@ -30,11 +31,11 @@ Announced worldwide on the official Pokémon websites on 7 May 2014, {% cite "Om
I was introduced to {% cite "Pokémon" %} in the late 1990s through its very first game, {% cite "Pokémon Red" %}. Like many other children my age, I quickly became a Pokémon fan. Later I also played {% cite "Pokémon Gold" %} and {% cite "Pokémon Crystal" %}, which are part of the second generation of Pokémon core series games, with {% cite "Crystal" %} being my absolute favourite Pokémon game as a child.
I was introduced to {% cite "Pokémon" %} in the late 1990s through its very first game, {% cite "Pokémon Red" %}. Like many other children my age, I quickly became a Pokémon fan. Later I also played {% cite "Pokémon Gold" %} and {% cite "Pokémon Crystal" %}, the second generation of Pokémon core series games, with {% cite "Crystal" %} being my absolute favourite Pokémon game as a child.
However, in the early 2000s, the Pokémon mania died down. {% cite "Pokémon" %} released its third generation of games starting with {% cite "Ruby" %} and {% cite "Sapphire" %}. However, when I tried out {% cite "Ruby" %}, I was disappointed to learn that I could not revisit any of the past regions, which was a major part of why I adored Generation 2.
However, in the early 2000s, the Pokémon mania died down. {% cite "Pokémon" %} released its third generation of games starting with {% cite "Ruby" %} and {% cite "Sapphire" %}, but when I tried out {% cite "Ruby" %}, I was disappointed to learn that only a few of the previous generation of Poké were available in the game, and I could not revisit any of the past regions, which was a major part of why I adored Generation 2.
Meanwhile, {% cite "Digimon" %} replacing {% cite "Pokémon" %} as the Mon franchise cool kids liked and talked about in my primary school — I still vividly remember a classmate dismissively telling me that Pokémon was out of fashion. As a result, the combination of my lack of interest in Generation 3 of Pokémon and my changed interest to {% cite "Digimon" %}, I moved on from {% cite "Pokémon" %} for the rest of my primary school years. As a result, I did not play any of the third generation of Pokémon games when they were released.
Meanwhile, {% cite "Digimon" %} replacing {% cite "Pokémon" %} as the Mon franchise cool kids liked and talked about in my primary school — I still vividly remember a classmate dismissively telling me that Pokémon was out of fashion. As a result, the combination of my lack of interest in Generation 3 of Pokémon and my changed interest to {% cite "Digimon" %}, I moved on from {% cite "Pokémon" %} for the rest of my primary school years. As a result, except for briefly trying out {% cite "Ruby" %}, I did not play any other third generation of Pokémon games when they were released.
During the later half of the 2000s, when I was in secondary school, I started to browse the internet more. At one point, perhaps out of nostalgia, I looked for Pokémon stuff online, and discovered several Pokémon fan sites including [Serebii](http://www.serebii.net/), [Bulbagarden](https://bulbagarden.net/home/), and more. Exploring the Pokémon fan sites rekindled my interest in Pokémon and motivated me to not only replay the first two generations of Pokémon games, but also play the third and fourth generations of games to catch up, including {% cite "Sapphire" %}, {% cite "FireRed" %} (which was also the very first video game remake I ever played), {% cite "Emerald" %}, {% cite "Diamond" %} and {% cite "Platinum" %}.
@ -42,7 +43,7 @@ I decided to give Generation 3 another chance, many years after my initial disap
My rekindled interest in Pokémon remained throughout the rest of Generation 4 and then Generation 5. When I played Generation 3 and 4 for the first time to catch up, it was known that {% cite "Pokémon HeartGold" %} and {% cite "SoulSilver" %}, remakes of the {% cite "Pokémon Gold" %} and {% cite "Silver" %}, would be released soon. I was already looking forward to {% cite "HeartGold" %} and {% cite "SoulSilver" %} because Generation 2 was my favourite, and when I played {% cite "HeartGold" %} for the first time, it instantly became my favourite Pokémon game. Later I followed the release of Generation 5 games, and played {% cite "Pokémon Black" %} and its sequel {% cite "Pokémon Black 2" %} and enjoyed them as well.
However, in the early 2010s, my video game interest started to shift focus to BioWare games and the {% cite "Ace Attorney" %} series. As a result, my interest in {% cite "Pokémon" %} became dormant again, until I played {% cite "Pokémon Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} for the first time in 2021.
However, in the early 2010s, my video game interest started to shift focus to BioWare games and the {% cite "Ace Attorney" %} series. As a result, my interest in {% cite "Pokémon" %} became dormant again until 2021.
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{% container "article", "content__section" %}
@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ However, in the early 2010s, my video game interest started to shift focus to Bi
I had learned that {% cite "Pokémon Ruby" %} and {% cite "Sapphire" %} would be getting remakes in 2014. Even though I did not consider Generation 3 my favourite Pokémon generation, I was happy that they were getting remakes, because I remember that the Hoenn region and the games based on the region were not very popular among {% cite "Pokémon" %} fans when they were first released. Fortunately, as Hoenn fans grew up, they were more vocal about their appreciation for and defence of the games.
In 2014, I had learned that {% cite "Pokémon Ruby" %} and {% cite "Sapphire" %} would be getting remakes would be released in that year. Even though I did not consider Generation 3 my favourite Pokémon generation, I was happy that they were getting remakes, because I remember that the Hoenn region and the games based on the region were not very popular among {% cite "Pokémon" %} fans when they were first released. Fortunately, as Hoenn fans grew up, they were more vocal about their appreciation for and defence of the games.
However, by the time Generation 6 of {% cite "Pokémon" %} began in 2013 with {% cite "Pokémon X" %} and {% cite "Y" %}, my main interest had changed to BioWare games and {% cite "Ace Attorney" %}, so I ended up not playing both {% cite "X" %} and {% cite "Y" %} as well as {% cite "Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} when they were released, despite owning a Nintendo 3DS.
@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ To my surprise, this time after catching up with the {% cite "Pokémon" %} main
{% endcontainer %}
{% container "article", "content__section" %}
## Why {% cite "Pokémon Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} are My Favourite Pokémon Games
## Why {% cite "Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} are My Favourite Pokémon Games
You may be wondering why {% cite "Pokémon Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} are my favourite Pokémon games, since they are not a common answer to the question "What is your favourite Pokémon game?" Even as far as Pokémon game remakes go, you may be more likely to hear Pokémon fans consider {% cite "HeartGold" %} and {% cite "SoulSilver" %} as their favourite, if not even their favourite Pokémon games ever. Admittedly, before finally playing {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %}, that used to be the case for me too.
@ -74,7 +75,7 @@ The EXP. Share that rewards experience points to your entire active Pokémon par
My taste in entertainment media, including video games, have changed a lot since my childhood and adolescence. {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} instantly became my favourite video game ever, and not just in the monster collecting game genre, from the moment I started playing the game, to the extent I have created a [shrine](/shrines/cassettebeasts/) for it on this website as well. The many, many reasons I love {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} include an appealing cast of characters, an amazing roster of monster creatures and an intriguing setting to explore — qualities shared by {% cite "Pokémon Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %}.
How high my standards for monster collecting games were raised by {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} cannot be overstated, due to me finding {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} better than {% cite "Pokémon" %} in many ways. This sentiment only gets reinforced by the disappointing direction of the {% cite "Pokémon" %} franchise since the Nintendo Switch era, due to frequent releasesand rushed development schedules taking their toll on the quality of recent {% cite "Pokémon" %} titles. Even though I still harbour nostalgia for the {% cite "Pokémon" %} franchise due to it being a huge part of my childhood and adolescence, I also believe it is absolutely okay to let something newer and better replace your old favourite, which is what {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} has done to {% cite "Pokémon" %} for me.
How high my standards for monster collecting games were raised by {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} cannot be overstated, due to me finding {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} better than {% cite "Pokémon" %} in many ways. This sentiment only gets reinforced by the disappointing direction of the {% cite "Pokémon" %} franchise since the Nintendo Switch era, due to frequent releasesand rushed development schedules taking their toll on the quality of recent {% cite "Pokémon" %} titles. Even though I still harbour nostalgia for the {% cite "Pokémon" %} franchise due to it being a huge part of my childhood and adolescence, I also firmly believe there is nothing inherently wrong with letting something newer and better replace your old favourite, which is what {% cite "Cassette Beasts" %} has done to {% cite "Pokémon" %} as my favourite monster collecting game, and {% cite "Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} have done to {% cite "HeartGold" %} and {% cite "SoulSilver" %} as my favourite Pokémon games.
This is also why the only Pokémon shrine I am making for my website is dedicated to {% cite "Omega Ruby" %} and {% cite "Alpha Sapphire" %} only, and not the franchise in general.
Helen Chong