As of 31 March 2023[update], a combined total of 14.57 million copies have been sold worldwide, ranking them as the fourth-best-selling Nintendo 3DS titles of all time.

The games introduced a unique mechanic for Kyogre and Groudon dubbed "Primal Reversion", akin to the broader Mega Evolution feature.

[4] The games also let players ride Latios or Latias to "soar" above Hoenn to travel, with some in-game areas being exclusively accessible through this feature.

Along the way, the player character encounters the antagonist group Team Magma in Omega Ruby or Team Aqua in Alpha Sapphire who wish to use the power of the legendary Pokémon, Primal Groudon in Omega Ruby, and Primal Kyogre in Alpha Sapphire, to change the world to suit their desires.

Meanwhile, Team Aqua wishes to summon Kyogre to flood the lands and revert the world to a prehistoric state, which will allow Pokémon to live more freely.

Plagge was, however, critical of the over-abundance of HMs needed to play the game as well as the perceived imbalance favoring Water-type Pokémon and the reliance on water-based routes.

[22] Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire had the biggest launch in the series history in the United Kingdom, beating the previous record held by Pokémon Black and White.

[24] As of 31 March 2023[update], a combined total of 14.57 million copies have been sold worldwide, ranking them as the fourth-best-selling Nintendo 3DS titles of all time.