Some of thePokemonleaks' most fascinating reveals have been from Generation 3. Not only has a treasure trove of unused maps and art been unearthed, but a huge number of scrapped critters fromPokemon’s third generation have been found.
Every generation of the franchise has been involved in thePokemonTeraleak, even the upcoming Gen 10. The main aggregator of these leaks has been Centro Leaks on X, though much of the archival has been done by The Cutting Room Floor, a wiki dedicated to cataloging scrapped video game content. A spreadsheet that was originally compiled by that wiki, one pertaining to the smorgasbord of scrapped Gen 3 Pokemon, was uploaded to Reddit by u/vagrantwade in r/PokeLeaks. Though that original spreadsheet has seemingly been lost, information on these scrapped critters has been preserved by The Cutting Room Floor.
Everything The Pokemon Leaks Tell Us About Ruby, Sapphire, And Emerald
Gen 3 Scrapped Pokemon And Scrapped Starter
Scrapped Generation 3 Pokemonwere unearthed via the Game Freak Teraleak, originally compiled in the aforementioned spreadsheet. According to leakers, 15 of these Pokemon were scrapped after March 2002, meaning they lasted fairly late into development. Fittingly, most of these Pokemon have accompanying sprite art, often with attached feedback from an unknown developer. These notes are key to understanding why many of these creatures were scrapped, with most unused Pokemon being labeled too similar to existing Pokemon. Monorabi, a scrapped Pokemon that looks like a fiery canine, got it the worst; its only note is the brief statement “looks deformed.”
The most well-known of these is the unreleased Gen 3 starter.Ruby,Sapphire, andEmeraldall have Treecko, Torchic, and Mudkip as their starter Pokemon, but the Water type of the trio was once occupiedby a Pokemon called Warabitto. Leaked art of this unused starter, replaced in the final game by Mudkip, depicts Warabitto as a white rabbit wearing a life preserver. Though the adorable Mudkip remains a fan favorite, many in the community have now also fallen in love with this aquatic bunny.
Adjacent to sprite art and rough art,thePokemonleaks have also shownsome detailed concept art from Gen 3. Amid scrapped Pokemon art are some odd ends, including some unused Pokemon rendered in a far grittier style. Here there’s another unused and unknown Pokemon, one with a skull sat on a lumpy green body, sequestered in its own folder. Early art of plants and the Pokemon Navigator can also be found here.
Unused and Prototype Maps
A vast assortment of early maps, once destined forPokemon Ruby,Sapphire, andEmerald, have been revealed by the Teraleak. Many of these locations are very similar to their final iterations, though others—such asEmerald’s Battle Dome—saw aesthetic overhauls. Slateport City was dramatically changed between its early and final forms, with its prototype also being the original location for the Weather Institute.
When looking at these early maps, one detail that stands out is the original Poke Mart design having a red roof. All Poke Marts in the final games were changed to have blue roofs, likely to distinguish them more from Poke Centers.
The Battle Pike fromPokemon Emeraldis probably the best example of scrapped map content, as opposed to solely prototype map content. Included is a sample map, a collection of mismatched sprites that may have been used as a source to drag-and-drop assets into the area’s map art. There is also a version of the Lobby area that seems erroneous, its sprites haphazard, and most of its tiles a blank magenta. Moreover, a scrapped room is sequestered here—Room 7, a long corridor with a red carpet stretching over its length, went unused in the final game.
Pokemon Emerald
WHERE TO PLAY
Take on the might of Teams Magma and Aqua in this latest pulsating Pokémon adventure! In Pokémon Emerald, protect the world of Hoenn from Groudon and Kyogre, the mysterious forces of ground and water that are seeking to take over. Fortunately the power of Rayquaza - the sky - can help you. Even hardened Pokémon Trainers will need to be at their battling best, as Pokémon Emerald packs some of the toughest battles you’ll have ever experienced.Seek out all 7 of the all-new Frontier Brain competitors to track down every symbol in the Battle Frontier. Completely new areas of Hoenn will be revealed in this startling extension of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Plus, using the Nintendo Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter, you’re able to trade and battle wire-free with other players.Or you can use the Game Link Cable to trade and battle with Pokémon Emerald, Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, and Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen. You can even link up to Pokémon Colosseum using the Nintendo GameCube Game Boy Advance cable!
