Seemingly, Pokemon news works just like buses. You wait for one snippet of info, and then three (or more!) come along at once. With tonnes of screenshots, a brand new trailer, and loads of information revealed about the upcoming Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire - 3DS remakes of GBA titles Ruby and Sapphire - Nintendo have lifted the lid on a tonne of new information about the games that are threatening to take over our social lives all over again - and it's already got us excited.
Yeah!
One of the first things shown in the trailer below is the updated designs for the first five Gyms, their Leaders, as well as two of the Elite Four members. Once again forming the backbone of the Pokemon experience (each major town has its own gym leader, and you'll need to beat them all to be able to challenge the Elite 4), the designs will certainly bring back memories to those who've played the original games (although to be honest, I can't remember what they looked like in the first place - Ed), with no major shake-ups here, aside from the update in graphical style for the gyms, which are now more 3D, in all their Pokemon X and Y style glory, with fancier looking puzzles you'll have to overcome before reaching the leader.
Taking the whole gym thing a bit too literally...
Also confirmed to be making their return are the spare time absorbing Secret Bases - now called "Super Secret Bases". Perhaps one of the most anticipated returning features, Secret Bases are pretty much what they say on the tin - hidden bases you could create in a variety of locations, from caves to trees to bushes all over Hoenn, and decorate with items you collect on your journey, from tiny tables to giant plushes. If the trailer's anything to go by, it looks like the 16 item limit of the originals will be lifted/expanded greatly, along with allowing a wider variety of decorations, making for a huge amount of customisation.
Another new feature, as an extension of the updated Secret Bases, are a variety of activities that can be done using your "Secret Pals", a group made up of people you've met in their Secret Bases. Along with letting you call upon them to have a battle at any time, they can also choose to use abilities to help in your journey, much like Pokemon X and Y's O-Powers, whether it's creating new decorations for the base, helping hatch eggs, or train Pokemon. A capture the flag game, sounding similar to that of Diamond and Pearl's, where you have to race to find, and capture your friend's flag from their Secret base in order to increase the Base "rank" and earn some prizes - including more decorations - is also going to be included. And as a final new feature, it's looking like you'll even be able to set your base up as though it's your own Pokemon gym, with your own puzzles, traps, and rule sets for when you and your friends finally come face to face. Able to be shared via both Streetpass and QR codes, the Secret Bases look to be likely to take up loads of our time.
Perhaps the biggest news (for us) in the new announcement, though, is that of the return of Pokemon X and Y's Pokemon stroking, mini-game playing, Magikarp feeding Pokemon Amis mode, which kind of turned your Pokemon battling game into a virtual pet sim. But that's not all - along with being able to give your Zigzagoon a stroke, it seems Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire's will also include Cosplay. Yes, you read that right. With the trailer showing a quintuplet of Pikachus, each dressed up in a different outfit - accompanied by the teaser "Is this some kind of contest hall?" - it seems to have some sort of a link to Pokemon Contests, which were introduced in the original Ruby and Sapphire games, and saw you enter your Pokemon into a contest in one of five categories - Smart, Cool, Tough, Cute and
Beauty. With the Pikachus shown in the trailer (Pikachu Belle, Pikachu Pop Star, Pikachu Ph.D, Pikachu Rock Star and Pikachu Libre) seeming to match the five contest genres, there certainly seems to be a link, although whether you'll be able to dress all your Pokemon up in costumes, rather than *just* Pikachu, remains to be seen. Seeing as you can interact with your dressed-up Pikachu in the returning Pokemon Amis mode, we're hoping you'll be able to use them in battle too...
Finally, a new Mega Evolution was shown off - for the giant steel thing, Metagross. The latest Mega Evolution - a temporary, mid battle evolution that requires you to hold a certain stone - to be announced for Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire after Mega Diancie, Mega Sableye, Mega Sceptile and Mega Swampert, Mega Metagross will be used by Pokemon Champion Steven Stone, likely at some point during the main story. As usual with Mega Evolutions, Mega Metagross has improved stats over his non-Mega form counterpart, and an, er, interesting design.
With all these features, both new and old, Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire is shaping up to be another great entry in the series, and whilst this is all for announcements for now, it does sound like there will be much more announced next month, both to do with the costumed Pikachu and the Contests and more Mega Evolution details, so keep your eyes on Everybody Plays!
