With the recent release of Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (ORAS), it’s a fine question to ask whether you can or should get the new Pokemon game to experience it for the first time or to re-live some nostalgic moments. However, I’ve always come across people who simply refused to pick up the game. “I’ve not played Pokemon for so long! There’s too many new Pokemon and moves!”, “It’s for kids!”, and “It’s just the same game with a different story isn’t it?” are some common statements I hear when I ask why.

As a self-proclaimed Pokemon fanatic, here’s 4 reasons why it’s a great time to get a Gameboy and pick up one of the best games of all time.

It’s a turn-based combat game

Let’s forget for a second that Pokemon is about cute creatures. It’s essentially a turn-based combat game with different attacks that have different elements. There are plenty of turn-based combat games like Heroes of Might and Magic, Final Fantasy, etc. They essentially say that the genre isn’t obsolete yet. Pokemon is just a simple RPG that includes a compelling storyline, leveling, item hunting, and some vanity side quests. It’s a fun game for intelligent thinking and there is plenty of flexibility when it comes to building your team. Despite all that, the game is not overly complex and you can have fun looking at new and old Pokemon along the way.

It’s just the same thing, with a different storyline!

Pokemon has been around since the 1990s, with the gameplay being essentially the same. While some may argue against spending money for a similar experience, why fix something that isn’t broken? The gameplay and its style has been consistent for the last few years and it has been loved by its fans throughout. Jazzing it up with new Pokemon, storylines and some additional fixtures seem to resonate well with new and old fans alike.

Balancing the appeals across all levels

I’ve come across some people who refuse to play a game that does not reward hardcore players. They feel that the reward-effort ratio should be justified. An example would be World of Warcraft, where people would spend hours grinding for their gears so as to get better. These people feel that the gears belong to you simply because you spent the time to get them. However, there are others who feel that gaming should be kept casual, and any obsession over the game is considered quite unhealthy or ‘lifeless’.

Taking these into account, Pokemon has a special appeal for all gamers. I even daresay that it has the best balance of this level of appeal to the casual and the hardcore fans alike.

Casual fans get to enjoy the story of a hero or heroine travelling across towns and (usually) end up saving the world. Old school formula yes, but always effective. Furthermore, you can get to choose 6 Pokemon to carry from the endless array of Pokemon to choose from. The progression is steady and the gameplay does not involve much grinding for levels, especially with the new and improved EXP Share where all Pokemon gain EXP from battles.

For the hardcore fans, Pokemon Wifi Battles are really thriving these days. In order to take part in battles, you need to first breed a Pokemon to ensure it has the perfect Individual Values. More on it here: http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Individual_values. Next, you need to breed the egg moves you want (http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Egg_move) and then farm for EVs (http://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Effort_values). Repeat it 6 times for your perfect team. Anybody can see that to take part in these competitive battling, there’s a high amount of commitment needed.

They’re kinda cute

Are you really going to be so ignorant to say that Pokemon aren’t cute?

So what games can I play?

For the first time players saying, ‘Which Pokemon game do I play? There are so many to choose from!’ For a very brief summary of the timeline of the Pokemon game, it started off with Red/Blue version, and the story continued on into Gold/Silver/Crystal Version. Ruby/Sapphire/Emerald was a spin off and more spin offs include Diamond/Pearl, Black/White, Black 2/White 2 and now X/Y (all in chronological order). Red/Blue was remade into Fire Red/Leaf Green. Gold/Silver remade into Heart Gold/Soul Silver, and now Ruby/Sapphire is remade into the latest ORAS. Each versions grouped together have the same storyline and are essentially the same save that you can only get specific Pokemons in different verions.

Choosing the latest ORAS would throw you into a lot of cool new stuff that Pokemon has introduced like Mega Evolutions and Pokemon contests. Probably its best to start at what I believe has the greatest changes of all time: Pokemon X and Y.

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Pokemon is an incredibly complex game, but all its complexity is hidden beneath a simple story you going out and catching them all. It appeals to the casual and the hardcore, and it is simply one of the best games ever created.