Hoenn, its 386 Pokémon, and that irresistible urge to catch them all. Again.

The direct preference rests on too few votes to count, so let us look at the detail. One thing stands out clearly: the wish to rediscover it for the first time climbs very high, ahead of more than nine games out of ten. That is the whole power of Pokémon nostalgia, the dream of reliving your first adventure knowing nothing of it. Controller feel follows, well placed, and both attachment and fun stay decent. On the other hand, art style and soundtrack fall lower, marked by the age of a 2004 Game Boy Advance game.

Next to other role playing games, this expanded version of Ruby and Sapphire remains a peak of the great era of handheld Pokémon.

So, who is it for? For you if you grew up with the series or like time devouring catch-em-all RPGs. Much less if the dated feel of an old handheld holds you back.