Pokemon Alpha Sapphire Guide: Now in 3D!

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Jesus Cruz, Lifelong Pokémon Fan

It all started in 2010 when Jesus was 10 years old. His dad gifted him a Nintendo DS and let him choose a game for it. A weird, enormous, and grey serpent caught my attention on the box art for Pokémon Platinum, and since that moment he's been hooked! He can only thank his 10 years old self for choosing the game that he loves the most in the series

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I can clearly remember when Alpha Sapphire got released. I was just a 14-year-old kid with high hopes for the game, even though I knew I couldn’t play it because I didn’t have a 3DS back then. 

I was about to finish my Hoenn adventure in Emerald when the internet exploded with loads and loads of leaks about the new and re-imagined Hoenn adventure, and I couldn’t help but get really happy! I also remember talking about the upcoming new games with my friends; it was a great time. 

But, in hindsight, Pokémon was going through a difficult era, even though I didn’t notice it until now. The community wasn’t on board with the Gen 5 games (and I don’t know why because they are, narratively, the best Pokémon games ever), and Game Freak needed ideas to reignite the games and appeal to those fans that got disappointed with Black and White. 

And, when things get tough, Game Freak always appeals to nostalgia. Their first remake, LeafGreen and FireRed, is a known success, and we can’t forget such wonderful pieces of art as they are HeartGold and SoulSilver. That’s why Game Freak created Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. 

Of course, people loved it. Alpha Sapphire gave Game Freak what they wanted; a fresh and new start. I know you are probably wondering; what did Game Freak do to reignite the Pokémon Fever? Well, the answer is in this Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Guide! 

In this guide, you’ll find the game’s synopsis, some great and interesting features that made Alpha Sapphire a success, and then a comprehensive walkthrough where I’m going to give you a helping hand through the hardest battles of the game! 

We have plenty of things to talk about, so fasten your belt, prepare your PokéDex, and get ready, because we are going to explore Hoenn; now in 3D!

Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Synopsis

Let’s get things straight, Alpha Sapphire and its forefather, Pokémon Sapphire, are very different. Both games only share the most basic lore aspects. Still, I feel like Alpha Sapphire expands and polishes the story, giving it a modern touch. 

But I’m digressing. If you know the events of Ruby and Sapphire, you’ll know what will happen in Alpha Sapphire. The story is very simple. You are a 10-year-old kid whose father is an important Gym Leader, and, as always, your objective is to become the best trainer in Hoenn.

To become the strongest trainer in Hoenn, you’ll start a journey through the region, challenging every Gym and testing your strength against the reckless Elite Four and the Champion. 

Also, you’ll save the world from Team Aqua and their nefarious plan of awakening Kyogre to create a massive ocean because “We want a better place for Pokémon” (even though they only seem to care about Water-type Pokémon, because I’m pretty sure a lot of Pokémon will die if they create a gigantic ocean). But that’s not important, not at all. At first sight, Alpha Sapphire and Sapphire have the same plot, but in reality, both games are different. 

Instead of re-creating the same story as they did with HeartGold and SoulSilver, Game Freak adapted the story to make it fit with the new features they added on X & Y. So, let’s check all those new features, as they are the main hook of the title. 

New Features: What did Alpha Sapphire Bring to the Table? 

Gen 6 Features 

Game Freak wanted to innovate with Alpha Sapphire; that’s why they added all of the new features they created when X & Y got released, improving everything that made Sapphire a wonderful game. The most outstanding features are the new Mega-Evolutions and the revolutionary Fairy-type, which changed the competitive system back then. 

New Mega-Evolutions 

Game Freak took advantage of their new game to create more Mega-Evolutions besides the ones they added in X & Y because fans loved them. These are the Pokémon that received a Mega-Evolution in Alpha Sapphire:

• Beedrill 
• Pidgeot
• Slowbro
• Steelix
• Sceptile
• Swampert
• Sableye
• Sharpedo
• Camerupt
• Altaria
• Glalie
• Salamence
• Metagross
• Rayquaza
• Lopunny
• Gallade
• Audino
• Diancie

My favorite is Mega Metagross, which completely dominated the competitive meta when it was released! 

Fun Fact: Mega Rayquaza was banned from all the competitive tiers in 2014 because it was extremely powerful and almost impossible to defeat!

The DexNav 

One of the best things I remember from Alpha Sapphire was using the DexNav. For the first time, Game Freak actually cared about all of those Pokégamers who were always trying to complete the PokéDex. But why was the DexNav such a great feature? Well, let me explain. 

The DexNav was one of the apps of the PokéNav, which worked as your typical Electronic Device, like the phone in HeartGold and SoulSilver or the Pokétch in Diamond and Pearl. Every time you used the DexNav, it would display a 2D version of your current location, showcasing all the Pokémon you could catch there, making it easy to know when you were missing a certain Pokémon.

But that’s not all. The DexNav was a great way to catch Shiny Pokémon, thanks to the Capture Chain method. The method is simple, yet it is time-consuming. First, you’ll have to search for a certain Pokémon on the DexNav. Then, you’ll have to start battling against it constantly until a Shiny one pops out of the tall grass. 

Resuming, the DexNav was such a great addition, and I really miss it. It was the best time to be a PokéDex Completionist!

Finally, You Can Catch Them All 

When I said Gen 6 tried to appeal to all of those old Pokémon fans, I mean it. So, finally, thanks to all the Gen 6 games, you can complete the PokéDex! To do it, you’ll need a friend (or two 3DS consoles) with X, Y, and Omega Ruby, and a lot of patience, because it’s a long and stressful process! 

The hardest part is catching all the available Pokémon in Alpha Sapphire. Nonetheless, if you need a helping hand, you’ll find plenty of fanmade maps online which show the location of all the Pokémon you need to find! 

Exclusive Pokémon 

Every time Game Freak releases two versions of the same game, there will always be exclusive Pokémon for each version, and Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire isn’t the exception. These are all the Pokémon you can only find in Alpha Sapphire:

• Omanyte & Omastar
• Lugia
• Lotad, Lombre and Ludicolo
• Sableye
• Seviper
• Lunatone
• Kyogre
• Cranidos & Rampardos
• Dialga
• Sawk
• Tirtouga & Carracosta
• Thundurus
• Zekrom
• Clauncher & Clawitzer. 

And, of course, you’ll need a copy of Omega Ruby if you want to catch the following Pokémon: 

• Kabuto & Kabutops
• Ho-Oh
• Seedot, Nuzleaf & Shiftry
• Mawile
• Zangoose
• Solrock
• Groudon
• Shieldon & Bastiodon
• Palkia
• Throh
• Archen & Archeops
• Tornadus
• Reshiram
• Skelp & Dragalge

Delta Episode 

One of the things I appreciate the most about Alpha Sapphire is its well-built story. As I said, Game Freak decided to spice Hoenn’s story by adding Gen 6 Features like Mega-Evolutions. Still, instead of adding them without any sense, Game Freak decided to create an alternative story to give a further explanation of the phenomenon of the Mega-Evolution. This story is known as the Delta Episode. 

The Delta Episode triggers after completing the Pokémon League. It tells the story of an ancient meteoroid that directly heads towards Hoenn. The protagonists’ mission is to destroy this meteoroid while getting rid of the annoying Team Aqua and a weird trainer named Zinnia and her wacky cult. 

I won’t spoil much of the Delta Episode here as it’s such a great part of the game; it probably is the best Post-game a Pokémon game has ever had. 

Soaring through the Sky! 

Even when I don’t like the role Latias and Latios played in Alpha Sapphire (I’ll address this later), I absolutely loved the Soaring In The Sky mechanic! Instead of the boring HM Fly animation, you’ll be flying on Hoenn’s skies! You only need the Eon Flute, which Steven will give you after saving the world from Team Aqua and Kyogre. 

The best part is that the Sky Soaring feels very organic with the game as it works to find most of the Legendaries from previous games, like Zekrom and Reshiram. 

Super Secret Bases

Game Freak really tried to make the players interact with each other. They tried several methods, like the Wonder Trades, where you can trade your most valuable Pokémon only to get a freshly caught Zigzagoon from Route 101, or the online battles where you can create a well-balanced team only to battle against the same Mega-Rayquaza over and over again. 

But one of the best features was the Super Secret Bases, which let you create and decorate your own hideout, and your friends can visit you! 

It’s very hard to find friends to hang out with on your secret base nowadays because most PokéGamers are playing the newest Pokémon games. Still, back then, I remember inviting every single trainer I met when trading or battling to my Secret Base! My mom would be worried about me!

This isn’t a Pokémon Emerald Remake 

Alpha Sapphire only disappointed me with one thing: Game Freak didn’t add anything from Pokémon Emerald. I knew it was just a remake of Sapphire, but realizing I wouldn’t be able to see the Battle Frontier again was a huge letdown. 

I mean, if the game had Gen 6 Features, was it hard to add the Battle Frontier? It would have been a great feature to appeal to those hardcore Pokémon trainers! 

How to play Alpha Sapphire

If you want to play Alpha Sapphire, you have two options: Playing it on a Nintendo 3DS (which is expensive) or emulating it on a PC (which is a better option nowadays). 

The Original Experience 

Now, if you have a Nintendo 3DS, you can feel lucky, as they are really expensive right now, mostly because they are old consoles. You can find them for around $400. Then, all you have to do is find a copy of Alpha Sapphire, which can be found for around $40 to $60. 

The Emulator Approach 

But, if you don’t want to spend that amount of money only to play a Pokémon game, you can just emulate it on your PC! You only need to find a 3DS emulator and an Alpha Sapphire ROM. If you want a recommendation, Citra is the best one!  Also, don’t worry about your PC’s specs, as most 3DS emulators can work on almost any PC unless it is old enough that it uses Altavista as its web browser. 

Pokémon Alpha Sapphire Walkthrough 

Now that you know all the game’s new features and how to play it, I think it’s time for you to give it a shot! Don’t worry; I’ll guide you through this adventure. But first, I’ll have to address certain things: 

• This game is weirdly balanced. Sometimes, the battles are very easy and straightforward, and suddenly you get stuck trying to defeat a Gym leader. But don’t worry, I’m here to help! 
• It’s very hard to get lost, as the game will always give you hints on where you have to go, and it’ll even warp you to your next destination. 

Let’s get started! 

Prologue: Choosing your first Pokémon 

As I said, your adventure will start with you on your way to Littleroot Town. The first thing you’ll see is yourself in a haul truck, so it seems your In-game mother doesn’t care about you! Don’t worry though, you’ll not spend much time with her. 

And, after officially moving to Littleroot Town, you’ll have to meet with your new neighbors. Your mom tells you that Professor Birch lives in this Town, and he can give you a Pokémon to start your adventure. 

It’s funny how you are never asked if you want to leave your house, even when you only are a 10-year-old kid, but this isn’t the moment to digress, as we have to continue. After wandering around the Town for a while, you’ll find Professor Birch’s son or daughter, depending on the gender you chose when doing the tutorial. They will be your classic rival, and I’ll refer to them as “your rival” to avoid confusion. 

Your rival will tell you Professor Birch is at Route 101, so you must head there. As you get to the Route, instead of having a chill talk with the Professor, you’ll have to help him, as a Poochyena is trying to bite him down. Birch will beg for help, pointing directly to a briefcase with three PokéBalls. Finally, it seems like it’s time to choose your starter! 

You have three options, Treecko, Mudkip, and Torchic. 

• Treecko will evolve into Grovyle and then into Sceptile. The Grass-type is very useful in this game. Nonetheless, I usually prefer picking Shroomish as it’ll evolve into Breloom, which is a wonderful Grass/Fighting-type. Also, Sceptile has a good start, but it won’t resist more than three decent hits as it’s defensively weak.
• Mudkip will evolve into Marshtomp and then into Swampert. This one is a beast! It’s my usual pick when playing in Hoenn as it can sweep most of the Gyms by itself, and you won’t have any problems until probably the fifth Gym. It can also be your Surf user, which is great, and it can learn plenty of Ground, Ice, and even Dark-type moves, giving you extra coverage! 
• Lastly, Torchic will evolve into Combusken and then into Blaziken. The Fire-type in this game isn’t the most useful, but its Fighting-type can do a lot. Nonetheless, I feel like there are better Fighting-type Pokémon, like Hariyama or Gallade. Also, Torchic will have problems with the first Gyms, so you’ll have to carry it for a while. As soon as it evolves into Combusken, it’ll be a killing machine!

Let me say something; the three Pokémon will do it perfectly on the adventure. Of course, using Torchic or Treecko instead of Mudkip will be slightly harder, but it doesn’t mean that the Fire or Grass-type starters are bad or useless. 

To thank you for helping him with the Poochyena’s situation, Professor Birch will gift you the Pokémon you chose, meaning that it’ll be your starter! 

Your objective is to get all the badges and help the Professor with his PokéDex project. Your first stop will be in Rustboro City! 

First Badge; Rustboro City  

Before anything else, I recommend you to talk with every single NPC you see on the map. Some of them will give you useful items, and others will help you by giving you tips on where you have to go. 

Oldale Town 

So, the first thing you have to do is cross Route 101 to get to Oldale Town. As soon as you get there, you can talk with the PokéMart Manager, who will give you ten potions! Then, you’ll find your rival on Route 103, who will challenge you to a battle. Your rival will use the starter that has a type advantage against yours: 

• If you have Torchic (Fire-type), they’ll have Mudkip (Water-type).
• If you have Mudkip (Water-type), they’ll have Treecko (Grass-type).
• If you have Treecko (Grass-type), they’ll have Torchic (Fire-Type). 

After defeating your rival, you’ll return to Littleroot Town, and Professor Birch will give you the PokéDex and 10 Poké Balls. You should say goodbye to your mother after leaving Littleroot Town because you must head to Oldale Town to get to the next city. 

Now in Oldale Town, you’ll see that the path at the left is now open, so it’s time to cross Route 102. You’ll find Ralts in this Route, which I heavily recommend for your team. You can choose to evolve it between Gallade and Gardevoir; I don’t have a specific recommendation because both work perfectly! 

Petalburg Forest 

Eventually, you’ll get to Petalburg City. Still, you can’t do much here yet except for meeting with Wally, your second rival of the game. And then, you can head to Petalburg Forest! 

Here’s the first place where you’ll find Shroomish, which will evolve into Breloom. Breloom is a great and reliable Grass/Fighting-type Pokémon, and it’ll excel in almost every Gym of the game! So I recommend having it on your team! 

This forest is important as it works to introduce us to the villainous team of the game, Team Aqua. Halfway through the forest, you’ll see a researcher and a Team Aqua Grunt arguing as the Grunt stole some important pieces from the researcher. Then, the researcher will notice you around the place and ask you for help. 

This wouldn’t be a problem unless the researcher hides behind you and tries to use you as a shield. It seems like all the grown-ups in this game don’t care about your health. 

You can’t do much but help the researcher. Defeating the Team Aqua Grunt isn’t hard as he only has a Poochyena. Upon defeating it, you’ll have to take the retrieved pieces to Rustboro City. 

Battle against Roxanne 

Before getting into the Gym, you should go to the Pokémon School. You’ll learn many things and receive an item called Quick Claw, which can make your Pokémon move first, even when it’s slower than your opponent’s. 

And now, let’s confront the first Gym of your adventure. This one is a Rock-type Gym, and Roxanne is its leader. The Gym is very straightforward, and you can even skip all the battles, but I recommend doing them all as you’ll need the EXP and learn to fight against the sturdy Rock-types. 

This is Roxanne’s team: 

• Geodude, Lv. 12, Rock/Ground-type. 
• Nosepass, Lv. 14, Rock-type. 

Treecko and Mudkip will do it perfectly here as Grass and Water-types are effective against Rock-types. But, at the same time, Torchic will struggle, as Rock-types are effective against Fire-types. So if you have Torchic, it’s better to have Pokémon like Shroomish on your team. You’ll get your first Badge after defeating Roxanne! But here’s when things get serious. You’ll have to travel to Dewford Town to get your next Badge. 

Second Badge; Dewford Town 

As soon as you get out of the Gym, you’ll see the same Team Aqua Grunt as before, stealing the same pieces from the same researcher as before. I’m not sure why this guy isn’t fired yet; anyway, you’ll have to help him again. Going hot on the Grunt’s heels will lead you to Rusturf Tunnel, which connects Rustboro City with Verdanturf Town and only works as a shortcut. 

The Grunt stole a Wingull from a sailor named Mr. Briney; bad idea. However, defeating the Grunt will make him run away, and the Wingull, Peeko, will return with his owner. Now, you have to return the pieces to Devon Corp, so you’ll have to get back to Rustboro City. 

Upon getting to Rustboro City, you’ll meet Devon Corp’s President, Mr. Stone, who will trust you more than his own employees, mostly because you are more competent than them. He’ll ask you to take a letter to his son, who is researching in Dewford Town. So, Mr. Briney will take you to Dewford Town in return for saving his dear Peeko. All aboard! 

Battle against Brawly 

You’ll get to Dewford Town in Mr. Briney’s ship, and you can challenge the Gym as soon as you hit land. This one is a Fighting-type Gym, and Brawly is the leader of the place. This is his team: 

• Machop, Lv. 14, Fighting-type. 
• Makuhita, Lv. 16, Fighting-type. 

Machop is easy to take down with any of the three starters, but Makuhita is the real deal of this Gym. Makuhita is tanky and strong, so it can take any of your Pokémon down with at least two hits. 

• The best strategy I found throughout the years is just constantly hitting it. Don’t try to burn, paralyze or poison it, as Makuhita has an ability named Guts, which will increase its Attack every time it gets affected by burning, paralyzation, or poisoning. 

This one is a very hard battle, so congrats if you did it on your first try! 

Third Badge; Mauville City 

Congrats on defeating Brawly; now, you can leave Dewford Town! But don’t forget to deliver the letter Mr. Stone gave to you! You’ll find his son, Steven, in the Granite Cave. 

After delivering the letter, Mr. Briney will take you to Slateport City. There’s not much to do in Slateport; just explore the city, meet with Captain Stern, and then go to the museum, where you’ll meet Archie, Team Aqua’s leader. He’s the bad guy behind Team Aqua’s mischiefs. 

Eventually, you’ll have to travel to Mauville City! There’s a lot to do here, so take your time. Then, whenever you feel prepared, you can go to the Gym. 

Battle against Wattson 

The leader of this Gym is an experienced trainer named Wattson. He’s an Electric-type trainer, and this is his team:

• Magnemite, Lv. 19, Electric/Steel-type. 
• Voltorb, Lv. 19, Electric-type. 
• Magneton, Lv. 21, Electric/Steel-type.

This isn’t a hard battle, but you have to be aware of Wattson’s tricks: 

• All his Pokémon have a move named Volt Switch, which will damage your Pokémon and force Wattson to switch his current Pokémon. The best thing you can do is constantly attack their Pokémon with Fire or Ground-type moves. 
• Magnemite has Sturdy as its Ability. Sturdy prevents Magnemite from fainting in one turn, meaning you’ll have to take at least two turns to take it down. Don’t worry about it; start attacking Magnemite until you defeat it! 

You can lean on Mudkip (which should be Marshtomp at this point) for this battle. Even when Water-types are weak against Electric-types, Marshtomp is a Water/Ground-type Pokémon, so it is immune against Electric-type moves. 

Combusken can also be helpful against Magnemite and Magneton, as they are Electric/Steel-type Pokémon, and the Fire-type moves are effective against them.

Lastly, Grovyle can have the upper hand in this battle because its Grass-type can resist Electric-type moves. Nonetheless, Grovyle can’t seriously hurt Wattson’s Pokémon, so you’ll need a good attacker, like Makuhita. After this Gym, you’ll forget about the challenge for a while, as Team Aqua is getting serious with their mischiefs.  

Fourth Badge; Lavaridge Town 

It’s time to continue with your adventure. Your next destination is Fallarbor Town, but you’ll have to pass through several Routes and the Fiery Path first. Be careful with the hot steam and the Koffings! 

Fallarbor Town 

Eventually, you’ll hit Fallarbor Town. There’s not much here besides an event with your rival. They will tell you Team Aqua kidnapped an important researcher named Professor Cozmo, so you’ll have to save his life! 

Meteor Falls and First Serious Battle Against Team Aqua 

Route 114 is massive but mostly empty. There’s not much to do there besides a house in the middle of the path towards Meteor Falls, where a Fossil Maniac will give you the TM28, Dig; very useful move! As you get to Meteor Falls, your rival will be your teammate this time. Together, you’ll explore the Falls and rescue Professor Cozmo. 

The cave isn’t big, and the battle against Admin Shelly and a Team Aqua Grunt isn’t hard. Their team is composed of Mightyena, Carvanha, and Grimer. Upon defeating Shelly and the Grunt, Team Aqua will leave the Meteor Falls, Professor Cozmo will get free, your rival will chase Team Aqua to stop their plans, and finally, you’ll get alone in the Meteor Falls, so you can explore it. 

During all this madness, your rival tells you they will go to Mt. Chimney to get rid of the Team Aqua guards blocking the way to the Cable Car, so you’ll have to go there. 

Mt. Chimney and Archie 

Don’t worry; we are almost done with this Team Aqua inconvenient, so we can continue with the Gym Challenge. Saving the world is a tedious task, right? 

Now, you can get to the Cable Car to explore the mystic Mt. Chimney…

Unless there’s not much to explore besides the top of the mountain. I know it’s a bummer, but there will be another big mountain to explore soon. Team Aqua and Team Magma are fighting at the top of the mount. As you are a reckless kid, you must head directly to Archie and battle against him. 

Before facing Archie, you’ll have to go through some slight blockages, known as some Team Aqua Grunts and Admin Shelly. 

Admin Shelly’s team is composed of Grimer and Carvanha, and she will get very angry at you after getting defeated. And finally, you’ll battle against Archie for the first time! This is his team: 

• Mightyena, Lv. 25, Dark-type.
• Golbat, Lv. 25 Poison/Flying-type.
• Sharpedo, Lv. 27 Water/Dark-type. 

This battle can be tricky: 

• Mightyena has a Move named Swagger, which will increase your Pokémon’s Attack in two stages but will confuse it. It’s irritating, I know, so the best thing you can do is just take your confused Pokémon out of the field. However, Fighting-type moves will obliterate this bad guy, so you can avoid getting Swagger’d easily. 
• Sharpedo has the same Swagger strategy, but it’s defensively weak. You can sweep it out with a strong Electric or Fighting-type move. 
• It’s better to get Golbat down as soon as possible. It can be done with a Rock or Electric-type move. If you let Golbat be in the field for a long time, it’ll make the most of it by constantly confusing your Pokémon with a move named Confuse Ray.  

After defeating Archie, Team Aqua will let you rest for a while. Now, you can finally head to Lavaridge Town. 

Battle against Flannery 

Welcome to Lavaridge Town! There’s not much to do here besides meeting with old ladies in the thermal springs and going for your fourth Gym badge. 

Ok, so Lavaridge Town’s Gym is ruled by Flannery, a Fire-type trainer, and this is her team: 

• Slugma, Lv. 26, Fire-type.
• Numel, Lv. 26, Fire/Ground-type.
• Torkoal, Lv. 28, Fire-type. 

While Marshtomp will excel in this Gym, Combusken and Grovyle will struggle here. Nonetheless, her three Pokémon have weak points: 

• Slugma’s only task is to set Lightscreens, which will reduce the damage from your moves, so it’s better to take it down as soon as possible. Water, Ground, and Rock-type moves can do the job.
• Numel is very aggressive. In its first turn, it’ll use a move named Amnesia, which will increase its Special Defense in two stages, making it very hard to defeat. Nonetheless, it is slow, so you can defeat it in one turn if you attack it with a Water-type move. 
• Torkoal is a beast. It’ll use Curse to drop its Speed and buff its Attack and Defense in one stage, and then it’ll attack your Pokémon with strong moves like Overheat and Body Slam. Defeating Torkoal is tricky; I usually just attack it with my strongest Water-type move. Sometimes, being as aggressive as your opponent is the best way to win! 

Flannery has one of the hardest battles of the game, but get ready because this is just the start. Upon defeating Flannery, you’ll have to trek to Petalburg City, as your fifth Badge is waiting for you.  

Fifth Badge; Petalburg City 

Game Freak lets you directly go to Petalburg City to claim your fifth Gym badge to compensate for a long time spent being hot on Team Aqua’s heels. You prepared yourself a lot and became a great trainer, and finally, you have a shot at challenging your father. It’s time to show who’s the best Pokémon trainer in the family! 

I’m not the only one who thinks it would have been great if your father was Hoenn’s Champion. I mean, it’s the first time (and only) the protagonist has a father, so why did Game Freak not use him to create a story around father and son? Anyway, Petalburg City’s Gym is ruled by pops, a Normal-type trainer. This is his team: 

• Slaking, Lv. 28, Normal-type. 
• Vigoroth, Lv. 28, Normal-type. 
• Slaking, Lv. 30, Normal-type. 

Your dad is a cruel trainer who has two Slakings on his team. Slaking has the highest Attack stat a non-legendary Pokémon has ever seen. Still, it has Truant as its ability, which makes it use a move every two turns. Naturally, skipping turns because you are slacking makes you vulnerable to many strategies, and Slaking isn’t the exception. So let’s see what we can do against it: 

• The Lv. 28 Slaking will use Yawn to make your Pokémon constantly drop off. Then, Slaking will use moves like Retaliate and Feint Attack to deal astounding amounts of damage. 

Slaking is slow, so you can make it sleep before it uses Yawn. You can also heal your Pokémon when Slaking slacks off, but be aware that your father will do the same when Slaking is running down on HP. 

• The Lv. 30 Slaking will use the same strategy as Archie’s Mightyena, as it’ll use Swagger to increase your Pokémon’s Attack while confusing it. Then, Slaking will just attack your Pokémon.

To avoid getting confused, you can equip your Pokémon with a Persim Berry or just give it to your Pokémon when Slaking is in its free turn.

• The best way to attack both Slakings is through a Fighting-type Pokémon. Both Slakings can’t deal much damage to Fighting-type Pokémon, so you’ll have the upper hand if you use Pokémon like Combusken, Hariyama, or Breloom. 

You claimed your fifth Badge, so it’s time to continue your adventure. Now we have to head to Fortree City. 

Sixth Badge; Fortree City 

Upon getting out of the Gym, you’ll see Wally and his father, and after a brief meeting, you’ll receive the HM03, Surf. So now you can explore the east of Hoenn! So, to get to Fortree City, you’ll have to head back to Mauville City and then head east; eventually, you’ll make it to Fortree City. 

But instead of making all the travel to Mauville City, the game just teleports you there, which I found very annoying because one of the greatest parts of Pokémon is exploring. So, why is the game preventing the player from exploring, getting involved in battles, and getting EXP? 

It was as easy as giving the player Fly and letting them choose if they want to TP there or do the complete travel on foot. Anyway, you’ll get to Route 118 quickly. From now on, the game gets blatantly easy; let’s see why: 

Route 118 and Latias 

Halfway through Route 118, you’ll come across Steven. As he sees you, he will just talk about team compositions and then leave, but, suddenly, Latios appears out of nowhere, asking for help. 

That’s how you and Steven will be dropped to Southern Island. Unfortunately, it seems like Latias needs a helping hand, so you’ll have to assist it. Imagining Latios asking some trainers for help is weird. I remember thinking Latios was just looking for any trainer, and luckily, Steven and the protagonist were there. At least Latios chose two strong trainers; it would be tragic if Latios just would have come across a fisherman! 

Anyway, you’ll meet Latias, and then Team Aqua will appear. After that, Admin Matt and a Grunt will challenge you and Steven to a battle, so you can’t do much but accept it. Matt and the Grunt only have a Sharpedo and a Grimer. Are you telling me Team Aqua pretended to kidnap Latias with just a Sharpedo and Grimer? That’s lame. 

After defeating both, they will leave, and Latias will join your team. I’m not too fond of this part of the game. I mean, things just happen randomly and without a real explanation. Latias just saw how you defeated a Grimer and a Sharpedo and decided to join your team, because why not. 

Now you can leave the Southern Island; Latios will drop you on Route 118. From this Route, you’ll have to head north to get to Route 119. On this Route, you’ll find the Weather Institute. There’s a short event with Team Aqua there, but you can just breeze through it. After going through the Weather Institute, there’s nothing else to do but go east to find Fortree City.

And, after a while, you’ll get to Fortree City! The only place where people live in tree houses! I love this city’s concept, but sadly, you’ll be here only for a while as there’s not much to do besides getting your sixth Badge. But, as you go to the Gym, an invisible obstacle will be blocking your way; how convenient, isn’t it? 

To get rid of the blockage, you’ll have to meet with Steven on Route 120, east of Fortree City. He will give you the Devon Scope and a weird marble. He’ll explain that the weird marble will let you Mega-Evolve your starter, so now, you are one of the few trainers with enough power to dominate Mega-Evolutions! 

Now that you know all the wonders behind the Mega-Evolution, it’s time to get back to Fortree City and challenge the Gym. Also, the invisible blockage wasn’t more than a playful Kecleon. It is an interesting Pokémon to have; I personally don’t like it, but it’s very useful! 

Battle against Winona 

Finally, you can challenge Winona to a battle. She’s a Flying-type trainer, and this is her team: 

• Swellow, Lv. 33, Normal/Flying-type.
• Pelipper, Lv. 33, Water/Flying-type.
• Skarmory, Lv. 33, Steel/Flying-type.
• Altaria, Lv. 35, Dragon/Flying-type. 

Winona offers you a difficult battle. Of course, it can get easier if you use Latias and the Mega-Evolutions, but if you are struggling to defeat her, here’s what you can do: 

• Let’s start with Swellow. It has Guts, an ability you saw long ago when you battled against Brawly and his Makuhita. Guts will increase Swellow’s Attack if it gets burned or paralyzed, and that’s not good for you. Instead, you should try to attack it with an Ice or Electric-type move. 
• Pelipper is very annoying, but it is a Water/Flying-type Pokémon, meaning it is extremely weak against Electric-type moves! Basically, you can take it down with a single Spark. Don’t be afraid of it.  
• Skarmory has Sturdy as its Ability, meaning you can’t faint it in a single turn. 

Skarmory seems like the typical Wall-like Pokémon, which is impossible to defeat. Still, any Fire-type move will sweep it out! 

• Lastly, Altaria is extremely weak against Ice-type moves, and it’s very easy to defeat. 

Nice! You defeated Winona, great job! Our next destination is Mossdeep City, but Team Aqua is back on track, so let’s speed up the pace! 

Team Aqua and the Blue Orb 

Well, it seems like Team Aqua is still trying to flood the world. An important part of their plan is getting the Blue and Red Orbs, which have enough power to awake Kyogre and Groudon, respectively. You can’t let them get the Orbs, so your task is to get to the top of Mt. Pyre. It won’t be easy, but you can make it! You’ll find many trainers here, and I don’t recommend skipping them; you need the EXP! 

As you get to the top of the mount, you’ll see Archie and Admin Matt stealing the Blue Orb. Matt will try to stop you with his powerful Sharpedo, but defeating him is a walk in the park. Archie will leave the place with the Orb (why did no one try to stop him?), saying he needs a Submarine to take the Orb to a special place. He’s going to Slateport City, and so do you. 

Team Aqua Hideout 

To say the least, Archie stole Captain Stern’s Submarine and ran away to his Hideout.At least Archie is clueless enough to tell you his Hideout is in Lilycove City, so that’s your next destination. It’s as easy as using Fly to get there.  

Team Aqua’s Hideout is located east of Lilycove City. It isn’t hard to explore, but you need to investigate every place because you can find the Master Ball here. The Master Ball is a very special PokéBall that doesn’t fail, even when trying to catch a Legendary Pokémon. So please, don’t waste it in a Zigzagoon!

After exploring the Hideout, you’ll see Admin Matt keeping an eye on the Submarine. Of course, you’ll battle against him, but that’s useless as the Submarine sails out of the Hideout. Now you don’t know what Team Aqua is doing, so you can only continue with the Gym Challenge. It’s time to go to Mossdeep City. You’ll get there by crossing Route 124, east of Lilycove City. 

Seventh Badge; Mossdeep City 

This one is a very interesting battle as it’s the only Gym with a Double Battle in the complete saga! 

Battle against Tate & Liza 

It’s you against Tate & Liza. They are Psychic-type trainers, and this is their team: 

• Lunatone, Lv. 45, Rock/Psychic-type.
• Solrock, Lv. 45, Rock/Psychic-type. 

Let me tell you something, in the original Sapphire, this battle was a big deal, but in this version, this battle is very simple!

Lunatone and Solrock will work as a couple, with Lunatone defending and Solrock at the offensive. 

• Lunatone will set Light Screens, reducing the damage dealt by your moves. Then, it’ll use Calm Mind, increasing its Special Attack and Defense in one stage. This is very dangerous. 
• Solrock has a Grass-type move named Solar Beam, which usually takes two turns to deal damage. Nonetheless, Solrock also has a move named Sunny Day, which changes the weather to harsh sunlight. Thanks to the strong sunlight, Solar Beam will only take a turn to deal damage. 

For the first time, Swampert will struggle in a Gym because of the Solar Beam. Be aware that Swampert is extremely weak to Grass-type moves. To defeat these sturdy rocks, you’ll have to use Dark, Grass, Water, Ground, or Bug-type moves. So, Pokémon like Breloom, Sceptile, Heracross, Rhyhorn, or any Pokémon with Earthquake (a Ground-type move) will do the job. 

After defeating the psychic brothers, it’s time to continue your adventure. Our next destination is the Seafloor Cavern. Archie and his crew used the Submarine to explore the place, so you must stop them!  

Team Aqua and Archie 

As soon as you leave Mossdeep City’s Gym, you’ll see a massive green beam coming out of Route 128. Then, Steven will reach you; he needs you to investigate what’s happening. To help you with your task, he will give you the HM07, Dive. You’ll need it to explore the Seafloor Cavern. 

Route 128 is a water route with dark blue water patches. There, you’ll have to use Dive to get to the Underwater Zone. Eventually, you’ll find the Seafloor Cavern. 

Team Aqua had already arrived at the place and broke the seal which protected Kyogre’s hideout. Archie will try to get rid of you once and for all, so you’ll have to battle against him. 

This is his team: 

• Mightyena, Lv. 41, Dark-type.
• Muk, Lv. 41, Poison-type. 
• Crobat, Lv. 41, Flying/Poison-type.
• Sharpedo, Lv. 43, Water/Dark-type.

This battle can be tricky, so it’s a matter of poking holes in Archie’s strategy: 

• Archie’s first Pokémon is Mightyena. It’s not a big deal as it’ll fall with a single Fighting-type move. 
• On the other side, Muk can be a headache. First, it’ll spam his signature move, Sludge Wave, until poisoning your Pokémon. Then it’ll use a Status move named Venom Drench to harshly decrease your Pokémon stats. But Muk’s strategy has a major flaw; Steel-types, which are immune to Poison-type moves. 

But, if you don’t have a Steel-type Pokémon, Ground-type moves can take Muk down. 

• Crobat can also be annoying, but you can beat it with a single Ice or Rock-type move. 
• Lastly, Sharpedo, which can Mega-Evolve. Mega Sharpedo isn’t the best Pokémon in the world; it’s a great attacker, but almost any move can defeat it. The best way to get Mega-Sharpedo down is by using a Fighting or Grass-type move. 

You finally defeated Archie! Thankfully, Team Aqua will not be an issue anymore. 

Nonetheless, all of Archie’s work was enough to wake Kyogre up, which isn’t good at all. So Kyogre conveniently ran away to Sootopolis City, which is your next destination.  

Sootopolis and Kyogre 

Steven is waiting for you at Sootopolis’ entrance. As soon as you arrive, he’ll take you to the Cave of Origin, the original place where Kyogre lived. 

And now, it’s all about you against Kyogre. You can catch it with the Master Ball you found at Team Aqua Hideout, or you can do it by using a ton of Ultra Balls and a bit of luck. 

• Suppose you want to reserve the Master Ball for another Legendary Pokémon. In that case, I recommend you to sleep or paralyze Kyogre before start throwing Ultra Balls. 

And here you go! You have the signature Legendary of Alpha Sapphire, Kyogre. You can add it to your team or just toss it in the box, as you wish! 

After saving the world without getting any credits for it, you have to continue. So, it’s time to try your luck at Sootopolis City’s Gym! 

Last Badge, Sootopolis City 

This is the last step before challenging the best trainers in Hoenn. Wallace and its Water-type-based team are a hard nut to crack, so let’s get into it. 

Battle against Wallace 

This is Wallace’s team: 

• Luvdisc, Lv. 44, Water-type. 
• Whiscash, Lv. 44, Water/Ground-type.
• Seaking, Lv. 44, Water-type. 
• Sealeo, Lv. 44, Water/Ice-type. 
• Milotic, Lv. 46, Water-type. 

As I said, this isn’t an easy battle: 

• Whiscash is just like Swampert because both have the Ground/Water-type combination. However, defeating them is easier than it seems because they are very weak to Grass-type moves. 
• And now, Seaking. It’ll try to withstand on the battlefield as much as possible with Aqua Ring, a move that constantly heals it, and Waterfall, its Water-type offensive move. Nonetheless, Seaking isn’t good at defending, so you can get it down with a strong Grass or Electric-type move. 
• Next, Sealeo. It has Ice-type moves, which can seriously damage your Grass-type Pokémon, but it’ll be easy to defeat with Fighting or Rock-type moves. 
• If you think the battle was easy, Milotic will change your mind. 

You need to know that Milotic has an Ability named Marvel Scale, which will increase its Defense by 50% if it gets burned, paralyzed, poisoned, or asleep, so basically, your only option is directly attacking it. 

The best way to take Milotic down is by attacking it with a Physical Electric or Grass-type move. Milotic was a real nightmare, so if you defeated it, congratulations! Now, you are only one step away from conquering the Pokémon League! Let’s go! 

Pokémon League

You have what it takes to confront the Elite Four and have a chance to defeat the Champion, but first, you’ll have to pass through the infamous Victory Road. But, don’t worry, it isn’t hard at all! But be careful; you’ll need Strength, Surf, and Waterfall to cross the Victory Road. 

At the end of the road, you’ll find Wally, who will challenge you to a battle. This is his team: 

• Altaria, Lv. 46, Dragon/Flying-type. 
• Delcatty, Lv. 46, Normal-type.
• Roselia, Lv. 46, Grass/Poison-type.
• Magneton, Lv. 46, Electric/Steel-type. 
• Gallade, Lv. 48, Psychic/Fighting-type.

After defeating it, you can get into the Pokémon League. Of course, this is the most important and hardest part of the game, but don’t worry, I’m here with you! 

Battle against Sidney 

To earn a chance against the Champion, you must battle against the Elite Four. You’ll have four complicated battles, and the first one will be against Sidney, a Dark-type trainer. 

This is his team: 

• Mightyena, Lv. 50, Dark-type. 
• Shiftry, Lv. 50, Grass/Dark-type. 
• Sharpedo, Lv. 50, Water/Dark-type.
• Cacturne, Lv. 50, Grass/Dark-type. 
• Absol, Lv. 52, Dark-type. 

As Sidney has a Dark-type team, you’ll need a Fighting-type Pokémon in your team. Fairy-types can also help you out! 

None of Sidney’s Pokémon are a problem; Shiftry and Cacturne are vulnerable to Fire-type moves, and we already know Mightyena and Sharpedo’s weaknesses. 

Battle against Phoebe 

Your next rival will be Phoebe, a Ghost-type trainer. This is her team: 

• Dusclops, Lv. 51, Ghost-type. 
• Banette, Lv. 51, Ghost-type. 
• Sableye, Lv. 51, Ghost/Dark-type. 
• Banette, Lv. 51, Ghost-type. 
• Dusknoir, Lv. 53, Ghost-type. 

Your best bet against Phoebe is a Dark-type Pokémon or, at least, a Pokémon with a Dark-type move. 

• Phoebe has two Banettes, one will poison your Pokémon with Toxic, and the other will burn them with a move named Will-O-Wisp. Both are weak, so you can defeat them with a single Dark-type Pokémon. 
• Sableye can be a big problem, as it’s only vulnerable to Fairy-types. You can try to attack it with any strong Pokémon, but avoid using a Fire-type Pokémon against it because it has a Rock-type move named Power Gem, and Rock-type moves are effective against Fire-types. 

Battle against Glacia 

Your third battle will be against Glacia. She’s an Ice-type trainer, and this is her team: 

• Glalie, Lv. 52, Ice-type. 
• Froslass, Lv. 52, Ice/Ghost-type. 
• Glalie, Lv. 52, Ice-type. 
• Froslass, Lv. 52, Ice/Ghost-type. 
• Walrein, Lv. 54, Ice/Water-type. 

This one is an easy battle if you opt for using Fire and Fighting-type Pokémon. 

• Be aware that Frosslass is an Ice/Ghost-type Pokémon, making it immune to Fighting-type moves, so it’s better if you attack them with Fire or Dark-type moves. 
• Walrein is an Ice/Water-type Pokémon, so you can try to attack it with Electric-type moves! 

Battle against Drake 

This is the last battle of the Elite Four. It’s against Drake, a Dragon-type trainer. This is his team: 

• Altaria, Lv. 53, Dragon/Flying-type.
• Flygon, Lv. 53, Dragon/Ground-type. 
• Kingdra, Lv. 53, Dragon/Water-type. 
• Flygon, Lv. 53, Dragon/Ground-type. 
• Salamence, Lv. 55, Dragon/Flying-type. 

Drake actually has the easiest battle of the Elite Four, mainly because Dragon-types are weak against Ice and Fairy-type moves. If you have a Gardevoir, you’ll breeze through this battle because Fairy-types are immune to Dragon-type moves! 

But, if you don’t have any Fairy-type Pokémon, be aware of Drake’s Flygons and Salamence. They have several moves to get rid of your Ice-type Pokémon, which can be a serious problem. Swampert or Whiscash are a great option against both Dragon-types. 

Battle against Steven 

If you haven’t figured out yet, Steven is Hoenn’s Champion. He’s a Steel, Ground, and Rock-type trainer, and this is his team: 

• Skarmory, Lv. 57, Steel/Flying-type.
• Claydol, Lv. 57, Ground/Psychic-type. 
• Aggron, Lv. 57, Steel/Rock-type. 
• Cradily, Lv. 57, Rock/Grass-type. 
• Armaldo, Lv. 57, Bug/Rock-type. 
• Metagross, Lv. 59, Steel/Psychic-type. 

Steven has a solid strategy, so let’s check it out: 

• Steven will use Skarmory as his first Pokémon, and Skarmory will try to use Spikes. These are a big problem as they will hurt your Pokémon every time they enter the field. The Spikes act as a Ground-type move, so your Fire, Electric, and Poison-type Pokémon will receive considerably high damage every time they enter the field. 
• The next Pokémon you’ll see is Claydol. You must defeat it as soon as possible, or else it’ll have a chance to set Light Screen. You can defeat it by using Water-type moves. 
• Aggron is a mostly offensive Pokémon, and you’ll defeat it with Water, Ground, or Fighting-type moves. 
• Cradily is vulnerable to Fighting-type moves. It’s hard to take it down, but don’t stop directly attacking it. 
• Next up is Armaldo, another Fossil Pokémon. Armaldo is very weak to Water, Steel, and Rock-type moves. 
• And lastly, the only Pokémon that can entirely destroy your team: Metagross. 

Steven can Mega-Evolve Metagross, and Mega-Metagross is a big issue Also, Metagross has an ability named Clear Body, which prevents its stats from getting decreased. So, using moves to decrease its Attack or Defense is useless, as they don’t work. 

At least, Metagross is very slow, so you have real chances to hit it first. It is susceptible to Ghost, Fire, Dark, and Ground-type moves. 

You did it! Now, there’s not a single trainer in Hoenn that can defeat you! Welcome to the Hall of Fame! But hey, your adventure isn’t done yet. There’s plenty to do as a Champion, like trying to catch all the Legendary Pokémon, or exploring every nook and cranny of Hoenn, trying to find the most exotic Pokémon. Good Luck! 

FAQs

Alpha Sapphire isn’t the best Pokémon game of the saga, that’s true. But it’s very enjoyable, and it’ll make you spend a lot of time playing, exploring, and enjoying all the cinematics. I feel like it’s a great remake, which respects the original story and even enhances it, and I love it! 

Thanks for sharing your Hoenn adventure with me! I hope you like it as much as I did!