The Hoenn region and the games they debuted in are some of the most beloved generations of Pokemon. I personally didn’t have a great experience with it. I played Alpha Sapphire, a remake that to many was disappointing. There’s only two generations I never finished, and that was it. Maybe sometime in the future I’ll give the originals a shot, but for now this review is an Alpha Sapphire review!
The Region Itself
The Hoenn map, being on a new system from the previous two, has a lot more detail. It’s just a more populated area! However, it falls back into the problem Kanto had where it’s too blocky to be realistic. Especially for how much water is in the games, it just doesn’t look very natural. Speaking of water, THERE’S A LOT. The theme of the game is land vs. sea, so it’s understandable to have near equal parts. The problem with water, though, is that you’re a lot more likely to get Pokemon encounters. There’s no point in the water where you can have a guaranteed break, so many people dislike the water portions of the game.
The People of Hoenn
The Hoenn region is filled with many characters. More so than any place before! They are more individual and unique, so this time there won’t be as many Gym Leaders as before. There are still some, but that’s voluntary. I could fill this list without using any Gym Leaders. Anyways, let’s get started.
Wally is one of your rivals in the Hoenn region. He’s a boy who has a rare sickness (never explained what exactly he has), and is finally taking on his own journey. He catches a Ralts, and it soon becomes his #1 partner. I like his design, with his wild green hair and an innocent school boy look to him. He’s a shy little kid who is trying to do his best.
Score: 7/10
Roxanne is the Rock type Gym Leader hailing from Rustboro City. She uses a Nosepass as her Ace. On her off time, she’s a school teacher. I really like her design. It’s got that signature dull rock colouration, but she also makes her look unique with her magenta highlights. It even matches her Nosepass! I like how she looks studious but not overtly so. It still looks like something she could wear even if she wasn’t a teacher.
Score: 8/10
Winona is the Flying type Gym Leader of Fortree City. She is so in tune with Flying Pokemon, that she practically considers herself a Flying Pokemon. She often says she’s “one with Flying Pokemon” and “one with the wind.” She can be found on high buildings, feeling the wind in her hair. I really like her design. The way her outfit looks like she flies on the daily makes it really interesting to look at. The way her hair flows so elegantly and even flips around in the front to create wings is so cool. The colour palette is really nice too! With the blue and white being complimented so well by her pale purple hair. This is one of those really out there designs that really work.
Score: 7/10
Wallace specialises in Water type Pokemon. In Ruby and Sapphire (and their respective remakes), he is the Gym Leader of Sootopolis City. In Emerald, he is promoted to being Champion of the region. He’s an artist and a fashion model. I like how he gives off Water type trainer energy without having anything Water related to his design. You could argue his blue-green droopy bits look like a waterfall, but that’s a bit of a stretch.
Score: 6/10
Courtney is an Admin for Team Magma, one of the antagonistic teams. Team Magma’s goal is to awaken Groudon and use it’s power over the earth to create a new region from scratch (over the Hoenn region). Courtney is, in my opinion, the single most unique character in Hoenn, and one of the most unique characters in the entire franchise. She’s sadistic, insane, and even creepy at times.
Courtney is in love with Maxie, the team leader, to the point of being obsessed with him. She speaks in strange patterns, and is one of the few characters in Pokemon to actually threaten the player (and not have it be cheesy). I really like her, and she’s my favourite character in Hoenn.
Kaine Officially Rates All Pokemon Generations 