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Pokémon Emerald, released in Japan as , is a title in the Pokémon series of video games. It was released for the Game Boy Advance in Japan on September 16 2004, in North America and Hong Kong on May 1 2005, in Australia on June 9 2005, and in Europe on October 21 2005. It features the Dragon-type Legendary Pokémon Rayquaza on the cover.
The game is an enhanced remake of ''Pokémon Ruby'' and ''Sapphire'', adding to the third generation of Pokémon games. Like the games it was based on, the player controls a Pokémon trainer, whose general goal is to traverse around the Hoenn region and capture Pokémon. Like Ruby and Sapphire, the game features the third generation Pokémon, but also adds some second generation Pokémon that were once limited to Pokémon Colosseum. The National Pokédex is also available without trading.
The game follows the same storyline as Ruby and Sapphire, but adds new elements such as the Battle Frontier, where the player can enter a variety of areas with different Pokémon competitions. The elements have been considered by many to be major additions, and the popularity of the Pokémon franchise had seen the game meet commercial success. Emerald was 2005’s second best-selling game in the United States.[1]
In Emerald, the protagonist moves to Littleroot Town of the Hoenn area from Johto. Upon rescuing Professor Birch from a wild Zigzagoon, he or she receives the Pokémon the player used to fight the Zigzagoon (either a Torchic, a Mudkip, or a Treecko) and begins a journey. Like the previous games, the player's goal is to collect eight Gym Leader badges so he or she can challenge the Elite Four and become the Pokémon Champion. In these games, the rival is of the opposite gender and is more of a friendly helper, checking the player's progress at various times and giving items to help the player advance through the game.
In another difference from its predecessors, the protagonist's father, Norman, is the Petalburg City Gym Leader. When the player enters the city, he or she meets Norman. Shortly afterwards, a young boy named Wally enters, who wants to catch his first Pokémon before he has to move away from Petalburg. The player accompanies him out into wild grass, where he catches his first Ralts. Wally is overjoyed and thanks the player. Later on, the player faces him again in Mauville City, where he is seeking to challenge the Gym Leader there. After the player defeats him (or if he defeats the player), he reconsiders and decides to improve his team.
The main antagonists that the player faces are Team Magma and Team Aqua. Emerald is different in that both teams are the villains in this game; in Ruby and Sapphire, one team was the villain and the other was the good guys trying to stop the other team. Like the previous games, both plot to awaken a legendary Pokémon. Team Magma's hideout is in the area of Mount Chimney, and is also the location where they awaken the legendary Pokémon Groudon. Like in the previous games, Aqua awakens the legendary Pokémon Kyogre at the bottom of the sea. The two Pokémon do not obey either team and begin fighting at Sootopolis City, and the weather alternates between sunshine and rain. The player must awaken the legendary Pokémon Rayquaza at the Sky Pillar, after which Rayquaza will swoop down and force the two combatants to stop, returning Hoenn to normal. Rayquaza is then catchable at the Sky Pilliar.
After the player acquires the eight badges, he or she is given entry to Victory Road, a location with high-level Pokémon and trainers. The Pokémon League and the Elite Four are stationed in an area north of Victory Road. Near the end of the area, Wally catches up to the player and demands another battle. His team is much improved, and after the player defeats him he vows to retrain until he triumphs. After beating the Elite Four the player can battle him again.
After defeating the Elite Four and being inducted into the Hall of Fame, the player will then be allowed to enter the Battle Frontier, where more Pokémon and more battles await.
While Emerald’s relation to Ruby and Sapphire is similar to that of Pokémon Yellow to ''Pokémon Red'' and ''Blue'' and Pokémon Crystal to ''Pokémon Gold'' and ''Silver'', it also adds more dramatic changes and revamps than its two predecessors.
Emerald introduces several changes in battling. In Ruby and Sapphire, 2-on-2 battles were clearly marked, and those trainers would not challenge the player unless the player turned to them and pressed "A" to talk to them. 2-on-2 battles can now be random, with two separate trainers coming together to battle as one pair. Paired trainers will also now challenge the player if the player gets too close to them as well. After the Elite Four is defeated, gym leaders may also reopen their gyms to challenge the player further. In previous games, once a gym leader was defeated, they would not be open for further rematches. The new challenges are done in a 2-on-2 format. Also, within battle, Pokemon sprites are animated similarly to Crystal, which are usually stationary in its predecessors.
The game includes many aesthetic changes. For instance, both Brendan and May now have green outfits. Some routes and areas have been redesigned with different layouts and more trainers to allow for more random 2-on-2 battles.
Some Pokémon locations have been changed as well. In Ruby, the player could only capture Groudon, while in Sapphire, the player could only catch Kyogre. In Emerald, both Legendaries can be caught now in separate caverns after the game. The player can also choose which running Legendary to catch (Latios or Latias). Previously, the player could only catch Latios in Ruby and Latias in Sapphire. The Safari Zone also has new areas that allow the player to catch many Pokémon that originated from the Johto region, many of which were only previously obtainable by breeding Pokémon found in Colosseum, or XD.
One of the most significant changes is the addition of the Battle Frontier, an expanded version of the Battle Tower that was present in Ruby and Sapphire. During the game, a man named Scott will meet the player frequently. As the player progresses through the game and wins more badges, Scott will become more impressed. After the player defeats the defending Pokémon League Champion and succeeds him, Scott will invite the player to the Battle Frontier.
The Battle Frontier is divided into seven areas, six of which are new (the seventh area being the Battle Tower). The player's trainer card is expanded to a Battle Frontier Pass. When the player wins matches, he or she gains Battle Points, which can then be used to buy vitamins, obtain rare items, or use move tutor services. After several consecutive victories, a player will face the facility's Frontier Brain, who will award the player with a Frontier Symbol (the Frontier equivalent of a badge) upon their first and second defeats. The first time beating the Frontier Brain, the player is awarded a silver symbol, while the character must win a certain number of times thus getting the gold symbol.