‘Pokemon Omega Ruby’ & ‘Alpha Sapphire’ Are Gems

With great success of Pokemon X & Y and the Kalos region, it’s time to revisit a fan favorite, and come back to the Hoenn region of the third generation of Pokemon, in Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire. Pokemon has been a video game stable since the late 1990s, taking the world by storm. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were released on Nov. 21, 2014, for the Nintendo 3ds. These two games introduce a new generation of players to the Hoenn region, and reintroduce older gamers who played these games as kids to what the third generation had to offer.

Starting off like a traditional Pokemon game, you create your character, and select one of three starter Pokemon — Treeko the grass type, Torchic the fire type, or Mudkip the water type. From there on you start your journey to become a Pokemon master, fighting trainers, catching various types of Pokemon, and challenging Gym Leaders. Also you come across Team Magma in Ruby, and Team Aqua in Sapphire who wish to awaken an ancient Pokemon to take over the world. However, what is different this time is that the newer elements of Pokemon become present later down the line, such as Mega Evolution which was introduced in gen 6. The new games introduce several new Mega Evolutions such as Mega Sceptile, Mega Swampert, Mega Salamence, and my personal favorite Mega Steelix.

Also returning to the series is the aspect of Pokemon contest, in which you use certain moves to impress the judges. I also love that secret bases have returned, this time allowing you to play online with your friends. Also returning to the game is the online capabilities found in Pokemon X & Y, allowing you to connect to the Internet for a more immense Pokemon experience, allowing you to access more secret bases, trade, and battle Pokemon with various people.

Though is a remake/revision of the games, new gameplay mechanics are introduced such as using the Eon Flute which allows you to fly around on either Latios, or Latias depending on what game you are in. However my favorite has to be the “Primal reversion,” a different form of Mega Evolution exclusive to both Groudon and Kyorge, which gives them access to a new form, with enhanced strength and abilities. Another cool feature of the game comes at the end game with the Delta Episode, and the Mirage points that grow the more you play online — however I’ll let that one be a surprise.

I love revisiting the Hoenn region, it was very nostalgic replaying through this game, even if it was retold for a newer audience. My only gripe with the game is the same one I had with Pokemon X & Y — it felt too easy. Maybe I just got better at Pokemon over the years, but it does seem a lot is handed to you. Catching Groudon wasn’t as soul-crushingly hard as I remember it being, and the Elite 4 the first time around was pretty easy — even the Champion was. However I’ll chalk that up to me getting better at these games since this is made for a younger audience, also it’s not as easy as X & Y; it has some difficult parts to it. I give Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire a 4 out of 5. It’s worth picking up if you call yourself a Pokemon fan. With tons of Pokemon to catch, trainers to fight, areas to explore, and online play with friends it’s definitely worth keeping around.