Pokemon may be one of the most talked about and heard about gaming franchises in the world, what with services likePokemon GOhelping broaden its audience beyond the mainline games it is mostly known for. GameFreak’s popular RPG has always known success, but it wasn’t always at the massive scale it is now, with fans typically enjoying the (at the time) handheld games likePokemon Emeraldand occasionalspin-off additions such asPokemon Colosseum.
These days, there’s plenty of content happening year-round to make all fans, from casual to competitive, happy and invested between bigger releases like the upcomingPokemon Legends: Z-A. Still, that’s not to say any other time of being aPokemonfan was any less exciting; the time leading up to and duringPokemon Emeraldwas quite a unique time in itself. It was at the height of Generation 3, which had already changed the game considerably as it was the series' first jump to a handheld other than the Game Boy.
The marketing forEmeraldwas hard to ignore, and it made it easy to get excited for one of the series' - at the time - coveted third versions. While the practice of having a third game released shortly after the usual dual releases ofPokemonhas died out in recent generations,Emeralddoes a great job as to highlighting why each of these later editions were worth spending extra money on.
Pokemon Emerald Refined the Third Generation to End Up Defining It
Pokemon Emeraldmay not have broken the mold of the third versions entirely, as what might seem groundbreaking inEmeraldwas also done inPokemon Crystalto a degree.Pokemon RubyandSapphirewere rather special on their own already thanks to great marketing and a bold new look with the Game Boy Advance’s graphics. However,Pokemon Emeraldwas memorable compared toPokemon RubyandSapphiredue to how it elevated many of the thingsCrystalbrought in, as well as how it made the journey in Generation 3 much more of a spectacle. Of course, basic quality of life improvements also helped it get there, as with every other third version ofPokemongames.
Kyogre and Groudon may be known for fighting over the land and sea, but it’s rarely mentioned without the way Rayquaza came in to stop their fighting before the world was flooded or lost to a drought. The same can be said about Team Magma and Team Aqua’s feud, but the way they were both proven wrong by having a natural disaster show the effects of both of their wishes has stuck with players more than the endings ofRubyandSapphirethemselves.Pokemon Emeraldwas also the game to make animated sprites a series staple, a fan favorite feature that was a welcome addition whenPokemon DiamondandPearlreleased two years later, according toEmerald’s Japan release date.
How Pokemon Emerald Left High Expectations for Pokemon Platinum and Beyond
WhilePokemon Crystalfeatured a similar plot with Suicune, the addition of Rayquaza made the original story ofRubyandSapphirefeel all the more complete.The Battle Frontier became a fan favorite featureafter its inclusion, leading to many people demanding to see it in future titles further down the line.
Emeraldmanaged to truly show how athird game in thePokemonmainline seriescan expand upon what came before in surprising ways, which led to full area expansions such as the Distortion World inPokemon Platinum.Pokemon Emeraldwas such a hit with fans that it ended up being the third best-selling title for the Game Boy Advance, and it even saw fans hoping the trend ofPokemonremakes only having two games of their own would be changed soOmega RubyandAlpha Sapphirecould be completed with a ‘Delta Emerald.’ Now thatDLC has become a norm forPokemonand third versions seem to be living on through the idea ofPokemon Legends: Z-Abeing the ‘Z’ toXandY,Pokemon Emeraldstill serves as a shining example of what these additional games could do back when they were the series' standard.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
