OR/AS Review (For Pokemon Showdown)

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were released for the Nintendo 3DS on November 21, 2014. It introduced old games into a new era, with stunning 3D models, new game concepts and some familiar faces. Based off of the original games Ruby and Sapphire, which take place in the Hoenn region, these two games awoke old memories inside of the people who have played the originals, and made an impact on those who are new to Pokemon. Here are some of the reasons I think these games are great, and some things that I think could have been better.

One of the things that I liked the most about these two games is the ability to sneak. By slightly moving the analog stick in a specific direction, you can quietly tip-toe up to Pokemon in the grass, allowing you to battle and catch rare Pokemon, sometimes not even normally found in Hoenn. There is also a app, called the DexNav, that can give you specific information on these Pokemon, such as level, its first move, even its held item, all without having to enter a battle! However, in some areas, such as the desert or in water, these Pokemon will constantly disappear and reappear in different locations, and it is difficult to chase these Pokemon down, since if you move too fast, they run away!

The Dexnav isn't the only cool thing that you can use. There is a whole touch screen full of cool little apps that one can use. The device that is holding all these neat apps is called the Pokenav plus. Some of these apps are just mini-games, such as Pokemon Amie, where you can interact with your Pokemon and play games with them, and others can help train your Pokemon, like Super Training. One app worth mentioning is the PSS, or the Player Search System. This app allows you to interact with other trainers, near or far. Wheather it's a battle or if you just want to trade and collect Pokemon, this app allows you to do it. This is where you can use O-powers. O-powers, when used, can boost how much money or exp. you get. They can also make eggs hatch faster or lower prices of items. You can even share these powers with friends.

Another neat thing about these two games are the return of Secret Bases, now called Super-Secret bases. They act the same as in the original: You find somewhere you can claim as a Secret Base, and you make a Base there. But now you can also have people in your Secret Base, and you can battle other people in their Secret Base. Lots of people have always wanted to make their own little gym, and now they can! Although most of the secret bases are small, they are still a great part of the game.

Of all the places in Hoenn, the one that I truly found impressive was the Battle Resort. This place, only accessable after the Delta Episode, is a perfect place for competitive trainers. With a Daycare, the IV judge, a Battle Maison with useful items in exchange for Battle Points, Move tutors, and a way to infinitely circle around the island to quickly hatch eggs, this place is truly a paradise for competitive trainers. However, there isn't much else to do there, and collecting battle points can quickly become more of a boring task than a fun challenge.

Overall, in my opinion, Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire were very fun games to play, with very few problems. I enjoyed going through the storyline and playing the mini-games, but I also enjoyed training Pokemon and battling my friends. It was perfectly balanced between casual and competitive. However, after the main story is beaten, there isn't much to do afterwards. If I had to rate this game, I would give it an 8/10

Also, if you guys have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Just my 2 cents ^-^

I mean, I have some ideas for the review, but the standards might be different from what I think they are. It depends what kind of review you are making. Is it satirical, informal, or formal, etc? I'm guessing you have to make a formal/informal review, hopefully informal, 'cause I love reading those types. I don't know if you know him or his series, but I read a few samples on my Kindle (I am a freebie) of Kyle W. Campbell's game reviews where he reviews them based on their consoles. If you have a Kindle, no need to purchase his book, just read part of it. A few things he does that I think would be pretty cool is if you add some humor we can relate to. For example, he reviewed a game similar to Brain Age in which he mocked it pretty thoroughly, stating how simple it was and if the SATs were that easy, he would be in Harvard. You could tell how much he despised it. A very important thing to add is that when he reviews games, he also talks about the mechanics and how sensitive the controls were, and also the music. If you're focusing on gameplay, that's another story, but if you are talking about the game in general, I think it would be good to state the previous things in detail as much as you can. I would also add the developer and publisher names as well. You don't have to do what I'm saying. After all, I can barely write a review (I tried with Mario Kart DS). Like I said before, this is just my 2 cents.