I need something to wash the horrid acidic burn of Stigma Star Saga out of my mouth. The concept is fantastic, and even the random battles make sense. It is just that the gameplay itself is truly flawed. The balance of the game seems as though it was not checked at all. Just a bunch of cool ideas thrown together which fail. I don’t really even want to get into details. Just know that if you think you may enjoy this game more than likely you will not.

So what did I do otherwise? Pokemon Emerald. I am working on my 3rd Badge and have about 16 hours in. I have been playing on and off for the past couple months. See, I enjoy Pokemon even thought I know exactly how bland and formulaic it is. There are some disappointing things in Emerald though. Most come from what I can only assume is laziness.

In Fire Red/Leaf Green you have these nice hand drawn images for entering certain buildings and caves and forests that pop up before you go into them. In Ruby/Sapphire all you get is a white or black splash screen. In Fire Red/Leaf Green you also get this little recap of what the last major things you did in the game presented to you as a flashback every time you start up your save game. While this can get mildly irritating if you play on a very regular basis, I was extremely thankful for it those times I took a week off or so from playing.

I can only assume (and would be shocked if I were wrong) that because Emerald uses the main code for Ruby/Sapphire these features were not implemented. It is sad really, that it is a step back. I do know the kind of code that these games have and how difficult it would have been to go back and work these into the game, yet still I am disappointed. I know that had I played Ruby/Sapphire already (which I have not) that this would have been a crushing disappointment.

Now I realize one thing about Fire Red/Leaf Green, that I previously spoke foul of, because of Emerald. I had said that it is too much of the same: “I cant decide whether I hate it or enjoy it. On one hand it feels like Pokemon Yellow all over again. Not just remake ‘all over again,’ it feels the same.” I ended up deciding that I did not really enjoy it. I went from playing Pokemon Yellow straight into (many years later) playing the spiffier version of it. No matter what you do you can only play the same Pokemon game one way. Now, after getting about half way through Emerald, all I can think is how I want to go back and play the original. I think that after I finally finish Emerald that feeling will only be stronger. Add that to the amount of people who never played the original, and I see why it sells so well.

These games for me have been something magical for quite awhile. I thought I had lost that magic with age, but it appears not. My wife is currently playing through Pokemon XD while also playing my Fire Red that I gave her. I almost wish I had just held off as now I know I will want to take the game over after I am done.

…I also bought a Micro. The reason is that I will always have Pokemon on hand. Portable, constant, small, Pokemon. Anyone know where I can get some other faceplates than the ones that came with it?