Every Pokémon region has its strengths and weaknesses, and Hoenn is no exception. The Generation III games radically changed the series forever, and this fantastically-designed region would be home to many of these changes, at least until the Kanto remakes were released, bringing their own updates to the franchise.
Hoenn, like any other region, isn't perfect. But, it is terrific in other regards, and has a pretty loyal following of fans who consider it the best region. Here are some of the best parts of the region, and some of the things that could have been improved on or changed for the better.
10 Needs Improvement: Lack of Other-Region Connection
In the first two generations, players got to know Kanto and Johto very well. They were both contained within the initial wave of crazed Poké-Mania, and the Generation II games even featured a visit to both regions. When Gen III released, it brought with it a whole new region that was self-contained.
Hoenn seemed like a huge jump in quality from the past games, thanks in part to the abilities of a new console and new technology. But, its lack of connection to the two previous regions was seen as a problem for many.
9 Pretty Great: Secret Bases
One of the most widely-praised and sorely-missed features of the Gen III games (and their remakes) are secret bases. This feature allowed players to create a base within natural objects like trees and cliff faces and decorate it to their choosing.
These secret bases felt like a respite from the outside world, and were a great mechanic that many would have liked to see again. They would only reappear in the Gen III remake games, being replaced somewhat by the Underground in Generation IV.
8 Needs Improvement: Too Much Water
Criticizing Hoenn for its abundance of water routes has become a popular meme at this point, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. The developers seemingly wanted to give equal weight to Kyogre and Groudon by balancing the amount of land and water.
However, there is simply too much water. It wouldn't be so bad if there was some variety, but every water route looks mostly the same and the only Pokémon who spawn are Wingull and Tentacool, over and over again.
7 Pretty Great: Size
One cool thing about Hoenn that isn't readily obvious is its size. It might not actually measure larger than Johto or Kanto, but it definitely feels bigger. It might be because of new hardware capabilities, but all of Hoenn just feels large as a whole.
Oftentimes in Johto and Kanto, it feels like there is five steps between two towns. Journeying from town to town in Hoenn feels a lot longer, and the regions of Hoenn are just a lot bigger-feeling.
6 Needs Improvement: Missing Pokémon
Long before the controversy around Dexit in Generation VIII, there was another region where some Pokémon weren't obtainable: Hoenn. It's long-forgotten by many at this point, but in Ruby & Sapphire, not every Pokémon that existed at the time could be caught.
Pokémon could not be transferred up from the Generation II games, and a handful of others couldn't be obtained in Ruby & Sapphire or FireRed & LeafGreen through the standard means.
5 Pretty Great: Climate/Biome Diversity
One really cool thing about Hoenn is the diversity of climate. Each route is different from the one before it, and there are a ton of different locales that spawn different Pokémon. It feels like a living, breathing world.
There is a volcanic path, beaches, desert, thick forest, rainy river routes, caves, and more. All of Hoenn feels like a world that is alive and full of different climates for various Pokémon to call home.
4 Needs Improvement: HMs
Unfortunately, traversing that diverse world is a bit of a pain at times. Gen III truly represents the peak of HM-reliance that has thankfully been removed in modern games. There were eight HM moves in the original Hoenn games, filling up two full move slots on your team overall.
Three of these HMs — Waterfall, Dive, and Surf — are used to traverse water alone. This definitely didn't help with the criticism of Hoenn having too much water.
3 Pretty Great: Puzzles
Every region has various puzzles but Hoenn's are legendary — literally, at times. The quest to get the Regi trio is a difficult one but is nothing if not famous and historic. Some find it annoying, but one has to admit it's creative and gives a certain challenge that we rarely see in a Pokémon game anymore.
Other great puzzles include the gym puzzles, the Trick House, and the Dive mechanic. It would be great if puzzles could be this complex again.
2 Needs Improvement: Evil Teams
Generation I and II both had the same evil team: Team Rocket. However, in Generation III, not one, but two evil teams were introduced. Players with Ruby would face off against Team Magma and their attempts to control Groudon, while Sapphire players were treated to Team Aqua's antics and their obsession with Kyogre.
It was cool to see different evil teams in each game, but their kind of bad as far as villainous organizations go. Their goals are confusing and a bit dramatic, and their ability to understand that Kyogre needs the Blue Orb and Groudon needs the Red Orb are laughable.
1 Pretty Great: Legendaries
Speaking of Kyogre and Groudon, though — they represent some of the best parts of Hoenn. The Legendaries in Gen III feel truly ingrained in the lore of the games for the first time. Gen I and II's Legendaries do play some role, but they take a bit of a back seat to other mechanics.
In Generation III, Kyogre, Groudon, and Rayquaza's legendary feuds are portrayed well and ingrained in the story of the games. Even the Regi trio and Eon duo play a role, showcasing just how important Legendary Pokémon would become in future games.