Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (GBA) Review

Overview
Pokemon RS starts out as all the other Pokemon Games, the “New” Professor talking to you about Pokemon and Your asked to choose if your Male/Female etc and the game starts and in a truly stupid fashion you end up in the back of truck. You see you’ve just moved to the town of LittleRoot (lol) and you and your mum have just moved there because and this is still a little unclear as I’ve only played up until the second gym, I think it is that you Dad is a gym leader but Im not sure. Well enough about the story get on with the review.

Graphics
As in typical Nintendo fashion the games graphics aren’t smack bang in you face quality but the little effect such as footprints, shadows and reflections. Also the all Pokemon a well drawn. But for some reason the Pokemon don’t animate like they did in Crystal, Maybe to save space I dunno. The battles have been greatly improved still not on par with say Golden Sun but at least it is not completely white like previous Pokemon Games. As you would expect the general menu system Pokedex, and all the other sections in the Game are back with the new look. With the great power of the Gameboy Advance I was expecting graphics to contend with Golden Sun but since Pokemon is in a Different Style to other games, Ill let it pass.

Gameplay
This game plays exactly like the previous without using the shoulder buttons at all although there is a setting to use the L button as the a button instead. The Menus are set out the same so Pokemon Veterans and Noobs alike can get into the game. The Battles are also set out the same but with taking advantage of the new GBA wide-screen its is more easy to see what is going on and the option more set out. Walking around the Pokemon is the same and as good as ever although yet again not up to the standard of Golden Sun with you not being able to move on Diagonals. Summing up, lots of Improvements could of been made but as seeing as this game is actually set up for 7 sevens olds what are you going to do?

Sound
Yet again another section were Nintendo/Game Freak could of improved on the sound effects are there still the exact same ones and the Pokemon still don’t “say” there names they only do there “cry” which frankly could of be improved. To do with the music, if you’ve ever played a Pokemon Game you’ll know what it sounds like and yes its basically the same except it uses Stereo sound. And the tunes a bit more upbeat.

Last ability
Well its an adventure/rig type game so its going to take you at least a little while for you to complete it. And with 350 characters to collect you’ll have your work cut out for you, and you cant link back to Red,Blue,Yellow,Gold,Silver,Crystal. So somehow you will have to get the other Pokemon, a rumour suggests maybe a Pokemon GameCube Title. Is Pokemon the best example for linking up the two Console. Yes No matter if you like Pokemon or not this game is still a good game to sit down and play and with winter coming up, those night are going to get cold and with the SP, all night Pok-fest’s are abound for me.

Rating: 4/5