Pokemon Sapphire Version was one of my favorite games as a kid, and it's still just as fun today.
Released March 17, 2003
Only for the Game Boy Advance
Ever since Pokemon Red and Blue Version hit stores in 1998, the Pokemon franchise became a huge hit, especially among kids who were entering the world of gaming at the time. Pokemon's popularity continued to grow with Pokemon Gold and Silver Version, and by the time Ruby and Sapphire came out, every kid with a Game Boy Advance was buying the game and becoming a part of the sensation. I was one of those kids. I was about eight years old at the time the 3rd-generation Pokemon games hit stores, and I have many fond memories of playing the game for months and months as a kid. Just recently, I started playing Pokemon Sapphire for the first time in at least five years, and I can say without hesitation that Pokemon Sapphire is just as much fun today as it was in 2003.
The game begins with your character moving into Littleroot Town, a small town in the Hoenn region. After helping out a man named Proffesor Birch using one of his Pokemon, he gives you a starter Pokemon to embark on an epic journey across Hoenn to catch wild Pokemon and take on the Pokemon League challenge, a plotline that Pokemon fans would come to expect from the series by now. The 3rd generation of Pokemon also has Team Aqua and Team Magma, the pathetically-stupid criminal organization that only you and your team of Pokemon can stop.
The battle system of Pokemon Sapphire Version has all the features of the previous Pokemon games, but it was also the first Pokemon generation to introduce Pokemon abilities to the mix. Every species of Pokemon has an ability, some shared by other Pokemon and some that are unique to the one species. This game is also the first Pokemon installment to have Pokemon natures and the concept of EV training, a complex and time-consuming way of training Pokemon for dedicated fans of Pokemon.
In terms of graphics, Pokemon Sapphire Version follows the same visual sty|e of previous Pokemon games with some minor enhancements. The character sprites and map designs are more detailed and colorful because of Game Boy Advance technology, but overall, Pokemon's art sty|e remains the same. Sapphire Version also has some pretty nice music, along with all the 8-bit Pokemon cries that have been added to newer Pokemon.
Like all other Pokemon games, Pokemon Sapphire's replay value is infinite. Even after you collect all of the gym badges and defeat the Pokemon League, there's still many other things to do. There are 200 different Pokemon to catch in the Hoenn Pokedex, and it could take months to catch 'em all. Plus Pokemon Sapphire has all the multiplayer appeal the series has always had; Using a GBA Link Cable, you can connect with your friends to trade and battle Pokemon, and using the "mix records" feature, you can battle your friends in their secret bases (a new idea introduced in the game) and hear about their accomplishments in the in-game TVs.
At it's core, Pokemon Sapphire Version is the same Pokemon gameplay that everyone either loves or hates, but it also brings some new bread to the table for longtime Pokemon fans. I loved Pokemon Sapphire Version growing up, and I still think it's a great game playing it several years later. Whether you're a longtime Pokemon fan or a Game Boy Advance owner looking for a good game, Pokemon Sapphire is definitely a must-have.
Pros and Cons:
+ Pokemon Sapphire has 200 Pokemon to collect, most of them being new
+ Some new battle elements are introduced
+ Great multiplayer, as always
- Pokemon Sapphire is, deep down, the same formula that everyone remembers, so those who have gotten tired of Pokemon won't find anything new here.
Breakdown by category:
Plot: 7/10
Graphics: 8/10
Sound: 9/10
Gameplay: 9/10
Replay value: 10/10
Fun level: 9/10
Overall score: 9.0