How To Restart A Pokemon Game On 3Ds

How to Restart a Pokemon Game on 3DS

Starting over in a Pokemon game can feel like an exciting new beginning! Maybe you want to try a different starter, experience the story again with a new team, or just want a fresh challenge. Whatever your reason, restarting your Pokemon game on the Nintendo 3DS is easy once you know how. This guide will walk you through all the steps and explain everything you need to know about starting a new adventure.

Why Restart Your Pokemon Game?

Before we dive into the “how,” let’s talk about “why” you might want to reset your game. There are lots of reasons why players choose to start over:

• Trying Different Starter Pokemon: Each game gives you a choice of starter Pokemon. Restarting lets you pick a different one and experience the game in a new way.
• New Team Composition: Maybe you want to build a team with specific types or Pokemon you didn’t use before. A fresh start is the best way to do it.
• Reliving the Story: Playing through the game again can be a great way to re-experience the story, especially if you have not played it in a while.
• A Fresh Challenge: If you feel the game is too easy or you want a new challenge, starting again can provide that.
• Accidental Deletion: Sometimes, accidental deletion of your save file happens, and restarting becomes necessary.
• Trading or Lending Games: When you are trading or giving away your game, sometimes people want you to restart it so that it will be a new experience for them.

These are just a few reasons, but ultimately, the decision to restart is entirely up to you. Whatever your reason is, knowing how to reset your game is a helpful skill for any Pokemon player.

The Basics of Save Data on a 3DS

Before we actually start the reset process, it’s good to know a little bit about how your 3DS saves your game data. Unlike some older consoles where data was saved on the cartridge, the 3DS saves all game data directly onto the game cartridge itself. This means that each cartridge stores only one save file. So, to reset the game, you must delete the save file that is on the cartridge.

This is the main reason that every time you restart the game you start as a new character, everything is new again, because you deleted the previous saved data from the game.

How to Delete Save Data: Different Pokemon Games, Different Methods

While the general idea of resetting involves deleting your save file, the exact process can be slightly different depending on the specific Pokemon game you are playing on your 3DS. The key distinction lies between older and newer games.

Older Generation Games (Generally Before Pokemon X & Y):

Games like Pokemon Black, White, Black 2, White 2, HeartGold, and SoulSilver generally follow a similar method to delete save data. This method is considered the simpler method.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Turn Off Your 3DS: Make sure your Nintendo 3DS is completely powered off.
2. Hold Specific Buttons: This step is where it gets specific to these games. Typically, you need to hold down the Up on the D-pad + B button + X button while turning your 3DS back on. (If these buttons don’t work, check the instruction manual that comes with the game.)
3. Confirm the Delete: When you see the game’s start screen, it might prompt you to confirm if you want to delete the save data. If you are sure about restarting the game, confirm your choice and start a new adventure.
4. Start your game: Once the save data is deleted, the game will start as new with all the beginning scenes.

That’s it! The save file is gone, and you can start the game from the beginning as a new player.

Newer Generation Games (Generally Pokemon X & Y and Later):

Games starting with Pokemon X and Y, like Pokemon Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon, use a different method for resetting. They don’t rely on a button combination. Instead, the reset is built into the game’s starting screen menu.

Here’s how to restart these games:

1. Start your 3DS: Power on your Nintendo 3DS.
2. Start the Pokemon Game: Select and start your chosen Pokemon game.
3. Look for Reset Option: On the title screen, you will usually see options like “Continue,” “New Game,” or sometimes a “Settings” option.
4. Select the Reset/New Game Option: Most of the time, you’ll want to choose “New Game,” but sometimes you will have to go into the “Settings” menu, where there will be the option to delete the save data.
5. Confirm Delete: A prompt will appear, asking you to confirm that you want to delete your save data. Double check before you press the confirmation button. After you press, you cannot go back.
6. Start Again: Once you confirm, the game will reset and start a new game.

The process for these newer games is more straightforward and less likely to accidentally trigger while starting the game. If you don’t see the option to delete save data or start a new game on the starting screen, you should find the “Settings” or similar options to delete save data.

Specific Game Examples and Tips

Let’s go through some examples of specific games and a few tips that might come in handy:

Pokemon X & Y

• Start your 3DS and select the game.
• On the title screen, select “New Game”.
• The game will ask to confirm that you want to delete old save data. Confirm to proceed.

Pokemon Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire

• Power on your 3DS and begin the game.
• Select “New Game” from the title screen.
• The game will ask if you want to delete old save data. Confirm your decision.

Pokemon Sun, Moon, Ultra Sun, and Ultra Moon

• Start the game on your 3DS.
• Select “New Game” from the title screen menu.
• The game will ask if you are sure, confirm to begin a new adventure.

Pokemon Black, White, Black 2 & White 2

• Turn off your Nintendo 3DS completely.
• Press and hold the Up button on the D-pad, the B button, and X button simultaneously while turning on your 3DS
• Confirm to delete your save data when prompted.
• Start a new adventure.

Pokemon HeartGold & SoulSilver

• Turn your 3DS off.
• Press Up, Select, and B buttons all at once when starting the game.
• Confirm the deletion to start a new game.

Things to Consider Before Restarting

Before you take the plunge and restart your game, here are a few things to consider:

• Pokemon Bank & Pokemon Home: If you have any valuable Pokemon, items, or characters, consider transferring them to Pokemon Bank (for older games) or Pokemon Home (for newer games) before resetting. Once the save data is gone, those are also gone forever.
• Event Pokemon: If you have any special event Pokemon, take a moment to think about what you are doing, as event Pokemon cannot be regained through a simple new game.
• Time-Consuming Activities: If you have completed things that take a very long time, like completing the Pokedex or breeding specific Pokemon, you might want to think very carefully before starting over.
• Check your game progress : if you just want to restart because of a single mistake, check your save file and game progress. Perhaps there is no need to restart if it is something small.
• Talk to other people : Before deleting your save, talk to other people if you need help in the game. Restarting may not be the solution for everything.

A restart can erase a lot of your progress, so be sure that it’s something that you want to do. Always double check all the options before pressing “Confirm Delete Save Data”. There is no going back after that option.

What Happens After You Restart?

After you restart your game, you’ll be taken to the beginning of the game as if you just opened the game for the first time. The game will act like it has never been played before. You’ll get to create a new trainer, choose your starter Pokemon, and experience the world again from the very start.

This can be a very exciting experience for the people who are restarting their game. This is why many people love to restart Pokemon games, and it brings fun for them. With new ideas in mind, the player can explore the world in their way.