Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire: Tips For Beginners

Choose your starting Pokemon wisely.

Of course, this goes for every Pokemon game. The starters are all powerful Pokemon in their own right – it simply comes down to your own personal preference. Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire do things a little differently this time around. You get the standard Ruby and Sapphire starters at the onset. After beating the Elite Four, however, you’ll have access to starting Pokemon from Gold and Silver, Pearl and Platinum, AND Black and White. If balance is a concern for you, or if you’re thinking of making a starter team, you might want to plan in advance which of these rare Pokemon you’re going to welcome onto your roster.

Use the DexNav all the time.

In the past, getting the custom Pokemon you wanted required a lot of tedious selective breeding and honestly, who’s got time for that? Luckily Nintendo realized this, and so the DexNav came to be. The DexNav is a fun little gadget that lets you scope out the Pokemon wandering in an area. You can also ask the DexNav to scan for only specific Pokemon. Once it finds one, you can sneak up on it in the tall grass and attempt to catch it. The DexNav even goes another step. It allows you to hone in on Pokemon with special stats or moves that it wouldn’t normally learn. This is a great, fun way to find an extra special member for your team. Don’t forget to take the time to try it out!

 Wonder Trade with randos!

The one thing I struggled with when I played the original Pokemon Sapphire back in the day was finding Pokemon I actually liked. There were loads of new pocket monsters, but finding awesome ones early on was a bit of a challenge. Of course, this might just be because I’m picky and only use Pokemon I think look cool/are dogs, but I digress. This problem can be remedied with the return of Wonder Trade from Pokemon X and Y. Yes, there are chances you might get stuck with a Bidoof, but you should also give humanity a chance to surprise you. You can sometimes get some truly nice Pokemon you wouldn’t be able to find otherwise. So go forth and Wonder Trade!

Make use of the Mauville City food court.

Don’t like grinding XP from random tall grass battles? Don’t forget to visit Mauville City every once in a while. In addition to all of the other things you can do in this bustling area, there’s a special battle food court that allows you to battle trainers every day. After ordering your food, you’ll be met with challenges from other diners as you wait for your meal to arrive. It’s a nice way to get some bonus experience every day!

You should most definitely make a secret base.

Okay, so secret bases don’t necessarily contribute to your overall success in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. They’re just good for your soul. And, really, who has never dreamed of having their own secret fort or tree house? I still do. No shame. One of the unique features of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire allow you to do just that. Exploring the expanses of Hoenn, you’ll stumble on little knots of wild tall grass, or tree hollows, or hidden caves that you can make into a secret hideout for yourself. What you then use it for is up to you! Some people make their own gyms, and some use it to display their super cute Pokemon dolls. Others use them just to hang out with friends. Decorating your own little hidden space is extremely satisfying, albeit expensive. This feature is exclusive to Ruby and Sapphire, so take advantage of it!