The very first Pokemon game I had ever played to finish was a copy of Sapphire that I got for my birthday, I believe, from a very good friend of mine. I remember it fondly, only stopping once after getting stuck progression-wise in Lilycove City; I had no idea I could surf out to Mossdeep at the time and scrambled to find a Pokemon I could use to surf. I eventually finished the game, very proudly, with the Wailord I had captured to surf in my team at the end.
Alpha Sapphire was a refreshing wave of nostalgia for me, almost like it was my homecoming to the region that meant the most to me. And it lived up perfectly to every expectation I had of the game. I had so many new goals in mind for my own personal completion records: Not only did I beat the Elite Four, I strived to beat the Delta Episode, to accomplish a second victory on the Elite Four with my most prized team lineup spiritually ported all the way back from Generations IV and V, to achieve a Platinum Rank in my Secret Base--something I had never done before regarding Secret Bases--and to collect all the Mega Stones I could, as well as pick up and find every Plate for my most treasured Pokemon, an Arceus I got off the Dream World in Gen V. I accomplished every goal I had set for myself along the way, and I've very proud to say it was a complete blast for me every step of the way.
I find myself now more occupied with finding things to do. Contests don't interest me, and completing the Pokedex has never been a goal of mine in the first place... I think I'll head back to X and leave completing a Living Dex or anything to it. My adventure in Hoenn, barring the acquisition of some upcoming events--Hoopa, an eventual release of Volcanion, I'm looking at you two--is over for now.
