Talk:Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire

On pages like these and Pokémon Gold and Silver, I feel like the description should be expanded to add more detail about the third versions of each game - as well as any remakes thereof - if we somehow don't give them their own pages eventually as technically-separate works. Sound sensible as a discussion starter?

@Looney Toons @Robkelk @Utini501 @HeneryVII @Jlaw

I wouldn't object to a separate page for each, myself.

If there's enough difference between the versions? Then I'm all for it!

Agreeing with everyone else who's offered an opinion that we should give new versions of games new pages, if they're different games. (If the new release differs from the original in just maintenance patches and a new set of graphics, then is it really a new game?)

That's the thing - there's usually enough in the Updated Rereleases to differentiate them from the originals at least - not to mention the mechanical changes between generations - but a lot of the time the third versions for each generation (which, I'm wondering if that's a trope, I know MMBN also does something like that but that's another discussion) tends to have a similar enough story with some of the beats changed. Quick-and-dirty summaries of relevant parts based off my half-remembered knowledge of the games:

• Gold/Silver and Crystal: Embark on an adventure for Elm, deal with a rival who stole a 'Mon from his lab, discover that Team Rocket's returned and stop them. Crystal has the same beats with a more detailed Risingbadge quest, focus on Suicune and the other Legendary Beasts in lieu of Ho-Oh and Lugia (which the latter makes postgame-only), and the debut of the Battle Tower.
• Ruby/Sapphire: Version team attempts to awaken their box mascot and it goes awry, defeat or catch the mascot mon to save the world. Emerald: Stop both teams from awakening their respective target legendary, then when that fails seek out Rayquaza to prevent any lasting damage. Similar beats otherwise - the Emerald post-game is far more focused on Battle Tower and adds 6 other similar facilities to do stuff with.
• Diamond/Pearl: Stop Team Galactic from awakening the version mascot and controlling them via artificial means to create a new universe. Platinum: Stop Team Galactic from awakening both aforementioned legendaries, only for the third of the trio (and box mascot) to reveal itself. Capture/defeat it, stabilize the world. Platinum also does something similar to Emerald, including a similar postgame in the Battle Facilities.

Pokémon Black and White is where the third version stuff largely stopped as it focused the sequels on those games' third trio member instead, so that's your lot - but that should be enough of a springboard for those interested, and Bulbapedia, Wikipedia et. al. have p. good plot summaries of the games to double-check those against.