The third set was the first Pokémon Ga-Olé set to feature Generation VII Pokémon, including the Legendary Sunne Pokémon Solgaleo and the Legendary Moone Pokémon Lunala, which appear as Grade 5 disks, as well as the Generation VII first partner PokémonRowlet, Litten, and Popplio and their evolutionary families. A couple of Alolan form Pokémon are also featured in the set. Grade 4 versions of Decidueye, Incineroar, Primarina, Pikachu, and Snorlax have access to the new Z-Move mechanic—powerful moves that can only be used once per session.
The Ga-Olé Pass Bonus (Japanese: ガオーレパスボーナス) was one of a number of gameplay enhancements added from the third set; a feature that increases the starting Fighting Spirit of players with Ga-Olé Passes from 50% to 100%. The addition of a roulette displaying Poké Balls during Get Time! also replaced the singular cycling icons used in the previous two sets, making it easier for players to judge when to use the Poké Ball lever. Another feature added was the chance to dispense the next Grade up of eligible Pokémon successfully captured during Get by Battle mode. Pokémon capable of evolving or increasing their grade could do so immediately if the player choose not to dispense them straight away, with star icons indicating either Evolution Chance! or Grade Up Chance! sometimes appearing on the dispense option during the Get Time! phase.
Get Now mode had more interactivity added to it from this set. A cursor will randomly move across 9 area icons at the start of the first round, prompting the player to select one to begin. The typical area layout includes 8 normal grass patches and 1 berry bush, which usually offer higher-Grade Pokémon to capture. If a disk is dispensed from a normal grass patch area, 1 icon is removed from the layout before the start of each subsequent round. If a disk is dispensed from a berry bush area, the layout will retain 9 areas with an additional berry bush in place of a normal grass patch before the start of each subsequent round. If no disk is dispensed, the layout will reset to the default 9 areas.
Five new Pokémon Trainers were available to battle in Trainer and Battle mode, including 2 new Trainer classes and a new Battle Leader. Dragonite, Garchomp, and Goodra were also added as Support Pokémon available to purchase in-game from this set.
Course summary
Standard courses
Solgaleo & Lunala Course ~Part 1~
ソルガレオ＆ルナアーラコース ～その1～
Playable at set launch
Let's Begin Z-Move! Course
はじめようZワザ！コース
Playable at set launch
Solgaleo & Lunala Course ~Part 2~
ソルガレオ＆ルナアーラコース ～その2～
Playable from January 5, 2017
Island's Guardian Deity Course
しまのまもりがみコース
Playable from January 19, 2017
Limited courses
Available at participating stores with Pokémon Ga-Olé arcade units from December 8, 2016
Alola Setting Off Course
アローラたびだちコース
Playable from December 8, 2016 to February 15, 2017
Available for Pokémon Ga-Olé Members to redeem from December 8, 2016 for 1,000 Member Points
Tiny Pokémon Course
ちっちゃなポケモンコース
Playable from December 8, 2016 to May 31, 2017
Tapu Koko Course
カプ・コケココース
Playable from December 8, 2016 to February 15, 2017
Pokémon Center Special Course
ポケモンセンタースペシャルコース
Playable from December 8, 2016 to January 9, 2017 at all Pokémon Centers and Pokémon Stores
Delibird Discovery! Course
デリバードはっけん！コース
Playable from December 19 to 25, 2016
Available as an insert in the February 2017 issue of CoroCoro Ichiban!, released on December 21, 2016
Blazing Fire Course
もえさかるほのおコース
Playable from December 21, 2016 to February 15, 2017
Special Solgaleo & Lunala Course ~Part 2~
とくべつソルガレオ＆ルナアーラコース ～その2～
Playable from January 5 to 26, 2016 on select units
Available to download from the Molly Fantasy app from January 25 to February 25, 2017
