a Pokemon, move the cursor to its icon and click it. If the cursor is red, you will be met with other choices like Move, Summary or Release. Select Move and put the cursor in the Pokemon Bank screen to "deposit" it. Remember to save before exiting.
You can change the color of the cursor by pressing Start. Press it once and it will turn blue, which will then pick up the Pokemon upon clicking it. Pressing the button again will change it to green that allows you to select an area. Pressing the button for the third time will change it back to red.
Download Them In Sun And Moon
To "withdraw" a Pokemon, plug in Pokemon Sun and Moon and boot the Pokemon Bank app. Then, select the applicable cursor color and pick up the creatures from the bank. You should now be able to see the downloaded monsters in the PC box in Sun and Moon.
Use Poke Transporter For Older Titles
The Poke Transporter is used to transport Pokemon from older generation Pokemon games to Pokemon Bank. This allows you to bring over your friends from Black/White and Black 2/White 2 to more recent titles. You can also use it for Red, Blue and Yellow: Special Pikachu Edition, but transfers from these games only work with Pokemon Sun and Moon.
When you open Pokemon Bank, you will be prompted to download and install it if you don't have it already. Do so and boot it up. You will only be presented with two choices here: Yes and No as an answer to "Would you like to transfer this box?" It only acknowledges your first PC box, so make sure you move all the creatures you want transported there.
Exit the app and open Pokemon Bank. You should see the PC box you just transferred in the Transport Box next to Bank 1. You can now move the Pokemon in this box as you like.
Important notes: Pokemon you have already welcomed to Alola will not be able to go back to their original games, so make sure you've done all you want with them before transferring them to Pokemon Sun and Moon. Also note that any item that a creature is holding will be sent back to your bag upon being put in the bank/transporter. If your bag is full, that item will just vanish. Here are the full details on the updated Pokemon Bank.
