Bridge's 5 Favorite GBA Games of ALL Time #2

Lazy Sunday's, huh? Sorry I haven't really updated much I've just been... well laying about and talking with friends. This is my last week of Christmas Break before I go back to school, but I'm still going to update at least once a day during school sessions. I have some reviews and new features planned out also, so be on the look out for those. Towards the end of the month I may have a huge new feature that will shake up this blog.. but, we'll see. Anyway, here is Number 2 on our GBA related countdown.

Pokémon Emerald
Genre: RPG
Developer: Game Freak
Release Date: 05/01/05 (US), 10/21/05 (EU), 09/16/04 (JPN)
MetaCritic Score: 76

I remember back when the Pokémon games first came out, I ended up getting Blue and then Silver. Funnily enough, I never got the third versions of the games I had though. After getting out of Pokémon I was brought back in with the release of Pokémon Emerald which changed everything. Emerald is on this list for several reasons, however the main reason is that this is the definitive Pokémon experience available to the GBA, aside from Fire Red and Leaf Green. Emerald takes Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire and adds more into the game, similar to Crystal and Yellow did for the first two generations of the series. However, this version adds even more to the originals with both sides of the story appearing in the game (and both evil teams) and also including cover character Rayquaza into the mix. The sprites of the Pokémon are now animated, new styles of double battling different trainers is thrown in, and abilities, movesets, and items are also updated.


The biggest addition however, that has me still playing Emerald to this day, is the Battle Frontier (pictured above). Available to players after beating the main game, the Battle Frontier is a special battling theme park where trainers can test their skills against some very powerful trainers. Each facility (think like a gym) has streaks they can run through, and if they run through enough streaks, they may challenge the Frontier Brain (think like a gym leader), and if successful will gain a Symbol (think like a badge). Most trainers will have to really carefully raise certain Pokémon to be successful in Battle Frontier, making this second quest a very lengthy addition to the game.



The graphics, music, story, and available Pokemon are all similar to both Ruby and Sappphire which may disappoint players. However, the addition of the Battle Frontier and some of the new tweaks put into the game easily makes this the definitive version of the R/S/E generation. Even after beating the Elite Four and becoming Champion you can still rebattle trainers, raise new Pokémon, and challenge the aforementioned Battle Frontier. This game would have been number one, however once you do everything you can in the game that's it. Unless you really love the game you may find yourself hard pressed to restart and play it again, and if you did manage to do everything you can it might be hard to erase that hard work. However this game is top notch and a game that everyone that enjoys Pokémon games should play. Because of this, Pokémon Emerald is my #2 GBA Game of all time. Gotta catch 'em all! Tune in tomorrow when I reveal my #1 pick, I'm sure that many of you will be pleased with it.