Are you playing or planning to play Pokemon Emerald Extended Cut but confused about which region to start from? Since the game gives you an open world where you can begin your journey from Hoenn, Johto, Kanto or the Sevii Islands, it’s normal to feel unsure about the right path. If you’re stuck on this question, this guide will help you out.
Which Region Should You Start First?
If you’re wondering where your journey should begin, the best and most reliable place to start is Hoenn.
Why Start in Hoenn?
You get all the important HMs early
Most of the important HMs are only obtainable in Hoenn. They are not available in Johto, Kanto or the Sevii Islands. Without these HMs, a lot of areas in the other regions become unreachable, so starting outside Hoenn will limit your exploration right from the start.
Hoenn is the most complete region right now
Hoenn has the full storyline, gym battles, trainers, and all the main events. It will take most of your time to finish, and it feels like a complete experience compared to the other regions.
Johto and Kanto are lighter in content
Johto and Kanto currently don’t have random trainers on routes, which makes it feel like you’re just traveling between cities mainly for gym battles. They have new areas, but the story and events are still limited because the game is in early development stages.
They’re good for fast progression, not full exploration
Both Johto and Kanto are fun to explore but much faster to finish since they don’t have many side events yet. They’re mainly for collecting badges and clearing the Pokémon League.
Final Answer
Start your journey in Hoenn, then move on to Kanto or Johto, and explore the Sevii Islands at the end.
Note
All regions outside of Hoenn currently offer a fast-forward type of exploration. They have new cities and routes, but many expected events are still missing. Future updates will likely improve this.