Pokemon Emerald was released in 2005 for the Game Boy Advance, and it allowed fans to explore the vast Hoenn region once again and try to capture all the Pokemon. The third game of the franchise's third generation tends to be quite a fan favorite due to the features it added and improved, as well as the eye-catching new design given to the title's playable leads. One fan decided to revisit Emerald in art, creating a very detailed nostalgic pixel art animation.
There are plenty of reasons why Pokemon Emerald stands out among the other Pokemon games. Some of these are simple, such as cosmetic adjustments and further balancing to certain Pokemon teams. Emerald also marked specific features becoming mainstays, such as animated sprites and abilities having an effect on the game's overworld.
In tribute to this unique GBA title, an artist known as itzaspace found on Reddit and Twitter decided to create a rather detailed pixel art animation of May riding her bike up a hill. The animation loops around as May climbs higher and higher, showcasing Pokemon that are relaxing along the scenic route.
Fans are enjoying the art, commenting that it's inspired them to try and find their old copy of Emerald to play it again. One fan in the comments has used the nostalgia for the game to share the time that they failed to get the game from a retro video game auction that sold it for a high price and refused to go any lower. Unfortunately, this is to be expected, as Pokemon Emerald hasn't been re-released since it first came out in 2005, leading to high prices on second-hand copies.
Even if fans don't have a copy of Pokemon Emerald on hand, the animation by itzaspace does a great job of encompassing what players might visualize while playing the game. The art brings it to life with remarkable attention to detail, from the fence seen on many of the game's early routes, to what looks to be Slateport City in the background. Multiple Pokemon make an appearance as well, including the anime's special Jigglypuff singing a Slaking to sleep.
The use of pixel art for the animation helps capture the atmosphere of the game rather well, especially since Emerald was made back when Pokemon used sprites. This animation is another example of how talented fans of the series can be, it isn't the only intriguing animation made in honor of Pokemon. Another fan has taken the time to animate their own idea of how Poke Balls are made, for example.
Pokemon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire are available now for Nintendo 3DS.