Our first look into the revamped Hoenn region was released on October 20th, or so everyone thought.
The majority of Pokemon fans recieved their demo codes on the 20th as promised, but a vast majority were left behind. To get the code, you had to have an account on Pokemon.com and agree to receive email notifications from the site. If you didn’t have this before the 20th, tough luck. However, fans with an account and the e-mail option were frustrated when their codes didn’t show up in their inbox. Chaos ensued, rumors spreading through the Internet like wildfire. Nintendo released a message stating that it would take a few days for all of the codes to reach everyone, when they would arrive, however, was not for certain. It’s possible that too many accounts made last minute caused this significant lag in code delivery.
When fans finally saw the Nintendo e-mail pop up in their inbox, the rage eventually died down. You are thrust into the world of Hoenn as Orlando, the game’s protagonist, at Mossdeep City. Along with you is Steven, Ruby and Sapphire’s champion, and his Latias and Latios. It still hasn’t been released if Steven is this game’s champion or not. Steven offers you one of the Hoenn starters in their second evolutionary form, Grovyle, Marshtomp, or Combusken. All of these starters are at level 35, very close to evolution. After you go through your first few battles, your starter will evolve into its final form, learn either Frenzy Plant (Sceptile), Blast Burn (Blaziken), or Hydro Cannon (Swampert), and get its Mega Stone.
The demo has the ability to transfer certain items and Pokemon over to your copy of Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire depending on how many adventures you complete with Steven. If you are in Japan, you get a (Mega) Steelix to transfer over on your first adventure. Anywhere else, you’ll get a (Mega) Glalie.You also get Pokeballs (3 adventures), Heal Balls (5 adventures), Heart Scales (10 adventures),and a Nugget (second strange secret mission).
If you’re lucky, you’ll unlock the “secret mission”. After a random number of completed missions, an option will pop up when you talk to Steven that says, “Let’s Go Somewhere Secret”. If you accept this odd option, you’ll be sent to an island with no wild Pokemon. You will battle either Team Magma or Team Aqua, which is completely at random. There aren’t any items to obtain, just more interaction with one of the enemy teams.
After 15 days of gameplay, a second Secret Mission is unlocked. Steven takes you to an island where you must search for a strange man. He’s found in the forest maze and gives you a Nugget. This mission unlocks the ability to enter Steven’s house in Mossdeep city.
As you complete more and more missions, familiar faces begin to appear around Mossdeep City. Gym leaders such as Brawly and Roxanne are seen around. Flannery is spotted in the very beginning of the demo being interviewed on the beach. If you talk to the Gym Leaders, little tidbits of information is released to what the Gym Leaders’ features are in-game.
Pokemon fans everywhere anxiously wait for Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire’s release on November 21st, where we will return to the revamped Hoenn region.
Hannah Makholm/Graphics Dept.
