Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire
Remakes of Ruby and Sapphire with new features and Primal Reversion.
In May 2014, Nintendo and The Pokémon Company announced that Game Freak was developing remakes of the 2002 Game Boy Advance titles *Pokémon Ruby* and *Sapphire* for the Nintendo 3DS. Released on 21 November 2014—exactly twelve years after the originals—*Omega Ruby* and *Alpha Sapphire* launched simultaneously in Japan, North America, and Australia, with Europe receiving them the following week. These games belong to the sixth generation of the Pokémon series and incorporate elements from *Pokémon Emerald* as well.
The gameplay builds on mechanics from later generations: the type split introduced in generation four, unlimited TM usage and triple battles from generation five, and features like Mega Evolution, Pokémon Amie, Super Training, and the Player Search System from *X* and *Y*. A new mechanic, Primal Reversion, applies specifically to Kyogre and Groudon, functioning similarly to Mega Evolution. Players can also ride Latios or Latias to soar above the Hoenn region, accessing certain areas only through this flight.
The story largely mirrors the original *Ruby* and *Sapphire*. The player moves from Johto to Littleroot Town in Hoenn with their mother, as their father Norman becomes the Petalburg City Gym Leader. After rescuing Professor Birch from a wild Poochyena, the player chooses a starter Pokémon—Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip—and sets out to complete the Pokédex and defeat the region’s eight Gym Leaders. Along the way, they encounter Team Magma (in *Omega Ruby*) or Team Aqua (in *Alpha Sapphire*), who seek to use Primal Groudon or Primal Kyogre to reshape the world. Unlike the original games, Archie and Maxie use the correct orbs, triggering Primal Reversion. With help from Champion Steven Stone and Gym Leader Wallace, the player stops the legendary Pokémon, reforms the teams, and eventually challenges the Elite Four and Steven to become Champion. Optional Pokémon Contests are also available. The games add 20 new Mega Evolutions—including one for each starter—and the Primal Reversions for Groudon and Kyogre.
A new side quest, the Delta Episode, tasks the player with working alongside Zinnia, Steven, and Professor Cozmo to stop a meteor from hitting the planet. This requires capturing Rayquaza, which then intercepts the meteor containing the Mythical Pokémon Deoxys.
Critics generally praised the games. OpenCritic reported that 89% of reviewers recomme
- Release date
- 21 November 2014 (Japan, North America, Australia); following week (Europe)
- Developer
- Game Freak
- Publisher
- The Pokémon Company and Nintendo
- Platform
- Nintendo 3DS
- Genre
- Role-playing
- Sales
- 14.63 million copies worldwide as of 30 September 2024
- Series ranking
- Fourth-best-selling Nintendo 3DS title
Lore & Background
The setting and story of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are largely the same as the original Ruby and Sapphire games. It begins with the player character relocating to the Hoenn Region from the Johto Region with their mother, as their father Norman has been hired as the Petalburg City Gym Leader. The player arrives at Littleroot Town and begins their journey by saving Professor Birch from a wild Poochyena, choosing either Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip as their Starter Pokémon. The player then travels around Hoenn to complete the Pokédex and battle the region's eight Gym Leaders. Along the way, the player encounters the antagonist group Team Magma in Omega Ruby or Team Aqua in Alpha Sapphire, who wish to use the power of the Legendary Pokémon—Primal Groudon in Omega Ruby, and Primal Kyogre in Alpha Sapphire—to change the world. Unlike in the original games, Archie and Maxie use the correct orb, leading to their Primal Reversions. With the help of Hoenn League Champion Steven Stone and Gym Leader Wallace, the player defeats their respective team and then either captures or defeats the Legendary Pokémon. The player then advances to the Hoenn League, challenging the Elite Four and Steven to become the new Champion. A new side quest, the 'Delta Episode', involves working with Zinnia, Steven, and Professor Cozmo to stop a meteor from crashing into the planet, requiring the capture of Rayquaza to stop the meteor holding Deoxys.
Reader's Guide
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are significant as remakes that modernized the third-generation games for the Nintendo 3DS, retaining changes from later generations such as the type split from the fourth generation, unlimited TM usage and triple battles from the fifth generation, and features from Pokémon X and Y like Mega Evolution, Pokémon Amie, Super Training, and the Player Search System. They introduced Primal Reversion for Kyogre and Groudon, akin to Mega Evolution, and allowed players to ride Latios or Latias to soar above Hoenn. The games received generally positive reviews, with critics praising the 3D visuals and online functionality but noting issues with HM overuse and water-based routes. As of 30 September 2024, they sold 14.63 million copies worldwide, making them the fourth-best-selling Nintendo 3DS titles. Their legacy includes being the third remake pair in the franchise, following FireRed and LeafGreen and HeartGold and SoulSilver, and they were nominated for Best Remaster at the 2014 Game Awards.
Did You Know?
- The games were released exactly twelve years after the original Ruby and Sapphire.
- They introduced Primal Reversion for Groudon and Kyogre, a mechanic similar to Mega Evolution.
- The Delta Episode side quest involves stopping a meteor containing the Mythical Pokémon Deoxys.
- As of 30 September 2024, the games sold 14.63 million copies worldwide.
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