Celebrate Pokemon Day by Playing the 25 Best Pokemon Games of All Time

The final mainline game in Pokemon's third generation doesn't hold up quite as well as Pokemon Platinum, but the Hoenn region is still one of the best places for budding Pokemon trainers to explore. Pokemon Emerald is all about the relationship between humans and nature, with the player conquering Groudon, Kyogre and Rayquaza (the deities of the land, sea and air). It only makes sense that the Hoenn region has some of the most diverse biomes of any Pokemon game, with grassy fields, dense forests, stormy deserts, ashen volcanoes and deep seas to dive into.

Within these biomes, players are able to find some of the most diverse Pokemon ever added to the Pokedex. A whopping 135 new Pokemon were added, including fan favorites like Blaziken, Metagross, Salamence and Gardevoir. Pokemon Emerald also had the first iteration of a massive, wholly realized Battle Frontier, laying the groundwork for Pokemon Platinum's iteration of the postgame content. The game is also one of the last mainline titles that fostered an air of mystery, with secret locations like Mirage Island, Terra Cave and Marine Cave scattered about the map. Going into Pokemon Emerald completely blind feels like a genuine adventure, and making awe-inspiring discoveries with your Pokemon team is what the franchise was always supposed to be about.

Release Date: Sept. 16, 2004

Genre: Mainline title

Developer: Game Freak