"Face your challenge in a new place: The Battle Frontier"

Pokemon games have always been an excellent RPG game to play. I remember playing back in the Game Boy Color days where there were only Blue and Red versions to start with. Later on, there is an additional Yellow version which is essentially a combination over the Blue and Red versions. Those took place in the Kanto region. After those, we have Gold, Silver, and Crystal versions which takes place in the Johto region mostly, but the great thing is being able to travel back to the Kanto region. Now, upon recent times, there is Ruby and Sapphire versions. And the version that is the combination of both of them, this game Pokemon Emerald.

Story - 8/10
Unlike the other past Pokemon games, where you are suppose to be the best Pokemon trainer ever by catching all of the Pokemon and beating the Pokemon league, in Pokemon Emerald, the story is much more in-depth than Ruby or Sapphire version. To make it short, you are the son/daughter who just moved into the Hoenn region and you want to go on a journey just like your father has. You meet your rival who is the son/daughter of a professor who you will meet occasionally. Both of you are going on a journey to be the Pokemon champ.

In Ruby and Sapphire, there are respective bad guys you have to stop (Ruby being Team Magma and Sapphire being Team Aqua) from their plans of world domination. In Pokemon Emerald, you have to stop both. The legendary Pokemon play a huge role in this game and the twists in this game are immensely different than that of Ruby or Sapphire. The story is really quite amazing, and gets a slight suspenseful as the legendary Pokemon clash for the planet.

Gameplay - 9/10
If you have played past Pokemon RPG games, this game is no different on the gameplay. Heck, if you have played Ruby or Sapphire, you could easily tell how the game works because it is the same for the first 20 minutes of it. But later on, you will see major differences in this game compared to Pokemon Ruby or Pokemon Sapphire.

The beginning parts are easy, you select a character of gender, you give him/her a name, you have to go do an event and by that event, you earn your first Pokemon. And from there, you will travel around fighting trainers, catching more Pokemon, training them, fighting the Pokemon gyms, stopping the bad guys, then head for the Pokemon League. That is basically the general summary of how the game will go. If you have played past Pokemon games, then this is indifferent as the style of gameplay has always been like this for even past versions.

As said already, this game is essentially a combination of Ruby and Sapphire put together. Most of everything that were in those games are exactly identical in this game. The places you travel to, the events that you come across, the way you get specific items...half of the time they are the same. However, Pokemon Emerald throws in their own features as well which are different and are non-existent in Ruby and Sapphire.

There are major and minor differences in this game compared to its prequels. Minor differences are just basically focused on one part of the game where it is different such as trainer locations. They are noticeable. For summarizing purposes, I will just go over the major differences in this game in comparison with Ruby and Sapphire.

One major difference that you will encounter after 20 minutes of playing and future times are frequent double battles. In Ruby and Sapphire, you are introduced double battles where you fight against two trainers, usually being with twins or couples, and have to fight with two Pokemon rather than single. This can only be happen if the two trainers are standing next to each other. In Emerald, this idea is emphasized immensely. Rather than fighting specific trainers knowing it will be a double battle, in this game, any two trainers can fight with you into a double battle given if both of them are in the vicinity and both lock eyes onto you. In other words, they can both take you on at the same time. This provides various new combination of trainers and makes double battling more frequent. It is actually fun and a very nice idea placed in, double battling is very entertaining to play many times. Don't worry, there are also more single battles if you don't like double battles too much.

As mentioned in the story section of this review, you will have to contend with both Team Magma and Team Aqua, who are the major bad guys in the Hoenn series games. In Ruby and Sapphire, you just had to contend with one of the teams so now that you have to face both of them, it is double the trouble. Since you have to contend with two teams, it takes a little longer to go around to places but it is sure worth it as it makes the gameplay interesting.

Another feature are Battle Tents, which are in the locations of where the Pokemon contests were in Ruby and Sapphire (except for Lilycove City where that is the only place where the contests are held). Battle Tents are essentially challenges which are preparation for the Battle Frontier (more on that later). Complete these challenges to earn a prize. These challenges have a specific requirement on how you lose and win and since they are preparations, if you find them difficult now, wait until you reach the Battle Frontier.

Old features of past versions of Pokemon games are inserted in this game. Specifically, the phone feature which was used in the Johto series games. This feature is now in this game, and though, it is somewhat annoying, but the good part about it is that it is not that frequent. Trust me, if you keep hearing phone calls as you travel around doing something, you will find it annoying eventually. Also, Pokemon from Gold/Silver/Crystal versions are in this game! They can now be caught and be used to train! A fantastic add-on feature.

Finally, I have mentioned this somewhat but never went in-depth of it: The Battle Frontier.
Battle Frontier is quite literally the best add-on to this game. It takes place on an island, and the island is as big as 3 cities. It can almost be considered as a new region. Battle Frontier has a bunch of symbols you need to earn, and earning them is extremely difficult and challenging. As I said before, the battle tents are just preparation for some of the Battle Frontier battles. At Battle Frontier, you have to fight in various locations to get all of the gold symbols, which are like badges you obtain from gyms. I can't say much, but Battle Frontier will definitely last you for a long time, and trust me, the trainers there won't even let down. Heck, your battle strategy might even need to change as the trainers here are like the hardest of the hard, specifically when there are requirements involved. Definitely though, Battle Frontier is the most amazing add-on of all.

Graphics - 10/10
The graphics are essentially the same as Ruby and Sapphire ones. The dust, the hail, the rain, the cities, the tall grass, the water...all of it are still the same as they were in Ruby and Sapphire. However, there is one difference. Taken from Pokemon Crystal, the animations return! That is right. In battle, the Pokemon actually move around just like they did in Crystal version, and this is for ALL Pokemon. This is saying a lot now, as returning animations is an excellent thing to return. Aside from that, the other difference are the main character colors which are green rather than being blue or red as in Ruby or Sapphire. Overall, no matter what, the graphics are excellent.

Music/Sound - 9/10
The music still retain as they were in the prequels with no difference in their respective counterparts. However, there are new additions since there are new locations and places you can travel to. Of course, I'm referring to the Battle Frontier mostly, but that's not to say that is the only thing. No...there are also remixes of past versions as well! That's right, if you have played the past versions of Pokemon, you will be able to easily tell where the music come will have come from and where. For example, one of the music comes from Mt. Moon in Blue/Red/Yellow version. Regardless though, the music is excellent as always. The sound is just as good as well, with sound affects for each attack moves, the shopping of items, and the beep to scroll a message. The Pokemon cries are good as well, not much to say. Overall, the music and sound are done well in this game.

Replay Value - 10/10
The actual storyline is longer and the Battle Frontier is absolutely challenging and difficult. There is a huge amount of replay value set in this game, and not to mention the various sidequests that you can do. The contests are still in this game and you can still earn ribbons. Earning symbols for the Battle Frontier is a hard job to do, but it is all worthwhile and will bring you to keep playing.

Overall - 9/10
Pokemon Emerald, being the combination and sequel of Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire, is an excellent game to play. The addition of the Battle Frontier, as well as other new additions and improvements are very welcoming and makes this game very appealing. For those who haven't play any of the Pokemon games, this game should definitely be on your list of games. For those who have played past Pokemon games, this game won't disappoint and you will enjoy it thoroughly. Overall, Pokemon Emerald is a definite game to play for everybody.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 06/20/05, Updated 01/16/07