Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire Legendaries: What Most People Get Wrong

Catching them all. It's the slogan we've lived by since the 90s, but honestly, Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire (ORAS) took that directive way too seriously. If you’ve ever flown through the Hoenn sky on the back of a Mega Latios, you know exactly what I mean. There are dozens of legendaries tucked away in these games. It's a lot.

Actually, it’s a staggering amount. Between the "Mirage Spots" and the Delta Episode, these 3DS remakes basically became a dumping ground for every legendary creature that didn't have a home in the Kalos region. But here's the thing: most players miss half of them because the requirements are, frankly, bizarre. You can't just stumble into a cave and find Palkia. You have to jump through hoops that feel like they were designed by someone who really loves spreadsheets.

The Groudon and Kyogre Problem

The big stars are obviously Groudon and Kyogre. You've got to deal with them before you even see the credits roll. They appear in the Cave of Origin near the end of the main story, and they aren’t messing around. They show up in their Primal Reversion forms—which, if we’re being real, makes the standard Mega Evolution look like a parlor trick.

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Primal Groudon gets the Desolate Land ability. It makes Water-type moves—its biggest weakness—literally evaporate. If you’re playing Omega Ruby, you basically have a sun-god on your team that cannot be doused. On the flip side, Alpha Sapphire gives you Primal Kyogre with Primordial Sea. Heavy rain that nullifies Fire moves.

Pro Tip: Don't use your Master Ball here. I know it's tempting because they hit like a truck, but you’ll need that purple ball later for something much more annoying. Use Dusk Balls. Since it’s a cave, they have a massive 3.5x catch rate.

Why the Delta Episode Changes Everything

Most remakes just polish the graphics and call it a day. ORAS added the Delta Episode. This is where things get wild. You aren't just catching a Dragon/Flying type; you're going into actual space.

You're forced to catch Rayquaza at the Sky Pillar. It’s a scripted event, so don't stress too much about the catch rate—it’s actually boosted for the story. Once you’ve got the dragon, you head into orbit to smash a meteor. Out pops Deoxys.

This was a huge deal back in the day. Before ORAS, Deoxys was an "Event Only" Pokémon. You had to go to a real-world Gamestop or a Nintendo event to get one. Now? It’s just sitting there at Level 80 waiting to ruin your day with Psycho Boost. If you accidentally knock it out, don't panic. Just beat the Elite Four again and it’ll respawn at the Sky Pillar.

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The Messy Reality of Mirage Spots

This is where the game gets "kinda" frustrating. Once you get the Eon Flute from Steven, you can "Soar" in the sky. You’ll see red sparkles over certain spots. These are Mirage Spots, and they are the only way to fill your National Dex.

The catch? Most of them require very specific—and often unexplained—team compositions.

The Requirements Nobody Tells You

1. The Lake Trio (Uxie, Mesprit, Azelf): You need three Pokémon with maximum happiness in your party. They appear at the Nameless Cavern, but the specific one you find depends on the time of day.
2. The Creation Trio (Dialga, Palkia, Giratina): To find Dialga (AS) or Palkia (OR), you need the three Lake spirits in your party. If you want Giratina? You need both Dialga and Palkia in your party at the same time. This means you must trade with a friend to get the opposite version’s dragon.
3. The Swords of Justice: You need three Pokémon with maxed-out EVs (Effort Values). If you haven't been using Super Training or power-leveling, you're out of luck.
4. Reshiram and Zekrom: You need a Level 100 Pokémon in your party. Just one. But it has to be exactly 100.

The Regi Quest is Still a Nightmare

If you thought the original Game Boy Advance puzzles were hard, the remakes kept the spirit alive. To unlock Regirock, Regice, and Registeel, you still have to do the Braille dive.

You need a Relicanth in the first slot of your party and a Wailord in the last slot. You go to Route 134, find the diving spot in the currents, and read the Braille on the wall. It triggers an earthquake that opens three caves across Hoenn.

But wait, there’s more. Regigigas is the real final boss of this side quest. You can only find it in the Island Cave (where Regice was) during the day. You must have all three other Regis in your party. Also, your Regice must have a nickname and be holding a "cold" item like a Snowball or Never-Melt Ice. Honestly, who figured that out without a guide?

Hunting the Johto Beasts

The legendary dogs—Raikou, Entei, and Suicune—are tucked away in the Trackless Forest near Rustboro. To even see this place, you need either Ho-Oh or Lugia in your party.

The encounter shifts every 20 minutes.

• Raikou appears in the first 20 minutes of the hour (e.g., 4:00 to 4:20).
• Entei shows up in the middle (4:20 to 4:40).
• Suicune finishes the hour (4:40 to 5:00).

It’s a test of patience. You’ll spend a lot of time hovering over the woods waiting for the clock to tick over.

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Master the Catch

If you’re serious about bagging all the omega ruby and alpha sapphire legendaries, you need a "Catching Smeargle." Give it False Swipe to drop their HP to 1, and Spore to put them to sleep. Sleep is mathematically the best status effect for catching, way better than paralysis.

Also, don't sleep on O-Powers. Using the "Capture Power" level 3 makes a massive difference. You can find these in the PSS menu.

What to do next

Start by checking your party's happiness levels in Verdanturf Town. If your lead Pokémon isn't "attached" to you, the Lake Trio won't even show up. Once those three are caught, you can start the chain reaction to get Dialga, Palkia, and eventually Giratina. Clear your boxes, stock up on Timer Balls for long fights, and get flying.

Next Steps for Your Hoenn Journey:

1. Check Happiness: Visit the woman in the fan club in Slateport to see if your team is ready for the Lake Trio.
2. Trade for the Opposite Dragon: Head to the GTS or find a Discord community to swap Dialga for Palkia so you can unlock the Giratina encounter.
3. Nickname your Regice: Do this immediately after catching it so you don't forget when you go back for Regigigas later.