Pokémon - All Main Games Ranked From Worst To Best

9. Ruby & Sapphire

The Good: Ruby & Sapphire are among some of the most polarizing games in the entire franchise€™s history. On one hand, it was this pair of games that introduced an unbelievable amount of new features that have come to define the Pokémon franchise as far more complex than initially believed. Mechanics like Natures, EVs and IVs, and Abilities, were introduced, completely changing how raising and battling worked. New added moves and type combinations made for a much more balanced gameplay experience. Non-battling concepts like Contests and Secret Bases added for a more immersive gameplay experience. Double Battles, an unbelievable concept at the time, was introduced and further added to the intrigue of choosing among the many new Pokémon carefully. Oh, and for the first time, you could run by holding the B button, instead of being forever dependent on bicycles. The Bad: Gone were night & day elements (they were replaced with an overemphasis on weather phenomena), and the backwards compatibility with previous games, making the games virtually standalone and impossible to complete until later games were added. These games also had VERY little to do once the main storyline ended. It felt like one of those games where the initial playthrough was the best part, something that has thankfully been changed significantly with more recent titles. There was also an overemphasis on Water-types and water in general, and an overabundance of HMs needed to explore (eight in total). Finally, how did people solve the Braille codes hidden in the game without going online, buying guides, or cheating?