Pokémon: Emerald Version

Pokémon: Emerald Version
Developer	Game Freak
Publisher	Nintendo
System	Game Boy Advance
Release Date	JP September 16, 2004 US May 1, 2005 AU June 9, 2005 EU October 21, 2005
Rating	ESRB: E

Pokémon: Emerald Version is the additional third version that was made for the third generation of the handheld RPGs of the Pokémon series. It is partially a remake of Pokémon: Ruby and Sapphire Versions, but with a variety of new features, the most obvious being the inclusion of the Battle Frontier.

Story

The journey follows the adventure of a young Pokémon trainer, whom the player can choose as either a boy or a girl. The trainer must travel through Hoenn to catch and raise Pokémon, take on the challenge of the gym leaders and Elite Four and foil the plans of Team Magma and Team Aqua.

Version Differences

As with all versions, Emerald lacks some Pokémon that instead can only be caught in Ruby or Sapphire. In terms of gameplay and connectivity, Emerald is mostly the same as Ruby and Sapphire, but it does make other changes.

Emerald's distinct new features included a new island called the Battle Frontier where the player could battle through series of specialized matches after completing the Elite Four challenge. There were also some alterations to the storyline and the line-ups of the gym leaders and Elite Four. The storyline now featured both Team Magma and Team Aqua as antagonists, when the previous versions had only featured one of the two, and this version's story took a new focus on Rayquaza.

Other changes included new battle animations, an opportunity to gain one of the starters from the second generation games and more double battles.

Legacy

Sequels

Emerald was followed up by the fourth generation games, Pokémon: Diamond and Pearl Versions. Pokémon: Platinum Version would also later revisit the Battle Frontier concept.