why is pokemon emerald so expensive?

Okay so i want to replay pokemon emerald so i went on ebay for the game and people are asking 40$ JUST for the cartridge and i saw one for 200$ with the box i mean its thought to be the best pokemon game by many but those prices are ridiculous! why is this game so much more expensive than the others? Also somebody was selling a mint condition copy for like 800$....does this game cure cancer or...?

Just use an emulator, no point paying for it when you are only giving a random person the money. (especially at extortionate rates)

Also: no idea! I don't remember Emerald being anything special really.

Yeah, I bought all the Pokemon GBA games on ebay last year, and Emerald was the most expensive at $30 with free shipping. Be really careful though and educate yourself in how to identify fakes because I had to return some.

Check craigslist or what ever online classified you have in your area. I just did that where I am and I found 2 different ads for 25$

Not really sure either. Maybe cause it's the Director's Cut of Gen 3 and maybe people consider it the best of Gen 3. I got a copy iof it for $36 earlier this. Worth the price IMO. POKEMANS! Also while looking on eBay make sure to look out for bootlegs.

That's crazy. I bought all the Pokemon GBA games last year for £10. All genuine.

Just had a quick look on Ebay here in the UK and they have copies of Emerald for as low as £5 buy it now. Perhaps OP should check out some international sellers?

Shame Gen 3 is worse than all the others bar Diamond/Pearl. And I say that having put 250+ hours into it, having completed it, deleted my save and started again on Sapphire. And that's not even counting my Emerald time.

Gold and Silver is where it's at baby.

@chavtheworld: Gen 3 was by far my favorite. To each their own.

To say a Pokemon game is worse than the others is hardly much of an insult, however. They are all absolutely fantastic, and I really enjoyed Sapphire otherwise I wouldn't have played it so much. Yet when you look at Gen 2, 1 and 5 it is let down in a few areas. Diamond and Pearl however, was poop.

@chavtheworld: Didn't take it as an insult.

I guess I should feel proud that I own two copies.

@alanm26v5: how would i be able to check if its fake or not?

It cost money to be the very best (like no one ever was)

If I were to guess it'd probably be because you can get access to each starter from Gen I&II in Emerald, which would be really valuable for trading.

To obtain one is my real test, to play it is my caauuuuuse.

I will travel, through ebay land, searching far and wiiide...

My GBA, will understand, the power that's inside...

POKEMAN, it's you and me... I know it's my des-tin-ee, POKEMAN

Ohhh you're my best friend, in an auction we must win...

POKEMAN, I want youuu,

my snarking will get us through!

You outbid me I'll kill you, POOOOOKEEEMANNNNN!!!

you sir, have won the internet.

It's funny. It was largely considered the worst set of games in the entire series until somewhat recently, where it's picked up something of a cult following. I'm not sure if it's because they're the oldest games that haven't had more modern remakes or if its because of the generation of kids who played it as their first Pokemon game are now old enough to outnumber the old school fans.

Either way, I wouldn't pay crazy prices for these games.

This link probably has the best comparison showing what I ran into. I always tried to look for the stamped impression on the right.

Wow, really? Maybe I should sell mine.

I'll agree there, though Gen 3 gets a pass in my nostalgia book for throwing in the last few meaningful mechanical additions, and also my favorite dumb gimmick pokemon Shedinja.

@alanm26v5 said:

I made a thread about this ages ago too. Pokemon advance titles are one of the most counterfeit games on ebay... But it's hard to tell the fakes from the crappy pictures people put up.

I'd try and get one with a box if possible, as they're far more likely to be the real thing (not always though).

If you must buy the cartridge only, at least make sure the cartridge is the correct colour, and maybe even whine at the seller to check for the stamp. And avoid buying from sellers who appear to have a lot of advance games for sale. And under no circumstance buy from China...

Also here's some examples as I love this kinda stuff... Real and Fake.

I used to have a level 100 one of those. Still had 1HP.

Who needs more than 1 HP when you're immune to half the moves in the game? Of course... it's the other half that are the problem.

A lot of the bigger Nintendo games have a habit of never going down in value and in some cases even going up. It is amazing that it still happens in this day and age.

Given the trend of pokemon games, you're probably better off just waiting for Game Freak to remake it for 3DS. You'd be paying about as much as you'd be paying some guy on ebay, and you'll be getting the improvements they've made since gen 3.

Barring that, emulator. Seriously, it's not worth paying $30 when it's not even going to the developer/publisher.

I almost always support paying for games, but when its not actually possible to buy it from the developer/publisher, I don't mind at all. Emulate, and buy the remake if/when it arrives (probably on 3DS) Sometimes I have to emulate games I own carts for, thanks to dead save batteries. If you are willing to wait a year or more, the remake will probably be a lot more fun to play.

Fuck all of you! Red was the best and everything else was a pale imitation of its greatness.

Even if you we're to find a copy, there's no guarantee the battery's still good. Less than savory means are the only way to easily play those old Pokemon games. No idea why Nintendo hasn't already made them available digitally. They'd sell like hotcakes.

Also, Gen 2 is the Best!

Gold is the best yo. The pokemon series lived and died with that game.

Stupid pun edit: It be havin the hos go OHHHHHHHHHH

It's expensive because it's the best Pokemon game on the GBA.

Pokemon games DO NOT lose their vaule, If anything they gain value. Try finding a pokemon game at a gamestop for less then 25$.. I dare you... Use craigslist or amazon and just enjoy it.