Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are accessible, but a few good habits make the adventure much more enjoyable: choosing your starter Pokémon with full knowledge, making the most of the PokéNav Plus and the DexNav, and knowing when to stop and catch things. Here is our advice for the first few hours.

Littleroot Town, where it all begins: the hero's house and Professor Birch's lab.

Omega Ruby or Alpha Sapphire?

Both versions tell the same story. In Omega Ruby, you face Team Magma and meet Primal Groudon; in Alpha Sapphire, Team Aqua and Primal Kyogre. Your Soaring mount will be Latios in the former and Latias in the latter, and a few Pokémon are exclusive to each version. Choose according to your preferences: neither is easier than the other. Details in the fact sheet.

Omega Ruby: Primal Groudon and Team Magma.
Alpha Sapphire: Primal Kyogre and Team Aqua.

Choosing your starter Pokémon

Treecko (Grass), Torchic (Fire) and Mudkip (Water) each have a Mega Evolution in these remakes. Mudkip is the most comfortable choice, Treecko the most offensive, and Torchic needs more care against the first Gyms. Our full comparison: Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip.

Treecko, Torchic and Mudkip, the three starter Pokémon, in the game's animated trailer.
Their first evolutions: Grovyle, Combusken and Marshtomp.
Their final forms: Sceptile, Blaziken and Swampert, which each have a Mega Evolution.

The tools to master

  • The PokéNav Plus brings together the map, the DexNav, Trainer’s Eye and other functions on the touch screen (our guide).
  • The DexNav detects Pokémon hiding in the grass: move forward crouching (by tilting the Circle Pad gently) to approach them without scaring them off. Some carry a Hidden Ability or a rare move.
  • The Exp. Share shares the experience gained with the whole team. Handy for getting ahead quickly, it makes the game easy: turn it off if you are looking for a challenge.
  • The bicycle: choose the Mach Bike or the Acro Bike depending on the passages; after the Delta Episode, you can have both (the return of the bicycles).
The Pokédex is given to you by Professor Birch, in the presence of May (or Brendan).

The first steps

  1. Rescue Professor Birch north of Littleroot Town and choose your partner.
  2. Win the Stone Badge in Rustboro City, then the Knuckle Badge in Dewford Town.
  3. Catch a varied team on Routes 102 to 104: a Grass or Fighting Pokémon helps a lot against the first Gym if you chose Torchic.

The step-by-step details: the complete walkthrough, starting with the first steps in Hoenn.

Rustboro City, the first big city and its first Gym.
Rustboro Gym and its Gym Leader Roxanne, in the animated trailer.

Thinking about the post-game from the start

Mega Stones are scattered all over the region: make a note of the ones you come across (list and locations). The Move Tutors teach useful moves (the Move Tutors). And keep some room in your boxes: Mirage Spots and Soaring await you after the Groudon or Kyogre crisis.

Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion, the two flagship mechanics of the remake.
Soaring, which opens up all of Hoenn after the adventure.