Pokemon Ruby Version

"Another point for Nintendo."

Having played the previous Pokemon games, I do know when games are out of style or have been stretched out too much. Fortunately, this is not the case here. Pokemon Ruby/ Sapphire is very fun to play whether you have never played a Pokemon game before or are a returning veteran.

Gameplay:10/10.
As always during Pokemon games, the battles involve strategy and are always fun to be involved in. However, this game brings not only battle strategy to a new level, but also Pokemon themselves. Pokemon have different natures and different statistics, which makes finding the ''right'' Pokemon challenging. The maneuverability is still square-by-square, but I like it otherwise. This game is highly addictive to play because you always want to know what else the game could possibly have in store for you next. I was amazed at how much originality the battle system has, because Nintendo has been using the same basic battle system for most Pokemon games, and yet I never feel bored battling. You can go anywhere in this game, and not only walking. You have 2 different bikes to choose from, and some very useful shoes that allow you to travel twice the walking speed. Also noteworthy is that the text in the game has sharply improved. You will never go bored with this game. But, I always feel, while playing Pokemon games, that the battles are slightly tilted in your favor. Maybe it's just me. Still fun though.

Story: 9/10
The story is by far the best in the Pokemon games. I think that the storyline length is double that of Pokemon Red/ Blue. With caves to explore, pokemon to hunt, and errands to run, this game definitely doesn't lack in story. And, there are Contests for your Pokemon to win, a HUGE world to explore, including fields, deserts, oceans, shallow water, and you can even go underwater. There are trainers to beat, items to collect, and you can give your Pokemon treats to enhance their beauty, coolness, etc. You do have a rival, although they don't play as big a role in this game as opposed to the previous games. The main goal of the game, however, is to complete your Pokedex, an encyclopedia of Pokemon that is only complete when you capture every Pokemon in the game. And just so you know, there are 200 Pokemon to capture. Quite a challenge!

Graphics/Sound: 9/10
When I first saw the graphics of this game, I knew only one thing: I wanted this game. I still cannot believe that Nintendo can fit so much data into one game! The graphics are amazing. Nintendo even goes as far as to shade the top of you're character's head! The graphics are no doubt the best in any Gameboy Advance game I have ever seen. Everything is so sharp and non-blocky, as opposed to it's predecessors. The graphics are superior in every way to other Pokemon games, and the sound is spectacular. The new and improved music of caves, underwater, and surfing are awesome, and I like how the same Pokemon Center theme is still here. The cries of Pokemon are clear, and music tends to be ''happy'' and ''upbeat'', but I'm not complaining. The music is very good. It seems like every action you do in this game has it's own unique sound. Although, when you play for five hours straight, you tend to get headaches and some music is kind of annoying. But these are minor drawbacks and I still love the sound otherwise.

Play time/Replayability: 10/10
This game is, once again, huge. I usually like to get very far in the story the first time I play it. When I beat the story part of the game,I still wasn't even half done with everything. There are elusive Pokemon in each version, and Pokemon that are so rare, they appear randomly and tend to run away. Since some Pokemon are amazingly hard to get, this game will have you playing for a long time. Don't forget, you have to the game in order to collect all 200 Pokemon, so you will definitely want to play after you beat it.

Final Word:
I would buy this game. This game will not make you regret your purchase. With so much to do, you will have a ball. If you are wondering what the differences between Ruby and Sapphire are, there are many, but the main difference is the Pokemon only in that version. As for which version is better, you decide.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 07/28/03, Updated 07/28/03