Pokemon - Edicion Esmeralda (Spain)

Whether you’re playing through Pokémon Edición Esmeralda for the first time or returning for a retro replay, these tips will help you get the most out of your Hoenn journey. Start by picking a starter that matches your playstyle: if you’re a new player, Mudkip is the best choice. Its Water/Ground typing gives it resistances to eight different types, and it can handle the first three gyms easily, with powerful stats that carry through the entire main campaign. Treecko is a good pick for experienced players who favor fast, offensive play, while Torchic has the strongest late-game potential, able to take down most of the Elite Four with ease thanks to its Fire/Fighting typing once evolved into Blaziken. As you progress through the main story, aim to keep your core team 5 to 10 levels higher than the current Gym Leader’s highest-level Pokémon: Esmeralda’s Gym Leaders and villain team leaders have slightly higher level teams than the original Ruby and Sapphire, so under-leveled teams will often struggle to keep up. To catch Rayquaza, you will need to obtain HM Waterfall and the Mach Bike, then access the Sky Pillar after resolving the Groudon/Kyogre conflict at Sootopolis City. Bring plenty of Ultra Balls and a status effect move like Thunder Wave or Sleep Powder to make catching this level 70 legendary much easier. For the post-game Battle Frontier, the biggest endgame draw of Esmeralda, build a balanced team with varied typings and move coverage—each of the seven different facilities has its own rules, so a flexible team will let you take on any challenge. Earn Battle Points to exchange for rare TMs, held items, and even exclusive Pokémon you can’t get anywhere else in the game. Don’t forget to trade with other players to complete your Pokédex, as many rare Pokémon can only be obtained through in-game trade or link cable trading.