Judging from the Pokemon games of the past, it isn’t too difficult to see just why Nintendo’s Pokemon franchise has remained so very popular. At the core of the Pokemon genre you have hundreds of different types of cute, cuddly, and adorable creatures that are mostly based on animals of the real world – except in the world of Pokemon they will be routinely made to beat the snot out of one another.

The original Pokemon games that were released for the Game Boy Color were rock solid role playing games, although they had lighthearted themes and some very unique twists. The newest Pokemon games for the GBA, Ruby and Sapphire, are very similar and likewise and can be recommended for anyone. They are good looking, fun to play, and offer plenty of variety to keep you coming back for more.

The greatest thing about Pokemon Ruby Version is the fact that you really can’t go wrong with buying the game. It plays out similar to the classic console role playing style and format. You start out by choosing either a boy or a girl, name your character, and then begin a lengthy quest as you attempt to become the greatest trainer in the world.

Along the way you’ll visit many towns, compete against other Pokemon trainers, talk to many different types of people, fight creatures on land, in the sea, underground, race on bikes, surf, and much more. The overall size, structure, and plot of Ruby version is very similar to the structure and size of previous Pokemon games that we all know and love.

Just like any other RPG (Role Playing Game), a majority of your time spent playing Ruby version will be spent in combat. The main character you have will never fight – your Pokemon will do all the fighting for you. You can keep up to 6 Pokemon at any given time, although you can catch and store hundreds of them. All Pokemon will have up to four different moves, taking turns to dish out despair with the opponent.

The moves of the Pokemon include general melee attacks, elemental strikes, supernatural powers, and many more – including defensive feats as well. Although the Pokemon will appear to be static in battle, you’ll quickly see the effects of their moves on the screen, adding a bit of a dynamic feel to the intense action. To make things more interesting, there’s a rock-paper-scissors style combat system that determines just how powerful the Pokemon will be against others.

As an example, the fiery Pokemon can really put the damage to the ice Pokemon, while water Pokemon can put the “fire out” of fiery Pokemon in no time at all. The forming of a well balanced Pokemon force is a big part of the game, while catching the different types you encounter is fun as well. To capture wild Pokemon you’ll trap them in Pokeballs, although the trick here is to weaken them first so that they can’t break free.

Even though the Ruby version is similar to older Pokemon games, it does have some new features as well. For example, even though the majority of Pokemon battles will be one-on-one encounters, there’s the opportunity to engage in tag team bouts – letting four different Pokemon go at it at the same time! When you decide to take a break from the fighting, you can now put your prized Pokemon through a series of the best in show events, where they will win over the crowd using their moves. This is an excellent new feature, giving you plenty to do to pass the time.

While the Ruby version is an excellent take on the Pokemon genre, it does have one flaw – it doesn’t offer that much of a challenge. Pokemon vets will fly through the game without much of a challenge, while new comers may find it to be somewhat more difficult. With that being said, this version is defiantly worth it if your fan of the Pokemon games or just looking for something new to play.

Although Pokemon Ruby Version may be too easy, it’s still a great game that can last you a long time. There’s enough single player value here, but if you still want a great challenge, you can pit your Pokemon squad against a friend by using a link cable. Even though Ruby version isn’t a big departure from predecessors of the past, it defiantly looks better and has a lot more Pokemon to catch, giving Pokemon fans exactly what they have been looking for.

Any owner of the GBA (Game Boy Advance) who has never played a Pokemon game in the past now has the opportunity to dive right in and see what this highly unusual – yet very likeable series is all about.

- Top-GBA-Games.com