Nintendo has just announced something that makes me extremely happy (and something I mentioned that I missed in X & Y), secret bases are returning in both Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.

The customizable, secret area enables players to set up mazes, traps, and even lounge areas for visitors and fellow trainers. You can even create custom battle rules, or set up your own veritable Pokemon Gym.

Trainers will be able to share their Secret Base via the handheld’s StreetPass functionality, and even with QR codes. When you visit another trainer’s Secret Base, you can potentially meet other trains and invite them back to your own base as “Secret Pals.”

Secret Pals are fellow trainers who you can communicate with and even battle with, and they also have special skills that can help support you in your travels, like new decorations, speeding up the incubation rate of a Pokemon egg, or even raising a Pokemon’s level by one. The more Secret Pals you get, the more goodies you’ll have access to.

A new feature was also added in the form of capture the flag, a new mechanic exclusively within secret bases. Each flag is located somewhere within a fellow trainer’s base, right next to their secret PC. The more flags you collect, the more special skills you can improve upon.

Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are both coming to the 3DS on November 21st in North America and November 28th in Europe.