>>37908147>>37908421Yeah, Hoenn was one of the first regions to include a lot of more fantastical locations, but it was also the one to implement them all properly. The volcano actually has an effect on the area around it with the falling ash and is part of a spanning mountain range, the desert is in an area very isolated from any potential rainfall, etc.
Plus they did include another very common water type to encounter while surfing so it was at least somewhat less repetitive. Before Wingull and Tentacool it was just Tentacool all the time.
Not to mention, Hoenn makes very good use of space to add in hidden dungeons and optional areas. Even setting aside any of the water routes you don't have to fully explore, there's Shoal Cave, the interior of Mt. Pyre, the deeper sections of Meteor Falls, and the entire Regi puzzle that are completely optional. Hoenn is a great region for exploration.
