Pokemon Omega Ruby Alpha Sapphire

Pokemon Omega Ruby Pokemon Alpha Sapphire are paired Generation VI games that are enhanced remakes of the third-generation titles Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. The new games were revealed in a worldwide announcement on the official Pokémon websites on May 7, 2014 and were released in most regions of the world on November 21, 2014 with the exception of Europe, where the games were released on November 28, 2014.

Pre Released Information

According to the press release that announced the games, the new titles will take players through a dramatic story within a spectacular new world.^[1] The first footage from the game, a cutscene showing Groudon andKyogre manipulating the weather via their respective Abilities, was revealed three days after the games' first announcement.^[2] One month after the games' announcement, it was revealed that Groudon and Kyogre can undergo Primal Reversion becoming Primal Groudon and Primal Kyogre, respectively.^[3]

A number of features introduced in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire that had since been discontinued will return in these games. Pokémon Contests and customizable Secret Bases (now "Super Secret Bases") will return for the first time since Pokémon Platinum,^[4] while the Mach Bike, the Acro Bike, and third-generation player characters Brendan and May will return for the first time since Pokémon Emerald.^[5] Feebas will resume a Contest-specific evolution method.^[6] In addition, a number of features introduced in Pokémon X and Y will also return, with Horde Encounters and Mega Evolutions already confirmed to be part of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, with the Horde Encounter feature expanding into Trainer Horde Battles. Over ten new Mega Evolutions debuted in this game, including Mega Sceptile, Mega Swampert, Mega Diancie, Mega Sableye, Mega Metagross, Mega Altaria, Mega Lopunny, Mega Salamence, Mega Slowbro, Mega Audino, MegaCamerupt and Mega Sharpedo. The PokéNav will be redesigned as the PokéNav Plus, a device appearing on the touch screen outside of battle. The PokéNav Plus has four main functions — DexNav, which displays information about wild Pokémon available in the player's current location; AreaNav, a map used for navigation of location, Pokémon, Secret Bases and Berry Trees; BuzzNav, which reports on news from around the Hoenn region and from StreetPass; and PlayNav, which is used to connect to online play, local wireless play, Pokémon-Amie and Super Training.

The August edition of CoroCoro magazine introduced Cosplay Pikachu. This special Pikachu is given to the player to use in Pokémon Contests. This Pikachu gets a unique costume to wear during Contests; each costume comes with a specific, special move: Pikachu Rock Star gets Meteor Mash (Coolness Contest); Pikachu, Ph.D gets Electric Terrain (Cleverness Contest); Pikachu Pop Star gets Draining Kiss (Cuteness Contest); Pikachu Belle gets Icicle Crash (Beauty Contest); Pikachu Libre gets Flying Press (Toughness Contest).

Blurp

Ancient Powers Reawaken!

Start your Pokémon adventure now! Behold the true Groudon^OR/Kyogre^AS! Pikachu likes to cosplay?! Build a Secret Base all your own!

Changes from Ruby and Sapphire

Mechanics inherited from later generations

The following elements from X and Y are also included in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

• Mega Evolutions and Mega Stones, including a number of new Mega Evolutions and Mega Stones that did not exist in X and Y.
• The Fairy-type and the new neutral match-up Steel has to Ghost and Dark.
• Pokémon-Amie and Super Training
• Horde Encounters
  • Occasionally, five-versus-one Horde Battles can also occur with Trainers.
• Battle Resort and Battle Maison replace the Battle Tower.
• VS. Artwork or models are now used instead of sprites for Trainers and Gym Leaders.
• Stereoscopic 3D is incorporated, and in the same manner as in X and Y.

The mechanic of Evolution-inducing locations originating in Generation IV, for Pokémon that evolve when trained in a certain area, is also incorporated in the games.

• Moss Rock appears in Petalburg Woods for Leafeon.
• Ice Rock appears on the final floor of Shoal Cave during low tide for Glaceon.
• New Mauville serves as the location with a magnetic field where Nosepass and Magneton can be evolved.

Other consequences of updates from later generations include:

• Nine new Pokémon have been added to the Hoenn Pokédex. These are all Generation IV Pokémon which evolve from or into previous Hoenn Pokémon.
• As Flash is no longer an HM, Brawly's Knuckle Badge is no longer required to use it.
• Physical and special moves are now determined by the move itself rather than type.
• Time flowing from day to night as it was since being reintroduced within Generation IV.
• The addition of trainers with the Backpacker, Fairy Tale Girl, Mysterious Sisters, Brains & Brawn and Ace Duo trainer classes.

All new elements

• Completely new characters, such as Aarune, Lisia, and Zinnia, appear in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
• Cosplay Pikachu can be obtained. This is a special female Pikachu that is able to swap one of the moves it knows by changing its costume in Contest Halls.
• Groudon and Kyogre are given Primal Reversion forms which are accessed by holding their respective colored orbs. As such the orbs are now regular items instead of key items.
• After the Groudon/Kyogre event, the player can use the Eon Flute to soar the skies on Latios^OR or Latias^AS, where Pokémon can be encountered and Mirage spots found.
  • While the trainer can battle certain Pokémon in the sky, this is not the same as the Sky Battle feature from X and Y as any Pokémon can be used, not just Flying-types, or Pokémon with the Levitate ability.
• PokéNav Plus replaces PokéNav, which works as a dual-screen feature. Other than retaining the Hoenn Map and Trainer's Eye features, it includes the dual-screen features from X and Y, the ability to encounter specific Pokémon, and tracking Berries or Secret Bases.
• After completing the Delta Episode, it becomes possible for the player to have both bikes after they talk to three specific people while riding on a bike to advertise the bike shop.
• The player can now wear accessories such as the new Devon Scuba Gear to realistically show the player surviving underwater with a scuba mask, or the Go-Goggles. In addition the player also receives a Magma Suit^OR/Aqua Suit^AS which is not only used during the Primal Groudon^OR/Kyogre^AS awakening cinematic scenes, but later serves as a space suit when confronting Deoxys during the Delta Episode.
• The introduction of the Scuba Diver and Free Diver trainer classes, trainers who battle the player underwater.

Changes to Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald elements

Aesthetic changes

• The physical Hoenn Pokédex has been redesigned, now appearing similar to the original Game Boy Advance system.
• Brendan and May have completely different attires, with Brendan's brown hair and white hat being more obvious, while May has a bow instead of the bandana she originally wore.
• Team Magma and Team Aqua have been given new designs; Team Magma Admin Tabitha appears to be huskier and Courtney has purple hair instead of brown. The Team Aqua Admins have dark skin tones. Team Aqua Admin Shelly has black hair with accents of blue instead of red hair and Matt is more muscular.
• The Hoenn Gym Leaders, Elite Four, and other Trainers were redesigned with updated appearances.

Location changes

• The dark areas of Granite Cave now require the Mach Bike from Mauville City for the player to access, and are now optional.
• Mauville City has been completely redesigned into an indoor shopping complex and is dubbed the largest city in Hoenn, playing a similar role to Lumiose City from X and Y.
  • The Mauville Game Corner has been closed down, as game corners are no longer included in Pokémon games since Generation V.
• The Abandoned Ship has been redesigned and renamed Sea Mauville. Its backstory has also been greatly expanded.
• Scorched Slab has been greatly expanded, encompassing four floors now. Heatran can be caught on the lowest floor after defeating or capturing Groudon/Kyogre.
• The number of puzzles in the Trick House is reduced from eight to six. Badges are also no longer required to start each puzzle, though some HM abilities from certain Badges are needed to navigate through certain puzzles.
• The Dewford and Mossdeep Gyms have received complete redesigns, while the other six gyms have received minor redesigns.
• The interior of Mt. Pyre has been redesigned. On one hand it has been simplified, as the puzzle with holes in floors has been removed (both Incenses are now lying in the open), and the number of floors has been reduced from six to four. On the other hand, exploring it is now mandatory, as the doorway leading to the exterior has been relocated from the first floor to the third.
• The opening and closing door maze from New Mauville has been removed.
• Sky Pillar has been completely redesigned, and the Mach Bike puzzle has been removed.
• The Hoenn Safari Zone has been completely redesigned to where the player is more dependent on the bikes for traveling through the Safari Zone. The bikes are needed for accessing Area 3 and 4 (which can use either bike and not just one specific bike like before) and to access the long grass section in each area.
• A few new areas are added to Victory Road that did not exist in Generation III. This also includes an area to where the player can face Wally instead of the main area of 1F where Wally was encountered in Generation III.

Gameplay changes

Mechanics

• Secret Bases have been completely upgraded, becoming Super Secret Bases. Features include sharing bases with other players, inviting other players as secret pals, capturing flags, and customizing the player's own Gym.
• Mirage spots are added as an apparent evolution of the Mirage Island mechanic.
• Pokémon Contests are now called Pokémon Contest Spectaculars
  • The Beauty category has been renamed to Beautiful and Smart has been renamed to Clever.
  • Pokéblocks and Pokéblock making have been heavily simplified, with Pokéblock making no longer requiring more than one player to perform successfully.
  • The Sheen stat has been removed, meaning there is no longer a limit to how many Pokéblocks a player can give to their Pokémon, enabling Pokémon to have all of their Contests stats maxed out.
• The Safari Zone no longer requires that the player play the Safari Game. Instead, the Pokémon can be caught through normal encounters.
• Bikes are now capable of traveling through long grass.
• The player only needs one Badge instead of five to be able to rebattle the Trainers listed in the Trainer's Eye.
• The ability to search for hidden items underwater using the Dowsing Machine has been removed, as the Dowsing Machine is now worn as an accessory while in use. Hidden items still exist underwater, however.
• Similar to Emerald's Battle Frontier, BP can be earned to use as payment for moves learned from Move Tutors in the Battle Resort. Notably a number of these moves were formerly TMs during Generation III.
  • Free Move Tutors are located in Mauville City, Meteor Falls (after the Delta Episode), and Sootopolis City.
• Trainers that turn in place can now spot the player when they are turning if the player is directly north, south, east, or west of the Trainer.

Story

• Steven's plot has been expanded to encompass a search for the secrets of the Mega Stones.
• Steven can no longer be encountered in Granite Cave before defeating Brawly, as a line of NPCs will block the path.
• In addition to his studies of how Pokémon behave in the wild, Professor Birch is also said to do research on Pokémon that left Hoenn after the region's climate changed. His new area of interest is brought up once more after the encounter with Groudon^OR or Kyogre^AS, when the departed species—mainly Pokémon that were introduced since Generation III—return to Hoenn.
• Relating to Team Magma^OR or Team Aqua^AS...
  • Instead of Team Magma/Aqua leaving Meteor Falls once they are found, Tabitha^OR or Shelly^AS and a Grunt instead challenge the player to a Multi Battle with May or Brendan.
  • The motivation behind Team Magma/Aqua's visit to Mt. Chimney is changed.
  • During the encounter with the team leaders at Mt. Pyre, Courtney^OR or Matt^AS challenges the player to a battle to help buy time so their leader can escape.
• The encounter with Steven on Route 118 is now interrupted by a brief side mission where Latias^OR or Latios^AS takes Steven and the player to Southern Island. At the end of this mission, Steven gives the player the Mega Bracelet.
  • Latios^OR or Latias^AS now joins the player's party during their trip to Southern Island, instead of being a roaming Pokémon in the post-game. An Eon Ticket is still required to return to Southern Island and obtain the alternate Eon Pokémon.
• The New Mauville side quest, which originally started after defeating Norman and obtaining Surf, starts much later now, after the Groudon or Kyogre event.
• After defeating the Elite Four, the games feature the Delta Episode. Similar to Pokémon Emerald, Rayquaza plays a major role in this quest.
  • The Meteorite plays a larger role in the game, particularly in the Delta Episode as a means for Rayquaza to Mega Evolve in the official storyline. Because of this, it can no longer be given to Professor Cozmo in return for TM27 (Return) (though he does give the player TM23 (Smack Down) for helping him at Meteor Falls). TM27 can still be found in Pacifidlog Town.
  • During the Delta Episode, Steven upgrades the PokéNav Plus in order to contact the player at certain points during the event. This is a homage to the Match Call feature from Pokémon Emerald.
  • Similar to Pokémon Emerald, the Mossdeep Space Center is taken over during the events of the Delta Episode by Team Magma^OR or Team Aqua^ASand the player must team up with Steven to correct the situation, including a Double Battle at the end.
    • Unlike the Multi Battle against Team Magma from Emerald, the player and Steven's opponents from Team Magma^OR are Courtney and a Team Magma Grunt, instead of Maxie and Tabitha.
• In order to board the S.S. Tidal which would allow the player entry into the Battle Resort, the Delta Episode must be completed first.
• The player keeps both colored orbs after dealing with Groudon^OR or Kyogre^AS. The optional sidequest where the player accompanies the team leaders returning the orbs to Mt. Pyre and the team leaders apologizing for their actions has been omitted. They instead apologize at Sootopolis City when they give the player the Magma Suit^OR/Aqua Suit^AS.

Pokémon team and battle changes

• A number of teams for Trainers that can be rematched through Trainer's Eye are different from the original Ruby and Sapphire. Others have been removed.
  • The Roselia of Pokémon Breeder Lydia from Route 117 is now a Budew even before she is rematched.
• When the player faces May or Brendan as their rival in Lilycove City, their Pokémon teams are fully evolved.
• Slugma takes Numel's place in May or Brendan's original Ruby and Sapphire lineup if their starter is not Torchic.
• The Trainers found on Mt. Chimney that were encountered after defeating Team Aqua/Team Magma have been removed.
  • Expert Shelby has been moved from Mt. Chimney to Jagged Pass.
• Brendan or May will also challenge the player after the credits have ended. In this battle, their starter can Mega Evolve.
• The Trainers within the Victory Road now have Pokémon from the National Pokédex on their teams instead of just using Pokémon native to Hoenn.
• The Elite Four and Champion's initial lineups have changed somewhat, and when challenged in the post-game, they now have tougher teams, with higher levels, different movesets, and non-regional Pokémon on their teams, and including some Mega Evolutions.
• Wally's Ralts eventually evolves into Gallade instead of Gardevoir, and is able to Mega Evolve as Gallade.
• Steven Stone's Metagross can now Mega Evolve.

Obtainable Pokémon

• In a few areas, the encounterable Pokémon have changed. Certain Water-type Pokémon are not found in all of the same areas they were in the original games, such as in Mossdeep City, where Sharpedo was removed. A few evolved Pokémon such as Swellow or Wailord also can no longer be found in the wild. The Pokémon in the Safari Zone have also changed significantly.
• Feebas can now be found by fishing anywhere on Route 119 instead of six random spots. However, it can still be found more easily by fishing directly underneath the bridge near the Weather Institute during the daytime.
• The Legendary Pokémon Lugia, Ho-Oh, Regigigas, Heatran, Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf, Palkia, Dialga, Giratina, Virizion, Terrakion, Cobalion, Reshiram,Zekrom, Kyurem, Raikou, Suicune, Entei, Tornadus, Thundurus, Landorus, and Cresselia are now obtainable in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Some are exclusive to one version and some may require special circumstances to unlock them.
• Deoxys is now catchable during the climax of the Delta Episode. It can also change its forme freely via a meteorite in Professor Cozmo's house inFallarbor Town, as opposed to Generation III where its forme was dependent on the game it was in.
• Spiritomb may also be encountered through a special method in Sea Mauville.
• Whereas in Emerald, Professor Birch would reward the player with their choice of a Johto starter upon completing the Hoenn Pokédex, now, he will give it to the player when he is found on Route 101 after first entering the Hall of Fame.
  • After obtaining the Johto starter and completing the Delta Episode, the Professor will give the player an Unova starter, and after that, a Sinnoh starter if the player enters the Hall of Fame once more.
• Upon defeating or capturing Kyogre/Groudon, many Pokémon not available in Generation III become available as hidden Pokémon.