Pokémon Emerald is one of those GBA classics that still holds up years later. You start off in Littleroot Town, pick your first Pokémon (Treecko, Torchic, or Mudkip—I always go for the fire chicken), and then it’s off to explore Hoenn. The region feels huge, with secret bases to set up, contests to enter, and two rival teams causing trouble instead of just one.

Battles are snappy, the sprite work is charming, and the music? Absolute bangers. The Battle Frontier post-game is brutal but addictive—just when you think you’ve got a solid team, some rando with a Slaking sweeps you. If you’ve never played it, or just miss that old-school Pokémon grind, this is the one.