Pokémon Sapphire

According to my 11-year-old Pokémon pro, Tim, Nintendo's Pokémon Sapphire for Game Boy Advance is "a better version of Blue and Silver". That is, the game-play is better than both of them combined. In other words, you're getting more game play for your gaming bucks! Your kid will be a better person for playing this game. They'll go on to defeat evil and prevail as an overall good kid. But, make them do their homework first or else they'll be busy for hours on end playing this game!

In Pokémon Sapphire, you fight Team Aqua. Team Rocket apparently is not in the game. You can pick from Torchic, Treeko, or Mudkip. Each one can evolve twice. Each has great potential! You are situated in mythical region of Hoenn, where good faces evil and 2-on-2 battles and multi-battles with up to four friends are very possible.

Your Pokémon may win Best of Show if you do your job and properly groom them. We're not talking about bichon frises or poodles, these are authentic Pokémon, trained by YOU!

If you're familiar with Pokémon Gold and Silver, you'll remember collecting berries along the way. In this game, you'll earn so many berries you get a whole pocket just for berries! See, this game teaches kids great organizational skills. You can also Berry Blend to make Pokéblocks!

Or, you can mix with friends! I know this sounds like a bar blender drink, but really, it's a Pokémon game where the more the merrier! Even though it says you can catch over 200 new Pokémon, Tim insists that "you can only catch 200. And that includes some of the old ones!" Geesh, you'd think 200 would be a big number to an 11-year-old. Get with the program, 'rents. This is 2003, remember?

There's even a Safari Zone to venture into! This game has Team Aqua on an important mission: to increase the water in the world. Little do they know that by doing so they could destroy the world! Ah, that is where you Pokémon fans come to the rescue.

The major difference between Pokémon Ruby and Pokémon Sapphire is how often and which types of Pokémon appear. You can link to the Ruby version from the Sapphire game, but you can't link to the Red, Blue, Yellow, Gold, Silver, or Crystal versions. It's also NOT compatible with Pokémon Stadium or Pokémon Stadium 2 for Nintendo 64. If you follow these basic rules, you'll be fine!

It is definitely up to you to defeat the beast. But, can you? Definitely worth your gaming dollars for avid Pokémon GBA fans.

I highly recommend Nintendo Power's The Official Nintendo Player's Guide: Pokémon Ruby Version and Sapphire Version (176 pages). The ISBN is 1-930206-31-3 and it retails for $14.99 in the US. It is available at Amazon.com.