Pokemon Omega Ruby

 3DS
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 1029 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 748 out of 1029
  2. Mixed: 121 out of 1029
  3. Negative: 160 out of 1029
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  1. Sressiv
    Mar 5, 2018
    8
    A remake of one of my most played and favourite games of all time. If GameFreak wants to bring an experience comparable to what the original brought, this game should better be very good. And it is. The core game is great. It has, like all other Pokémon games, an excellent battle system, a good story with even more content than the original, tons and tons of side things to do, and greatA remake of one of my most played and favourite games of all time. If GameFreak wants to bring an experience comparable to what the original brought, this game should better be very good. And it is. The core game is great. It has, like all other Pokémon games, an excellent battle system, a good story with even more content than the original, tons and tons of side things to do, and great music overall. The thing is, the original games hold so much nostalgia that I miss playing those... All in all a must-have Pokémon title, especially if you've never played the GBA games before.… Expand
  2. Sausage22
    Nov 7, 2017
    8
    Amazing remake of 3rd gen games, my favourite Pokemon game on 3ds. Adds a lot and Hoeen is really beautifull now. Remixed music sounds great. But water never changes..
  3. Sebascr12
    Jun 22, 2018
    8
    Is a good game. The history is simple, but it is fine in the standards in this game. The difficulty is the problem is very easy.
  4. MadnessisRising
    Mar 5, 2019
    8
    Great remake and in my opinion way better than the original. A little bit too easy and the soundtrack isn't that interesting. Anyway, cool map-design, entertaining fly-option with Latias/Latios and a really cute relationship between the "rivals". Also the delta-episode after beating the champion is great. Definitely worth buying.
  5. Mattia9336
    Jun 1, 2020
    8
    Better than Ruby and Sapphire, less innovative than Emerald. I like how they improved the original story and changed some areas, and the Delta episode is really good, however the game is a bit too easy. If it was more difficult, or had the Battle Frontier I would've gave 9/10.
  6. fanmadeendings
    Apr 11, 2022
    8
    An interesting take on the idea of a remake: Instead of remaking the definitive Emerald version, it added fitting content to the base games. Definitely good games, but the loss of the battle frontier stings a little.
  7. INU4SH4
    Aug 28, 2020
    8
    Omega Ruby stands as my current favorite Pokemon game. I never got to play the original Pokemon Ruby and this was the first game in the series I really enjoyed. The combat is fun but the story's fights and wild encounters are pretty easy to deal with. Although it feels too easy most of the time, the post-endgame content makes up for it and manages to deliver a few good fights. The storyOmega Ruby stands as my current favorite Pokemon game. I never got to play the original Pokemon Ruby and this was the first game in the series I really enjoyed. The combat is fun but the story's fights and wild encounters are pretty easy to deal with. Although it feels too easy most of the time, the post-endgame content makes up for it and manages to deliver a few good fights. The story gets good midway but it's still miles away from other great RPG games. The characters were kinda meh.

    The Pokedex is pretty vast but you'll need the previous X or Y games to fully complete it (or have someone willing to trade some pokemon with you). The mirage island exclusive Pokemons are an annoying feature and not being able to skip repetitive dialog and animations makes this game very slow at times.

    Not one of the deepest or most mindblowing RPG games but still a very fun one with tons of creatures to capture and evolve and many interesting easy to use online features. SMT and Persona is still better overall though.    … Expand
  8. OrangePlasma
    Jul 16, 2020
    8
    It's a good game, just lacking substance and doesn't have very much staying power.
  9. emilyratesgames
    Jul 20, 2020
    8
    Score: 8
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  10. hector_bcn98
    Nov 4, 2022
    8
    Debe ser que después de jugar 50 veces a los originales, no me provocó el mismo entusiasmo completarlo. Me quedo con el original y sus sprites en 2 dimensiones.
  11. Flounder
    Mar 29, 2022
    8
    Es ist einfach ein sehr solides Remake und ein großartiges Pokémon-Spiel, randvoll mit Inhalten, die sehr daran erinnern, wie alt Pokémon war.
  12. KNX2501
    Jul 18, 2021
    8
    Nintendo hizo un gran trabajo porteando Pokemon Ruby en el 3DS. Ya sea que quieras revisitar este clásico o jugarlo por primera vez es sin duda una gran experiencia.
  13. Ardho
    Feb 23, 2023
    8
    This is more than a remake, this is a completely new videogame, a big renovation both in visual and gameplay terms
  14. Jesus_Saves
    Apr 18, 2023
    8
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. When I played this game, I was not really into the Pokémon franchise as I had been years ago. I nonetheless wanted to give it a try, and I was not disappointed. Even nearly a decade later, the graphics are still quite good. The music is great as always, and if you enjoyed the originals then you'll love this remaster with new mechanics.

    My favorite part of this game is the fact that it is a political statement about the balance of nature and industrialization aimed at a child audience. This is why even as an adult I appreciate this game, since it has a mature message behind it. This theme of the balance of nature and humanity is developed thoroughly, as can be seen in the ideals of Team Magma, and the lesson they learn at the end about how expanding the land for the sake of furthering human civilization can be catastrophic, Fortree city, where people live in tree houses, in the berry planting mechanic, where it shows you how if you take care of nature (in this case by planting berries), it will take care of you in turn (by giving you more berries than you originally planted,) and in the dialogue of the NPCs. I wish this game delved more into the cons of not removing nature or furthering urbanization. It briefly addresses this idea in Sea Mauville, with a letter saying something like how the restrictions on the company led to reduced profits, and eventually putting the workers out of a job. That may be incorrect, but it was something like that. Speaking of which, I thought the inclusion of exploited workers and having said workers talk about their jobs was quite cool too.

    Unfortunately, this game stays a little too close to the original in some ways (not having character customization and not having the battle frontier), and adds on to the original in others (namely with some of the features in the bottom screen, as well as having the physical-special split, the new fairy type, Mega-Evolution, etc.) In addition, the characters are mostly flat, with maybe a few exceptions. Nonetheless, this game is a must play for fans of the franchise, and for anyone interested in getting into it.    … Expand
  15. BaldursThones
    Apr 15, 2022
    8
    This is my favourite pokemon game. I haven't played all of them but this one the game I played the most, and playing subsequent pokemon games lessens the experience.
  16. FireBroFilms
    Aug 15, 2022
    8
    ‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎‎
  17. amonium
    Feb 1, 2023
    8
    Well, I liked the fact that they introduced more of the Mega Evolutions. I loved the character redesigns and the expanding of plot that Rayquaza got. Just... if Delta Emerald ever came out.. that would be soo cool
  18. Marioipod13
    May 25, 2023
    8
    Good remake but is missing several feautures such as Gym Leader rematches and the Battle Frontier. I like the new mechanic where you can ride Latias/Latios however.
    They should have also implemented HM alternatives this generation. Surf, Dive, etc were fun in the originals but this game has too many teambuilding options to feel restricted in what you can use just because of field moves.    Good remake but is missing several feautures such as Gym Leader rematches and the Battle Frontier. I like the new mechanic where you can ride Latias/Latios however.
    They should have also implemented HM alternatives this generation. Surf, Dive, etc were fun in the originals but this game has too many teambuilding options to feel restricted in what you can use just because of field moves.
    They took Ruby and Sapphire and ported it to 3D excellently, though I think character customization should have been added. I wanted to customize May instead of having her adorable bandana style replaced with a cute but silly bow.    … Expand
  19. TheDannyMan
    Dec 7, 2015
    7
    Pokémon: Omega Ruby is grand, gorgeous, wonderful, epic... and way too easy. This Pokémon game lacks balance. If you decide to make full use the DexNav and Exp. Share, you open up a way of playing to which the enemy AI just aren't tailored to. After a couple of routes, I found myself on a constant level where I was at least 6 levels ahead of the other trainers. I quickly decided to turn itPokémon: Omega Ruby is grand, gorgeous, wonderful, epic... and way too easy. This Pokémon game lacks balance. If you decide to make full use the DexNav and Exp. Share, you open up a way of playing to which the enemy AI just aren't tailored to. After a couple of routes, I found myself on a constant level where I was at least 6 levels ahead of the other trainers. I quickly decided to turn it off, but the damage had been done. Powerful assets like these should be unlockable later on in the game, after meeting specific requirements.

    Or Game Freak might want to work on some sort of dynamic difficulty level, which has been around since the era of the PS1. That way, everyone will be able to get through the game on a level best suited for them.

    Besides, there is too much water. //shot

    Anyway, outrageous cakewalk that this game is, is really what stings most here. I still enjoyed going back to Hoenn again after all these years. The 3D Pokémon are gorgeous, and the familiar music is beatifully remastered. With a dynamic difficulty level, this could have been the definitive Pokémon experience.    … Expand
  20. daniel_smith
    Dec 29, 2014
    7
    meh, i came into this game expecting something great, the game was hyped critics loved it EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT IT! but it was meh, i had never played an official pokemon game before this and wasn't too big a fan so i expected this game to change all of that, but it didn't. The main problem with the game is the fact there is no guidance on what to do, several points in the game i satmeh, i came into this game expecting something great, the game was hyped critics loved it EVERYONE WAS TALKING ABOUT IT! but it was meh, i had never played an official pokemon game before this and wasn't too big a fan so i expected this game to change all of that, but it didn't. The main problem with the game is the fact there is no guidance on what to do, several points in the game i sat there stumped, no idea what to do where to go, also i could't find a pause button to pause the games and the cutscenes were boring and unskippabe, i don't hate the game but it is way too flawed to be considered above X and Y or the origional ruby and sapphire.… Expand
  21. SilentlySlow
    Dec 25, 2014
    7
    Omega Ruby was expected to be better than Pokemon X/Y. It was supposed to build upon the greatness that it was. It was supposed to be blow every other Pokemon game out of the water. However, I expected too much. OR (Omega Ruby) has both great things and bad things. There's some pretty parts, and some ugly parts, but disappointingly enough, the ugly outweighs the pretty. And makeup isn'tOmega Ruby was expected to be better than Pokemon X/Y. It was supposed to build upon the greatness that it was. It was supposed to be blow every other Pokemon game out of the water. However, I expected too much. OR (Omega Ruby) has both great things and bad things. There's some pretty parts, and some ugly parts, but disappointingly enough, the ugly outweighs the pretty. And makeup isn't enough to cover up its blemishes.
    First things first are the new mega evolutions that were introduced. I for one, enjoyed them. BUT, they're not compatible with X/Y. That's one huge issue. Prior to its release, most expected complete compatibility, and while you can still battle between X/Y and OR, you are restricted from using the new mega evolutions, in addition to some new moves that were also introduced. This really makes X/Y somewhat obsolete as everyone will have to switch from XY to OR to have full enjoyment. This was never an issue before, as in Generation IV's Pearl/Ruby was still compatible with Platinum, which introduced new forms to other Pokemon. You didn't have to buy Platinum to be able to battle unrestricted, but it's somehow an issue for OR.
    In addition, OR was supposed to step leaps and bounds ahead of X and Y, but instead they took one step forward and another step back, landing them right at the exact same spot. They took away what many fans enjoyed out of X and Y such as character customization, and awesome gym designs. X and Y featured unique gyms that were never the same. For example, there was a gym shaped like the Eiffel Tower. In OR, all gyms look almost all the same, except with different colors. It might sound silly, but it just shows the designers' laziness.
    Speaking of laziness, OR left out another feature that was in Pokemon Emerald. that many fans enjoyed, and that was the Battle Frontier. OR doesn't have that, but it does have what X and Y had, which was a complete copy/paste of the Battle Maison. Pure laziness.
    BUT, I have to give credit where credit is due. I enjoyed the new Delta episode, I enjoyed the new soaring mechanic, and the addicting "sneaking" part of the game. Other than that, there's nothing memorable about OR.
    In the end, OR in its core is what a Pokemon game is supposed to be. While it didn't impress me, it wasn't that awful. It failed to improve, and that's not all that bad. Hopefully Gamefreak will decide to listen to the fans, and not try to make a quick cash grab from people's nostalgia.    … Expand
  22. SilenceDeMort
    Jan 17, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Pokémon Omega Ruby is not as good as the originals and let me explain why.
    I don't say this lightly because I have loved the Pokèmon games since 1999, it fails because there is no challenge and without a challenge there is no sense of achievement, no reward.
    To explain why, I'm going to have to venture into spoiler territory so if you don't want major parts of the game ruined for you, stop reading now.
    The reason there is no challenge is because everything is dumbed down.
    They hand you Latios and the Mega Evolution stone in a cutscene, you didn't have to fight it, you didn't have to find the stone.
    Then they made it so that every legendary Pokèmon (except Deoxys that I caught with the master ball) is able to be caught if it had yellow HP with a goddamn great ball, no paralysis or anything required.
    This eliminates the sense of challenge, a great part of what made these games so good was the skill it took to catch these legendaries.
    They also almost always take you where you need to be in a cutscene, not allowing you to go there yourself. Which, again, eliminates the sense of always exploring the world that you are in.
    You are also able to go to a battle tower where it isn't isnt even difficult to get points to buy rare candy bars with, eliminating the sense of them being rare and special.
    I could go on but I'm just going to mention the ending, the ending is literally 1,5 hour of cutscenes and exposition dumps.
    I swear at one part I thought I was playing a Metal Gear Game.    … Expand
  23. RichardConrardy
    Jan 23, 2015
    7
    This was my first pokemon game. I was somehow disappointed by how easy it was. I kept the same group of pokemon for most of the game, without grinding or whatever my pokemon were 10 levels above everyone else. The only ennemy ever to make any trouble at all was the last pokemon of the very last boss.
    The only difficulty seems to be to know the right element to use against every enemy.    This was my first pokemon game. I was somehow disappointed by how easy it was. I kept the same group of pokemon for most of the game, without grinding or whatever my pokemon were 10 levels above everyone else. The only ennemy ever to make any trouble at all was the last pokemon of the very last boss.
    The only difficulty seems to be to know the right element to use against every enemy.
    But perhaps the game is more about fighting human ennemies that level up their pokemon as well. Anyhow, I'm not really blown away like everybody else.
    This being said, the animations are nice, the game is not too short and the story could be worse. Some riddles were quite good, a very few even hard. Anyway, it seems like a too easy mix between rock paper scissors, zelda and a trading card game.    … Expand
  24. Mppleader
    May 17, 2015
    7
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I feel it's decent but as a follow-up to one of my favorite games of all time It's one step forward two steps back. some of my problems are from Emerald that weren't fixed. First off the audio is a huge downgrade. from Pokemon X's gorgeous soundtrack. (This is one of those problems from Emerald that wasn't fixed BTW) Pokemon emerald had a very limited number of tracks that played in multiple locations. Which means I can guarantee you'll get sick of the soundtrack. Whether you're playing Emerald,Ruby,Sapphire,Omega Ruby, Or Alpha Sapphire.I could excuse this if was the Game Boy or Boy Color because it had limited memory but other GBA Games had incredible Soundtracks with music that either plays in a single location or wasn't used into the ground like Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga & Kirby & the Amazing Mirror. The new Mega Evolutions are incredible But The Primal reversions are mixed. Primal Groudon is absolutely incredibly useful with the awesome new signature move Presipice Blades, the gaining of the fire type, & the best ability ever DESOLATE LAND that makes him & all other Pokemon in battle immune to water-type moves Which makes Wallace a complete joke.. But Primal Kyogre is pretty underwhelming. I feel the game is a little easy but not by much. I feel they gave you to many Mega stones before beating the game which means no mega Stone Scavenger Hunter which was really fun. I do like that you can get 1 Pokemon previously only available via distribution *SPOILER* IT'S DEYOXYS. & I'm glad that Latias & Latios are no longer Roaming Legendary's which are gone. you think That'd be good news well at least for me you're WRONNNNNNNG! Instead in order to get certain legendary pokemon you need to achieve certain obscure requirements that you won't know unless you look it up. which Is even worse than Roaming Legendary's. The Delta Episode was Pretty Dang Good & introduced new ideas to the Pokemon universe. But We've already established two Pokemon alternate universes. The Pokepark Universe & Pokemon Mystery Dungeon. I feel Zinnia is quirky but not all that interesting. I do love the bigger emphasis on Story the recent games introduced. I feel that a couple Gym have gotten easier from Emerald. particularly Norman because he dropped that stupid spinda. I also feel the Pokemon league is step back from Back & White 1,2,X, & Y by not being able to take on the elite four in any order you want. & I feel the last fight is an anticlimatic cheap ripoff of the final blue fight. Plus it's go signigance to the plot. I'm not gonna spoil the story because I'd feel like a jerk. it's decent but I feel it's one of the most disappointing games I've ever played.… Expand
  25. FilemonBR
    Aug 23, 2016
    7
    Ficou melhor que o original, mas é um remake de um dos piores jogos de pokemon, é muito chato, jogaram um bocado de lendário nada haver, perdeu a troca de roupa e estilo do persnagem
  26. yiric4
    Aug 18, 2016
    7
    lmao so forgettable that i forgot which version I bought. the ign girl was right there really is too much **** water in this game wtf. also i hate that u were limited to 8 directions when you were indoors
  27. Jordanx23
    Nov 3, 2016
    7
    I know I'm late with this review but here goes. This is much improved from ruby version just by graphics alone. 3d makes the game look alive and well compared to ruby version. Rpg elements are largely the same as ruby version. Characters are looking fresh with new designs however I did like team magma's old designs more. The story is much the same with completing 8 gyms, elite four andI know I'm late with this review but here goes. This is much improved from ruby version just by graphics alone. 3d makes the game look alive and well compared to ruby version. Rpg elements are largely the same as ruby version. Characters are looking fresh with new designs however I did like team magma's old designs more. The story is much the same with completing 8 gyms, elite four and champion steven. Delta episode post game is very pleasing however battle maison is sadly back from x and y instead of the much hoped for battle frontier which let me down massively. Mega evolutions were a treat in omega ruby. Overall, not much has changed but the graphics and nostalgia brought me back and this was a welcome remake of an old favorite.… Expand
  28. thegamerater12
    Dec 16, 2018
    7
    Compared to its counterpart, Alpha Sapphire, there is not enough water. 7 out of 10.
  29. RevUBrah
    Nov 17, 2019
    7
    As a lifelong fan of Pokemon who got their start playing LeafGreen & Ruby, I went into this game with high hopes. Now they weren't necessarily dashed but out of all the remakes released by Game Freak to this point this is by far the weakest (until we're inevitably disappointed by Gen 8's lackluster Sinnoh remake). While it offered an expanded story, improved contests, and a few new MegaAs a lifelong fan of Pokemon who got their start playing LeafGreen & Ruby, I went into this game with high hopes. Now they weren't necessarily dashed but out of all the remakes released by Game Freak to this point this is by far the weakest (until we're inevitably disappointed by Gen 8's lackluster Sinnoh remake). While it offered an expanded story, improved contests, and a few new Mega Evolutions the lack of a Battle Frontier and reduced difficulty makes it feel like a casual rehash with less content than Emerald, a game released a decade prior.… Expand
  30. Jrson
    May 5, 2020
    7
    Its an ok remake. Primal Groudon seems like a way to differentiate this game from the original. Bases were pretty interesting and the portals were fun post game content.
  31. Danielife
    Jun 22, 2020
    7
    It's a good game, but a decent remake. It definitely could have been better. It's a lot easier than the original game, some dungeons have been redesigned in order to be less hard and they give you a legendary Pokémon in the middle of the story. The OST are Ok, even if I miss the trumpets, but it's my problem. I like the new design of the characters (Archie) and how they made the rival moreIt's a good game, but a decent remake. It definitely could have been better. It's a lot easier than the original game, some dungeons have been redesigned in order to be less hard and they give you a legendary Pokémon in the middle of the story. The OST are Ok, even if I miss the trumpets, but it's my problem. I like the new design of the characters (Archie) and how they made the rival more important (the rival was a big problem in the original game). The Post Game is ok, when it comes to lore, but it is very boring, you just have to fly here from there for 2 hours. What they added was good, but they also removed from the old game. There is no Battle Frontier, and yes, it wasn't in the original R&S, but it was in Emerald. No Mythical Pokémon events... Definitely could have been better… Expand
  32. jakandjoe
    Apr 14, 2021
    7
    good game just might be a little confusing for people new pokemon. but i slap this game it's awesome not as good as the original but i like it.
  33. BalamP
    Jul 14, 2022
    7
    Mantiene muy bien la esencia de el juego original, y sinceramente me encanta la inclusión de las "mega-evoluciones", pero al mimo tiempo parte de ahí mi problema con el juego, ya que el desbalance de la dificultad es absurdo, de por si sin "mega-evoluciones" el juego es muy fácil con ellas es un juego regalado, aunque entiendo que esté problema viene desde toda la saga. Aún con estéMantiene muy bien la esencia de el juego original, y sinceramente me encanta la inclusión de las "mega-evoluciones", pero al mimo tiempo parte de ahí mi problema con el juego, ya que el desbalance de la dificultad es absurdo, de por si sin "mega-evoluciones" el juego es muy fácil con ellas es un juego regalado, aunque entiendo que esté problema viene desde toda la saga. Aún con esté problema es un gran juego y muy recomendado para alguien que ansía un remake de un gran juego como lo es Ruby.… Expand
  34. saplign
    Feb 2, 2023
    7
    not bad‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎
  35. romapavlov
    May 15, 2023
    7
  36. amstans
    May 11, 2015
    6
    I was majorly disappointed in the lack of 3D in this '3DS remake' as the colours and backgrounds are vibrant. The game, while being my first Pokemon game (I won it in an online draw), fails to impress. Over the years I have heard so much hype. I bought Platinum for the Wii but never had a chance to play too much of it before a friend "borrowed it" and never saw it again. But from my memoryI was majorly disappointed in the lack of 3D in this '3DS remake' as the colours and backgrounds are vibrant. The game, while being my first Pokemon game (I won it in an online draw), fails to impress. Over the years I have heard so much hype. I bought Platinum for the Wii but never had a chance to play too much of it before a friend "borrowed it" and never saw it again. But from my memory this is pretty much the same game. Repetitive, juvenile, slow, too many Pokemon to remember or care about, too easy to play... it leaves you wondering what am I missing? The animations are cute and it is at least not as bad as Paper Mario Sticker Star, and it does make an okay portable game without having to commit too much of your brain cells or time restraints make it easy to put down and pick up again. Too bad Xenoblade Chronicles 3D had to come along and take my time instead!… Expand
  37. aasecr14
    Nov 30, 2014
    6
    I was excited to play this game because Gen 3 is my favorite generation of Pokemon. What disappointed me was that this game was way too easy. They literally hand you every item that in the old game, you had to find and work for. Never once in this game did I say to myself; "Dang, I'd better train up my team, I might get stomped by this next gym leader." The Rayquaza lore is pretty cool,I was excited to play this game because Gen 3 is my favorite generation of Pokemon. What disappointed me was that this game was way too easy. They literally hand you every item that in the old game, you had to find and work for. Never once in this game did I say to myself; "Dang, I'd better train up my team, I might get stomped by this next gym leader." The Rayquaza lore is pretty cool, but overall too short. After finishing this game, I feel like I need more. Basically, it just made me want to replay Emerald.… Expand
  38. ChaoticReaper
    Mar 13, 2016
    6
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. The graphics are beautiful but they made this game really easy. First pokemon you can catch is Lvl 5 Poochyena with Thunder/Fire/Ice Fang. Then I caught a lvl 15 Taillow on the way to the first gym. They gifted me Latios somewhere in the middle of the story. In the original you had to walk back to a city but these days they teleport you there. 70% of my battles were probably super effective 1 hit KOs. Gym Leaders are a joke. Legendaries used to be an accomplishment but they just throw a ton at you with easy catch rates. Bad game for a veteran, great game for a beginner who doesn't know how to exploit all the tools they gift you with.… Expand
  39. KegMinami
    Dec 31, 2019
    6
    The remakes of Ruby and Sapphire were... Disappointing. Not necessarily bad, but disappointing.
    For one, I liked that they sort of "revamped" Hoenn, with places like Mauville City getting a complete overhaul. There are a lot more Mega Stones available before the post-game compared to X and Y, and the new Mega Evolutions are pretty great as well. The return of contests and secret bases was    The remakes of Ruby and Sapphire were... Disappointing. Not necessarily bad, but disappointing.
    For one, I liked that they sort of "revamped" Hoenn, with places like Mauville City getting a complete overhaul. There are a lot more Mega Stones available before the post-game compared to X and Y, and the new Mega Evolutions are pretty great as well. The return of contests and secret bases was a sight for sore eyes. Finally, the new "Delta Episode" added a nice post-game story.
    However, the biggest slap to the face was seeing the words "The Battle Frontier Project has started!" This game had the perfect opportunity to bring back the Battle Frontier, and they blew it in perhaps the most insulting way possible. Various different battle styles had been introduced since the Frontier's first appearance in Emerald, that could have been utilized to create a new, more interesting Battle Frontier.
    Overall, it's not a bad game by any stretch of the imagination, but knowing what it could have been hurt my enjoyment of it a bit.    … Expand
  40. ND-Bringer
    Dec 19, 2022
    6
    I have a lot of fond memories playing the Hoenn remakes back in middle school. I was so good at the game that I even managed to complete the Delta Episode and capture multiple Legendary Pokemon. Though looking back, I've come to realize that those accomplishments were nothing impressive. For Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were the second easiest games in the core series.

    I know that    I have a lot of fond memories playing the Hoenn remakes back in middle school. I was so good at the game that I even managed to complete the Delta Episode and capture multiple Legendary Pokemon. Though looking back, I've come to realize that those accomplishments were nothing impressive. For Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were the second easiest games in the core series.

    I know that Pokemon games are aimed towards children, but it almost feels insulting that generation six offers no challenge whatsoever. Like in X and Y, barely anyone even uses a full team and the majority of the opposing trainers rely on outdated strategies in order to win. And with the powerful Mega Evolution technique plus a Legendary gift Pokemon the player is basically unstoppable. There are no worthy trainers to help the player perfect this ultimate power.

    Thematically the game is fine, I really like all the new character designs. And the new Mega and Primal form Pokemon look sick. But with such stale level design...its hard to appreciate the lore of Hoenn. Without obstacles on the journey, the treasure feels meaningless. It doesn't feel like I've earned the ability to Mega Evolve my Pokemon. I do not share a bond with my monsters, I command them to fight my battles.

    There just isn't much point to restart this game from the beginning. Unless you wanted to battle the Gym Leaders again, because the game doesn't give you that ability, despite being introduced in Emerald. Speaking of features being removed from Emerald...the Battle Frontier is dead. I find the Battle Resort to be a poor substitute for the fan favorite post game challenge. It feels more like a copy and paste job of X and Y's post game.

    As frustrated as I am, there are some features I really enjoy as well. The hidden Pokemon mechanics are pretty fun for completing the Pokedex, the Secret Base customization is satisfying, and the music is phenomenal.    … Expand
  41. plupap
    Jan 3, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I've always been a fan of Pokémon but this new entry was not as good as I hoped, I'm not saying it's bad but it could've been better. I have played the original games (Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire) so I have experience with a lot of the story but the overall gameplay was very different. First off, the game starts off rather slow and the lack of catchable Pokémon was slightly annoying and many of them had a VERY low encounter rate. Another addition I disliked was the EXP share. The EXP share is great for beginners as it gives experience to all of your Pokémon in your party but if you're a longtime fan like me, you may think it ruins the difficulty of the game. Also, the first gym leaders Pokémon are weakened from the originals which is another factor which takes the difficulty out of the game. Also the game is very straight forward and becomes VERY boring and repetitive at the beginning of the game. My last negative point of this game is the aftergame. I personally loved the Delta Episode but afterwards it goes downhill. If you've played Pokémon Emerald (the sequel to Ruby and Sapphire) you most likely have visited the Battle Frontier. The Battle Frontier consisted of numerous facilities to have fun and battle all in unique ways. In Pokémon Omega Ruby, there are many hints of the Battle Frontier so after you beat the Delta Episode you may be thinking, "now the Battle Frontier has to be ready for me to visit!". If you thought that, you were dead wrong. Instead of a happy, fun-filled, adventure-packed Battle Frontier, you get the Battle Resort. Sounds fun, right? Wrong. It's just the boring Battle Maison from the previous games Pokémon X and Y. But wait! Not everything is bad for this game. This game is great in many ways! The 3D graphics were rather dull in Pokémon X and Y but Omega Ruby is packed with color. Also, Pokémon Omega Ruby gave Mega Evolutions (Form changes to older Pokémon) to many Pokémon and they are very fun to use. Sadly you can't use Mega Evolution until late in the game but it's an overall great addition. Another good thing is the "half-aftergame". After you capture/defeat Groudon you receive the National Dex. This allows you to catch basically everything in the Pokémon Universe all before the last gym! And last of all, my favorite feature of Pokémon Omega Ruby is.... the Pokenav! In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, you got Pokenav which was a little feature that would record some trainers and allow them to call you every once in a while. Now, with the addition of the bottom screen, the Pokenav is there. They took away the calling feature and many new things were added. You can watch a little news video of some events that happened or play games but my favorite feature is the Dexnav. The Dexnav allows you to randomly see a part of a Pokémon in the grass or in the area and if you run into it you can battle it. This helps you encounter rare Pokémon more often then normal which gives you a great diversity. Overall Pokémon Omega Ruby was a decent game with multiple flaws but with its many great additions, Pokémon Omega Ruby is a fine game.… Expand
  42. Manamaster
    Jun 7, 2016
    5
    The remake we all wanted that was dumb down to fit a new generation of children that have the attention span of a fly.
    You'll level up way too easily, Flannery, the Gym Leader that made you suffer if you had chosen Treecko is now a wimp in the remake, being a challenge only if you are making a nuzzlocke.
    The experience was watered down so much that it is not a challenge anymore; as    The remake we all wanted that was dumb down to fit a new generation of children that have the attention span of a fly.
    You'll level up way too easily, Flannery, the Gym Leader that made you suffer if you had chosen Treecko is now a wimp in the remake, being a challenge only if you are making a nuzzlocke.
    The experience was watered down so much that it is not a challenge anymore; as someone who played and finished Emerald and Sapphire versions many times, this was a huge disappointment, I haven't finished the game so far since the release date and I seriously doubt about playing it again.

    SoulSilver is a remake worth replaying, it should be the basis/template for the next Pokémon remakes.    … Expand
  43. Mrexreturns
    Oct 14, 2016
    5
    The gameplay for most is pretty okay i assume but the added story is a big pile of crud plus zinnia's animations gave me nightmares. Plus for some strange reason no battle frontier, although i think this is good because battle frontier is the monster from hell where no matter how strong are you, you die.
  44. sathvik_
    Aug 1, 2023
    5
    This game is hilarious and for all the wrong reasons.
    The mega evolutions are kinda better and thats probably the only thing keeping it from being a 4
  45. acemon1
    Nov 22, 2014
    4
    Unfortunately GameFreak didn't deliver much anticipated extended post game compared to Pokemon XY. Catching legendaries may be fun, but there is nothing more than XY hasn't introduced already. Copypasted Battle Maison, Delta Episode is Looker's Quest, and the worst thing is that they haven't even included Battle Frontier, which has been teased with many assets and references. This remakeUnfortunately GameFreak didn't deliver much anticipated extended post game compared to Pokemon XY. Catching legendaries may be fun, but there is nothing more than XY hasn't introduced already. Copypasted Battle Maison, Delta Episode is Looker's Quest, and the worst thing is that they haven't even included Battle Frontier, which has been teased with many assets and references. This remake seems like a inferior version to Emerald sadly, although you can still enjoy it.… Expand
  46. ziozxzioz
    Jan 5, 2015
    4
    I'm gonna start this by saying I love Pokemon. I loved it since I first played Pokemon Red in 1999, and have played every pokemon game since. That is why I HATE that it's being torn apart like this, 6th gen was a mess and this is probably the game where I'm gonna stop playing, unless they make some big turn-arounds. I would have said Pokemon Emerald was a solid 9.5 and, if not for PokemonI'm gonna start this by saying I love Pokemon. I loved it since I first played Pokemon Red in 1999, and have played every pokemon game since. That is why I HATE that it's being torn apart like this, 6th gen was a mess and this is probably the game where I'm gonna stop playing, unless they make some big turn-arounds. I would have said Pokemon Emerald was a solid 9.5 and, if not for Pokemon BW, the best one yet. I had high hopes of this remake, as I thought it would take the sour taste of Pokemon XY away, and still, it retained all of it's problems:
    1) GLOBAL EXPERIENCE SHARE. I get it, it's a game for kids, but this is dumbing it waaaaay too much. Grinding may be a bit tedious at times, but RPG games use it to PACE the game and make it more CHALLENGING. The 6th Gen Exp. Share wreaks havoc upon this, by making it litterally impossible to lose. Really. If you battle 80% of the trainers with this thing on, every pokemon will be 3 levels above the Gym Leader's. Oh and by the way
    2) TRAINERS ARE NOT CHALLENGING. None of them. They did the same thing in XY, the only trainer IN THE ENTIRE GAME who has 6 pokemons is the f*cking champion. THATS NOT MAKING IT DIFFICULT, IT'S MAKING THE GAME EASIER. The rivals (May/Brendan and Wally) are a JOKE to beat, when they were almost a difficulty highlight in the original games.
    3) THE PACING IS HORRIBLE. Seriously, it seems the game just wants to get over with the story ASAP for the most part. Since there's no grinding, there isn't anything really holding you back, and on TOP OF THAT YOU *****SPOILER***** GIFT ME A F*CKING LATIOS??? *****END SPOILER***** give me a break (actually try not to).
    4) (and this may be personal) The characters are dumbed down. I say this because as the animations go with the characters, they seem to be less serious. *****SPOILERS AGAIN***** When you fought Maxie in the original games, he was tough, and when you beat him, you felt like you accomplished something. When I beat him in ORAS his glasses fell off. It wasn't serious, none of it was. Plus Tabitha. Really, that character sucks. *****END SPOILERS*****
    5) (AND THE WORST OF ALL) NO BATTLE FRONTIER. Seriously. You're being serious right now. THE VERY REASON WHY EMERALD WAS SUCH AN IMPROVEMENT OVER RUBY AND SAPPHIRE WAS BECAUSE OF THIS AND YOU TOOK IT OUT. WHY. WHY GOD WHY. WHAT DID YOU GAIN?
    Let's make this clear: I don't care if it's DLC because at the moment of the review, it isn't here. What boggles me is this: If you didn't have time to finish all the game and had to release DLC, wouldn't it have been much better to release BF as part of the game and the Delta Episode as DLC?
    Game Freak really dissapointed me with this game. However, as much as I cried over how good it could've been, there are some things they did right.
    1) 3D. Yeah, same 3D as in XY, BUT, as much as I didn't like some of the characters (TABITHA GO DIE), others such as Steven and Zinnia are very well done.
    2) Delta Episode. It's kind of the highlight new thing. It's nice, brings in some new elements to the continuity (*****SPOILER***** parallel universes whaaaat *****END SPOILER*****). BUT it's the only post-game thing to do, so... yeah.
    3) The Music. At first I didn't like it. Maybe I was so blinded from the bad game I was playing so I didn't realize it, but the old themes are well ported and THE NEW ONES ARE AMAZING OMG BATTLE AGAINST WALLY OST LISTEN TO THAT.
    Well, I guess that's it. Maybe a bit extensive for Metacritic, but I like to write my opinion. The conclusion to all this the following:
    I wish Game Freak would stop sh*ting Pokemon. Not changing. Change is great. That's what made Pokemon BW the best one in my opinion. The characters were amazing, the game was challenging in it's own way, and it was about exploration. They took everything Pokemon RBY had and made it again, but not in the "let's put 1st gen pokemon in here". They had the same feel, something that I feel is clearly missing in the 6th gen.    … Expand
  47. Mmmmm
    Oct 23, 2015
    4
    Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire take the region of Hoenn and bring it into full 3D, at a cost. The graphics are appealing and the music has also leapt forward from the Game Boy Advance. However, when it comes to content, these games are a noticeable step back from Emerald. Features that made Hoenn so hugely memorable, such as the Battle Frontier, were ignored. In fact, unlike HeartPokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire take the region of Hoenn and bring it into full 3D, at a cost. The graphics are appealing and the music has also leapt forward from the Game Boy Advance. However, when it comes to content, these games are a noticeable step back from Emerald. Features that made Hoenn so hugely memorable, such as the Battle Frontier, were ignored. In fact, unlike Heart Gold and Soul Silver including almost all of Crystal's additional content, ORAS includes almost nothing from Emerald. It even retains the archaic double battle system from Ruby and Sapphire where the opponent can only use two Pokémon total, when every game from Emerald onward had double battles with more than that.

    The game even misses content from the original Ruby and Sapphire. The Safari Zone, an area where you catch Pokémon with bait and rocks as a change of pace, was homogenized to be exactly the same as any other area you catch Pokémon in. The Game Corner, a building with slots and roulettes, was removed for censorship purposes and nothing was added in its place, again in contrast to Heart Gold replacing the Game Corner with a fun new minigame. Several areas were changed for the worse, shrinking places like New Mauville and Mt. Pyre and changing the small crossroads of Mauville City into essentially a gaudy shopping mall that's tedious to navigate.

    The difficulty was also cut down and more handholding was added. Pokémon is already an easy series, but this game will insult your intelligence if you're more than five years old. It retains the new Experience Share from Pokémon XY, levelling your Pokémon far higher than the difficulty curve expects them to be at. This is able to be turned off, but it being on by default meant plenty of people went through the game without any challenge whatsoever, and Pokémon is not a series you just play for the story.

    To end on a positive note, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do add new features that improve the game from the original. The Dexnav is a new device that allows you to find Pokémon with special moves and abilities that you normally can't get in the wild, specializing your party if you choose to use it. The Secret Base feature from the originals was expanded to have online features and allows you to set up your own Gym, and I had a lot of fun messing with it. However, the game as a whole is missing content compared to the versions on the Game Boy Advance, and what is there has been watered down in some places. If you've never experienced a Pokémon game set in Hoenn, I recommend looking for a copy of Pokémon Emerald instead. It gives a much better single player experience.    … Expand
  48. BL4D3M45TR
    Nov 3, 2021
    4
    to much Water, to many zigzagoons. forgettable music and story, overall an easy and bland experience.
  49. TheAlwaysJhon
    Dec 4, 2014
    3
    *Slow claps* Bravo gamefreak, instead of learning with your mistakes, you keep doing them.
    It's only a visual improvement, the main character still being zero dimensional, the songs are from "meh" to forgettable, characters too. But to their credits, the new flying thing is cool, i can say that.
    If your care for story, characters and music in a RPG, don't play ANY Pokemon, there's better    *Slow claps* Bravo gamefreak, instead of learning with your mistakes, you keep doing them.
    It's only a visual improvement, the main character still being zero dimensional, the songs are from "meh" to forgettable, characters too. But to their credits, the new flying thing is cool, i can say that.
    If your care for story, characters and music in a RPG, don't play ANY Pokemon, there's better RPGs in the market to pick up.    … Expand
  50. manuel812
    May 29, 2021
    3
    como a la gente le gusta esto el primer error del juego es que no se basa en esmeralda que es claramente el mejor juego de la 3ra generación sino que se basa en pokemon rubi un juego bastante inferior a esmeralda solo para poder sacar 2 juegos y ganar dinero segundo error la dificultad es FACILISIMO no presenta ningún reto y el 3er error es el desperdicio no solo no mejora NADA de el juegocomo a la gente le gusta esto el primer error del juego es que no se basa en esmeralda que es claramente el mejor juego de la 3ra generación sino que se basa en pokemon rubi un juego bastante inferior a esmeralda solo para poder sacar 2 juegos y ganar dinero segundo error la dificultad es FACILISIMO no presenta ningún reto y el 3er error es el desperdicio no solo no mejora NADA de el juego original y el episodio delta es demasiado simple y corto creo que lo unico bueno del juego es el ultravuelo o el megavuelo como se llame que es una muy buena idea… Expand
  51. Reviewerguy
    Nov 23, 2014
    2
    As with every remake of an older Pokemon game one would assume they would improve the experience. Sadly this does not apply to this game.Hoenn was one of the worst reveived generations due to flaws like half the region being uninspired water routes and a weird soundtrack based on trumpets. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do nothing to remedy these faults. The music is somehow better but theAs with every remake of an older Pokemon game one would assume they would improve the experience. Sadly this does not apply to this game.Hoenn was one of the worst reveived generations due to flaws like half the region being uninspired water routes and a weird soundtrack based on trumpets. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do nothing to remedy these faults. The music is somehow better but the game is still 50% water routes. Another problem is the lack of new important features. Other than soaring which is essentially you riding on the back of a Latio or Latias as seen in trailers which isnt even that meaningfull or important to the game there is again nothing to do after completing the story. People where expecting the return of Battle Frontier since Game Freak teased its location by covering up the Frontier island with clouds in its preview map of the game. This was an obvious lie. There is nothing hidden there and the post game content is essentially X/Y post game. A small side story that involves Rayquaza and a shameless copy of the Battle Maison from X/Y. If you are not a hardcore Pokemon fan and have already played the original games there is no reason to buy the remakes since all it does is add mega evolution to its plot and overhaul the graphics… Expand
  52. Derduru
    Jun 28, 2016
    1
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Mediocre what else pros soaring is fun and the delta episode is fun thats it oh and also contests are finally fun it only took them 10 years now on to negatives i was wondering how can they make this game more easier than xy they succeed every trainer is 2-5 lvs lower than you they keep using status boost moves like double team instead of attacking you are you serious not only that they made all trainers only have a max of 3 pokemon why and the thing that got on my nerves they gave you a latias/os you dont have to catch it they just say hey is the game too hard?No... heres a free legendary lastly They made magma less evil why,why and may and wally still suck as a rival… Expand
  53. PissedFlyingVee
    Jul 10, 2016
    1
    It's too EASY. I know that this is made for little kids, but really? At least put SOME challenge into it so it can be fun. They really screw balled it damn it.
  54. koru6
    Nov 19, 2021
    1
    all the critics from above got all the review needed. disappointing battle from trainer and GYM. I remembered got stuck in double battle in psychic gym in original game cause its REALLY HARD. And in here I easily beat them only by using 2 pokemon. REALLY??? And also what's wrong with road in this game. There is a lot small entrance and my characters keep getting stuck to enter the road.all the critics from above got all the review needed. disappointing battle from trainer and GYM. I remembered got stuck in double battle in psychic gym in original game cause its REALLY HARD. And in here I easily beat them only by using 2 pokemon. REALLY??? And also what's wrong with road in this game. There is a lot small entrance and my characters keep getting stuck to enter the road. what else that's disappointing? safari zone? challenge? elite four? except the graphics I guess all of them. Please make pokemon more challenging.… Expand
  55. TemplarGR
    Sep 10, 2016
    0
    The only nice thing i can tell about it, is that it is better than X and Y. But that is small praise, considering this is a remake of an archaic handheld jrpg.

    Nintendo has milked the same 8-bit gameplay for decades, and has made billions out of it. For the love of God, stop buying this.
  56. BvS_NarutoU
    Feb 7, 2015
    0
    Bought this on a whim, and was hoping for some big changes, like being able to travel to other regions... I'm not into the contests, and when I got to Sootopolis City, I kinda stopped playing, and haven't since...
  57. TreasureOrTrash
    Sep 8, 2023
    0
    Trash!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Awards & Rankings

6
#6 Best 3DS Game of 2014
2
#2 Most Discussed 3DS Game of 2014
2
#2 Most Shared 3DS Game of 2014

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
83

Generally favorable reviews - based on 61 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 55 out of 61
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 61
  3. Negative: 0 out of 61
  1. CD-Action
    Feb 7, 2015
    85
    If you haven’t played Pokémons since the first Game Boy, give Omega Ruby a try, because there’s just no way you’re going to be disappointed with it. It’s the same game you remember, just better. [01/2015, p.75]
  2. Atomix
    Jan 28, 2015
    85
    A much better experience than what was expected. The change in the rhythm and the emphasis in the story elements manage to captivate the player in a way that the Game Boy Advance versions couldn’t.
    Read full review
  3. DarkStation
    Jan 19, 2015
    80
    If you have any interest at all in Pokémon this game will surpass your expectations.
    Read full review
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