Pokemon Emerald: A Beloved GBA Game
It’s no secret that I adore Pokemon Emerald. I’ve written about it extensively, and I’ll happily sing its praises for as long as you’ll let me. So, when I see fellow Pokemon fans – many of whom I’ve grown close to through my work on the Pokemon Go tracking blog – express their love for this Game Boy Advance classic, I can’t help but feel a warm, fuzzy feeling in my nostalgic heart.
“Geriatic” Pokemon Emerald has been a hot topic among nostalgic fans lately, with many expressing their fondness for the GBA game. Some even go so far as to call it the best Pokemon game ever made.
I’ll admit, I didn’t always feel this way about Emerald. In fact, I was one of those kids who grew up playing the newer generations and didn’t really understand the hype around my OG Pokemon games. But as I’ve gotten older and learned to embrace my nostalgia, I can now see what all the fuss is about.
“The introduction of the GBA logo brings back memories for me,” one Reddit user writes. “It reminds me of the excitement and anticipation I felt when I would sit down with my Game Boy and play my copy of Ruby for the first time. I just miss those days.”
Others argue that Emerald – and the original Game Boy games in general – surpass the newer games in terms of content and enjoyment. “I don’t see why people look down on Emerald because it’s old,” another writes. “It’s a perfect game.”
“The Battle Frontier in Emerald is the pinnacle of post-game content,” another adds. “There’s nothing else that comes close to it.”
And then there’s the nostalgia surrounding the original Game Boy and the excitement that accompanied the purple see-through color. “I remember being so happy I got the purple Game Boy and was able to play Pokemon Blue,” another writes. “It was my favorite and unmatched by any of the newer generations.”
While I’m sure some of you reading this are shaking your head in disbelief because, let’s face it, 25-35 is definitely not “geriatric,” I think the most important thing is to embrace your nostalgia. If you enjoyed Emerald (or any of the OG Pokemon games) as a kid, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t enjoy it now.
And if you’re in New York City, you can still visit the Pokemon Center to buy the original games. I know I’m going to miss that store dearly, but the sentimentality of keeping old mementos is something I can definitely appreciate.
If you’re looking to get back into Emerald, I highly recommend checking out our guide on how to get Rayquaza in Pokemon Emerald, as well as the list of all the Pokemon in the Battle Frontier in Emerald.
