By Metal Mario
Posted 12-05-2002

First of all I'm going to start by letting you in on a big surprise.  There aren't 100 new pokemon in Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire...there are actually 135 NEW POKEMON!!  That's the good news.  The bad news is that there are only 202 POKEMON IN THE ENTIRE GAME!!!  This means that you're not gonna catch 'em all this time.  This might disappoint many people who've wanted the challenge of catching 386 pokemon but I'm sure there are also some people out there breathing a sigh of relief for not having to have to spend an eternity trying to get every single one of them.  Very few have.  I know...I'm one of them.  As many of you read this with either slack-jawed amazement or narrow-eyed scepticism, you're probably wondering why Ruby and Sapphire wouldn't have all the pokemon, this is the answer: THERE ARE TOO MANY GODDAMN POKEMON!! 

Not convinced?  Let me explain then.  First of all you won't be able to trade between Red/Blue/Yellow/Gold/Silver/Crystal and Ruby/Sapphire since both are on different systems which means that all those PKMN you've leveled up are gone to waste.  Secondly, you won't be able to travel to Johto or Kanto in this game.  This means that there is no rational way you can find that Lugia or get those Diglett or Pidgey and you'll never find out what that guy was trying to build in Vermillion City (not yet at least).  Thirdly it would be a real hassle trying to put all 386 PKMN into that one game or to put them into locations, even if there were people willing to trade you their Totodiles and Lickitungs, and no there is no place to find the other starters in this game.  Sorry! 

However in case you're curious, here's the retro PKMN you will be seeing in Ruby and Sapphire:  First off, those who loved fighting with an Alakazam will be pleased to hear that Abra's still available (Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam =3) Also the common pokemon you get from fishing will still be available.  Those who have an Old Rod will still get Magikarps (Magikarp, Gyarados =5) those who have better rods can get Goldeens and Tentacools (Goldeen, Seaking + Tentacool, Tentacruel =9)  Speaking of water PKMN, we all know from the beginning that there's Azurill which evolves to...(Marill, Azumarill =11).  The most common cave PKMN also show up (Geodude, Graveler, Golem + Zubat Golbat, Crobat =17).  We still have the Machop family, but not the Gastly family...pretty odd since we have most of the original trading PKMN (Machop, Machoke, Machamp =20).  There actually aren't that many Electric PKMN so the Magnemites and the Voltorbs will be dropping in (Magnemite, Magneton + Voltorb, Electrode =24).  We have our cute little Oddishes, but no Bellsprouts, sorry James (Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume, Bellossom =28).  That goofy Doduo comes back (Doduo, Dodrio =30).  Surprisingly Slugma comes back...it MIGHT have another evolved form (Slugma, Magcargo =32).  We do have those poison pokemon Koffing and Grimer (Grimer, Muk + Koffing, Weezing =36).  Sandshrew returns, so does the steel Skarmory (Sandshrew, Sandslash + Skarmory =39).  Our Singing Stalker PKMN also makes a comeback (Igglybuff, Jigglypuff, Wigglytuff =42).  We've got Brock's favorite, Ash's favorite and Misty's...not so favorite (Vulpix, Ninetales + Pichu, Pikachu, Raichu + Psyduck, Golduck =49).  Since we have Wynaut we also have Wobuffet (Wobuffet =50)  We have some from Gold/Silver/Crystal Natu, Girafarig, and Phanpy (Natu, Xatu + Girafarig + Phanpy, Donphan =55)  Two more bug PKMN, but not Scyther (Pinsir + Heracross = 57)  Plus the powerhouse Rhydon (Rhyhorn,  Rhydon).  On the bright side Misty's Corsola comes back and so does Chinchou (Corsola + Chinchou, Lanturn =60)  I almost forgot...Staryu (Staryu, Starmie =62)!  And finally an unsuspecting Dragon PKMN (Horsea, Seadra, Kingdra =65). 

That's it...The rest are brand spanking new.  That might prove to be something of a challenge.  If you're still not convinced look in a pokedex.  Notice that Treecko is #1 instead of #252.  Also notice that a certain Steel/Psychic Jirachi is placed as # 201 (Deokishisu is 202).  When you're done doing that look at all the PKMN in between.  They put all the new ones first!  This is actual proof that you won't be catching them all because there are now just too damn many to catch. 

P.S.: One thing remains though...if all that I say is true, then why is it that there are Ruby/ Sapphire sprites of all the other PKMN?  Somehow, there MAY be a way to get them...but not in the Houten region.  Only time will tell. 

P.S.S.: Notice that in every "generation" there are three games.  I offically predict the next one to be the Emerald Version.