Which to play first: Emerald or Fire Red?

[Try4ce]

As I posted a few days ago, I'm hooked on Pokemon all over again after having neglected the series since Red/Blue. I'm considering doing a little bit of backtracking after I beat Diamond and have mostly completed the Sinnoh Pokedex.

So I'm looking to eventually play both Emerald (a friend who has moved far away has both Ruby and Sapphire) and Fire Red (my friend has Leaf Green).

My question to you is, which should I go for first, or does it really matter? I know Fire Red is sort of first chronologically (I have played through Blue way back when), but Ruby and Sapphire were released before Fire Red and Leaf Green, which Emerald is a remake of. But Emerald was released AFTER Fire Red and Leaf green.

Is there any reason I should do one or the other first due to connectivity, or would you recommend one or the other first due to any advancements between games, or what?

 

[Habunake]

Emerald dude.

Fire Red is like Red, I'd go with a new region, plus Emerald has the Battle Frontier.

 

[Hubologist]

I'm basically in the same boat, only farther along than you are. I started playing Emerald first, but ended up finishing FireRed first. FireRed seemed totally fresh; I guess I hardly remember anything at all from the first series, since it's been a decade since I played them.

Also, the game goes by quite quickly. In about forty hours, I've done almost everything and caught every Poke except Suicune (I've been putting that off because it's annoying).

I can't wait to continue Emerald; I'm only ten hours along in it.

 

[Try4ce]

Heh, I'm almost 40 hours into Diamond and I still have 2 badges to go.

Fire Red might be a good "lite" choice after playing through Diamond. On one hand, it's exciting to go to the new regions in Emerald and see Pokemon I've never seen before, but it's almost just as exciting to return to where I started so long ago, with new graphics and upgraded but familiar music.

I remember a lot of things about Blue, but a lot is also fuzzy in my memory. I remember Palette Town, Cerulean City, Silph Co., and such... I remember a cave before the Pokemon League, and I remember making big catches like the legendary birds and Mewtwo. My favorite Pokemon was Kabutops.

But ultimately it's hard for me to remember most of it, though Diamond is helping jog my memory. I have a feeling that Fire Red is probably the place to start, even if Emerald is "better." To tell the truth I'd rather do the "better" game last. Actually, back when Fire Red and Leaf Green were released, I almost bought one of them since I thought I might get into it more than the "newer" Pokemon games since it was a remake, but ended up not buying any Pokemon games until Diamond.

 

[Mall Punk]

Emerald is the best!

 

[AshKetchum]

Emerald because it has the Battle Frontier.

 

[Emeray]

Since I like the unexpected, Fire Red. I loved playing through it again after everthing and every game. And I've beat Fire Red completely and I'm still stuck on the Elite Four in Emerald.

Oh, wait, scratch that. I've just discovered I had already started a new game in Emerald, with a Blaziken to boot. And now I'm stuck on Juan ( the final Gym Leader).

Ok....I like Fire Red better.