In Pokemon Emerald, our preteen hero leaves his nurturing, stay-at-home mom (after receiving full family blessings, of course) to go out into the world. The plan is to follow in the footsteps of his celebrated father and ultimately become the world's greatest trainer of Pokemon. As with other Pokemon games, our hero (the player) never actually fights; rather the hero's Pokemon do battle against other Pokemon in his name.

Sound familiar? Not surprising. Even fans admit that Pokemon Emerald is essentially 'a director's cut' of Pokemon Ruby and Pokemon Sapphire. The adventure is essentially exactly the same. Now, if you're a new Pokemon initiate, then you've got no worries. This game scores high for pure Pokemon fun. Plus, some die-hard Pokemon devotees claim the very fact that Emerald is so similar makes the search for subtle differences part of its appeal.

As would be expected for its targeted age range, the game is easy to learn, easy to understand, and easy to play. However, unlike other games designed for this same demographic, the writing is praised for conveying the story and the adventure without ever patronizing its own audience. This is an enormous advantage, and possibly one reason why its audience remains so devoted.

Other positive user comments include praise for the game's 'super catchy' music, and the bright and colorful images. Parents nervous about too much 'real world' exposure for their children may appreciate Emerald, too. Though there's plenty of fighting, there's no extreme violence, nor any sexual overtones. Across the board, Pokemon Emerald is praised for being a light, easy, and fully enjoyable gaming experience.