Top Pokemon Games of All Time

All the Pokemon games, ranked. What game makes it to the top?

Posted By | On 18th, Feb. 2015

Page 4 of 15

#12. Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire (GBA)

pokemon ruby stones vehicles motorbikes latios 1280x1024 wallpaper_wallpaperswa.com_2

Do you hear that? That is the sound of angry generation 3 fans, working themselves up into a furious, frenzied stampede as they rush here to disavow everything that I have ever stood for. Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire have perhaps the most vocal fanbase out of any game in the series, and they are the very definition of a cult classic.

But long before #HoennConfirmed became a meme, Ruby and Sapphire’s original release was met with indifference at best, and genuine disappointment at worst- the games were considered to be the first missteps the series had made so far, and for the longest time, the franchise’s worst showing.

There was a lot the games got wrong- they cut back on almost everything that Pokemon Gold and Silver had introduced not too long ago, making the games feel barer, more stripped out, than their predecessors. Something as simple as the day/night cycle, which added a layer of immersion to the game world, was gone (though the two games still did act on a real time clock).

The staggering amount of post game content that Gold and Silver had offered was gone. And perhaps, worst of all, the games broke compatibility with the previous games in the franchise. Any Pokemon you had caught and raised in the older Pokemon games were doomed to stay there forever, because Ruby and Sapphire were incompatible with them.

And yet, for all that Ruby and Sapphire did wrong, they also got an amazing amount right (there is a reason they are so well beloved now, after all)- they introduced perhaps the best batch of new Pokemon to the series till date. They added scores of new features to the franchise, such as secret bases and Pokemon contests. They upped the ante on the franchise’s social interactivity.

They were the first games in the franchise to try and tell a story. They also provide the mechanical base for every single Pokemon game that followed them, till today- things like EVs, IVs, Natures, Abilities, these were all things that Ruby and Sapphire introduced. The modern Berries/TMs/HMs system? All things that Ruby and Sapphire introduced.

In many ways, Ruby and Sapphire were necessary- a clean break from what had come before was needed if the franchise was to grow, and Ruby and Sapphire provide just the base for doing that. Today, going back to them to play them is redundant- there are other games that do what they did, and they do it better. But if you do decide to play them, you will find a set of adventures unlike any in the Pokemon saga.


Amazing Articles You Might Want To Check Out!

Share Your Thoughts Below  (Always follow our comments policy!)



Keep On Reading!

Hell is Us is Looking Absolutely Crazy

Hell is Us is Looking Absolutely Crazy

This is one 2025 game you need to keep an eye out for.

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is Going to be One of 2024’s Most Significant Releases

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is Going to be One of 2024’s Most Significant Releases

Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is shaping up to be a major step up from the series’ 2020 iteration.

Astro Bot Could Get More DLC, Updated Credits Suggest

Astro Bot Could Get More DLC, Updated Credits Suggest

Though the platformer has added its last piece of currently announced DLC, more could be on the way, its updat...

Resident Evil 2 Remake Launches for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on December 10

Resident Evil 2 Remake Launches for iPhone, iPad, and Mac on December 10

The survival horror remake is available now for iOS and Mac devices with the M1 chip or later, following in th...

Atomfall Costs $60, Deluxe Edition Provides 3 Days Advanced Access

Atomfall Costs $60, Deluxe Edition Provides 3 Days Advanced Access

The Deluxe Edition costs $79.99 and includes access to an upcoming story expansion and the Enhanced Supply Bun...

Mario and Luigi: Brothership Sells Over 63,000 Units on Japanese Debut, PS5 Pro Enjoys Strong Start

Mario and Luigi: Brothership Sells Over 63,000 Units on Japanese Debut, PS5 Pro Enjoys Strong Start

The PS5 Pro sold over 78,000 units in Japan in its debut week, taking total PS5 sales for the week to over 88,...