Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire did many things right. They modernised Hoenn beautifully, introduced Mega Evolutions into the region, and added genuinely new content like the Delta Episode.
But when we’re talking about the best remake in the series, they fall just short. And the reason is simple, they left too much Emerald on the table. Let me explain.
What Makes a Pokémon Remake the “Best” in My Eyes?
Let me ground my argument with what I wanted Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire to be. Great remakes don’t just polish old graphics, they:
- Modernize mechanics
- Include third-version improvements
- Add meaningful new content
- Respect what made the original better over time
When people debate the best 3DS Pokémon game, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire always come up.
But the competition isn’t just other 3DS entries, it’s other remakes like HGSS and FRLG, and that’s where things get complicated.
What Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Did Right
As a Pokemon Sapphire 3DS remake and its Ruby counterpart, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire absolutely nailed presentation.
Hoenn didn’t just get cleaned up, it got totally rebuilt from the ground up. The jump into full 3D using the X & Y engine made the region feel alive in a way the originals never could.
Then there’s Mega Evolution, the true icing on the cake. As a purist who had stopped watching the anime series right before Mega Evolutions came in, I was probably the biggest hater of the feature even without trying it.
I was proven wrong by the 30-hour mark when I realised, instead of feeling like a gimmick stapled on top, it was woven directly into the story. Primal Groudon, Primal Kyogre, and other mega Pokémon in ORAS didn’t feel optional, they felt mythic, like real Gods who could control the weather.
Another detail worth mentioning is the Soaring mechanic, which alone changed how Hoenn felt to traverse. Flying over the region with Latios or Latias made me feel like I was actually travelling distances. It was just fast travel, but unlike Skyrim, it sure felt much more immersive than clicking a random point on the map and being teleported there.
And the Delta Episode? That was Pokémon ORAS swinging for something bigger. Yes, it cut Emerald’s Battle Frontier, and I will never get over it, but replacing it with a cinematic Rayquaza storyline was at least ambitious. That’s more than you can say for Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, truly one of the games of all time.
Did They Just Forget Pokémon Emerald Existed?
Here’s where my praise for Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire starts to hit a wall. They are extremely faithful remakes of Ruby and Sapphire, and that’s part of the problem.
Because Emerald existed, and Emerald wasn’t just some “third version bonus.” It was Hoenn refined. The pacing felt tighter, gym leader rosters were smarter, both Team Aqua and Team Magma had real presence, and the region felt more complete instead of split between two versions.
And then there’s the Battle Frontier, which never saw the light of day.
That alone changes the conversation. Emerald gave you something to sink real time into after the credits rolled. Not just a legendary hunt, not just endless and mindless rematches, but a full challenge ecosystem that rewarded experimentation and mastery. I’ve lost more hours than I’d like to admit in that place.
So when Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire skipped most of that, it didn’t feel neutral. It felt like a genuine GameFreak regression moment that has plagued subsequent remasters. They really took the “two Ls make a W” idea seriously and ended up with just losses.
Yes, ORAS added the Delta Episode, soaring was incredible, and Mega Evolution fit Hoenn beautifully. But at the same time, it quietly erased the version of Hoenn that already solved many of the originals’ rough edges.
If I’m being honest with myself, I would choose ORAS over the original Ruby and Sapphire every time. It’s smoother, faster, and more modern. But if I’m choosing the most complete Hoenn experience? I still end up thinking about Emerald. And that’s the small gap that keeps ORAS from being the best remake in the series.
Why ORAS Still Gets Away With It (Unlike BDSP)
What’s interesting is that the criticism people throw at Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is almost identical to what hit Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl when they came out.
Both sets of remakes chose to focus strictly on the original two versions. Both largely ignored the improvements introduced in their respective third versions, Emerald and Platinum. On paper, that’s the same mistake. But the difference is how it feels when you actually play them.
With BDSP, the absence of Platinum content feels exposed. It doesn’t modernise Sinnoh, it doesn’t reimagine anything boldly, and it doesn’t add enough new substance to distract you from what’s missing. I mean, the Grand Underground and Fairy-type Mons are cool but ultimately forgettable.
When I played it, I kept thinking about Platinum, not because of nostalgia, but because it simply felt more complete. At best, Brilliant Diamond and Soul Platinum feel like a clean replay of Diamond and Pearl. At worst, they feel like a noticeable downgrade from Platinum.
ORAS, on the other hand, compensates for its losses, or at least tries to. When you play Pokémon Alpha Sapphire or Pokémon Omega Ruby, you’re not just replaying Hoenn with sharper textures.
The region feels redesigned for the 3DS era. Mega Evolutions are fully integrated into the narrative and get epic cutscenes to show off the new designs. The soaring mechanic changes how you experience the map. The Delta Episode adds a cinematic post-game that at least attempts to do something ambitious.
Does it replace Emerald’s Battle Frontier? No, still salty about that decades later. But it does try to build something new instead of just preserving something old, which frankly seems like a lost cause with Game Freak.
Pokémon Omega Ruby vs Pokémon Alpha Sapphire: Version Differences
If you’re deciding between Pokémon Omega Ruby and Pokémon Alpha Sapphire, the differences are straightforward but worth knowing before you commit.
- Legendary Pokémon: Omega Ruby gives you Primal Groudon, the ground and fire type that turns the battlefield into a scorching wasteland with Desolate Land. Alpha Sapphire gives you Primal Kyogre, the water type that summons Primordial Sea and makes rain permanent in battle.
- Version Exclusive Pokémon: Omega Ruby gets Seedot, Mawile, Zangoose, Solrock, Latios, and a handful of others. Alpha Sapphire counters with Lotad, Sableye, Seviper, Lunatone, Latias, and its own exclusives.
- Evil Team: Omega Ruby features Team Magma as the primary antagonist, trying to expand the landmass. Alpha Sapphire gives you Team Aqua trying to expand the ocean. Story beats are nearly identical, but the team designs and motivations are different enough to make a second playthrough feel fresh.
What To Pick Between Pokemon Omega Ruby and Pokemon Alpha Sapphire
Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are not the best remakes in the series, but they are genuinely great ones.
The missing Battle Frontier still stings. The Emerald Gap is real. But unlike Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, Pokémon ORAS at least tried to build something new rather than just preserve something old.
If you never played the originals, ORAS is the best starting point for Hoenn, full stop. If you played Emerald and remember the Battle Frontier fondly, go in knowing that gap exists and enjoy everything else ORAS does brilliantly.
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