Welcome to the official development updates of Pokemon Gamma Emerald. Today, we have a very awesome and beloved fan-favorite feature to showcase with all of you!
Recently in the development updates, we’ve already shared the looks of Gyms and a full preview of Littleroot Town planned for the full release of the game. Today, we’re excited to show you the Surfing Mechanics — yeah, you heard it right!
What is Surfing in Pokemon Games?
Surfing lets you travel across seas, oceans, and basically any water area using one of your Pokemon that is capable of learning Surf — or at least has the ability to take you from one side of the water to the other.
From exploring hidden islands to progressing through the main story, Surfing has been a core mechanic since the earliest games.
We, the Pokemon Trainers, love riding on our favorite Pokemon to explore different areas in the seas and oceans. It’s a feature that most of us really enjoy, and it adds a lot to the adventure.
Fan Favorite mechanics with Nostalgic HD-2D Twist
From the old Pokemon games to the latest Switch Pokemon games, Surfing has always been one of the core mechanics for exploration and progressing through the main storyline. We’ve surfed in 2D styles and in full 3D environments, but what about HD-2D?
Well, Pokemon Gamma Emerald solves that nostalgic gap with the current development update, where Surfing mechanics have been implemented in HD-2D style — giving you the perfect nostalgic feeling with the amazing HD-2D Gameplay.
Pokemon Gamma Emerald New Development Update
On September 14, 2025, we released a development update featuring a video that shows how Surfing will work in Pokemon Gamma Emerald using the HD-2D art style. You can check it out below:
Video Highlights – What We Saw
- Our protagonist walks near a water area and uses Surf.
- Different Pokemon like Sharpedo, Swampert, Psyduck, and others were used to test out the Surfing mechanics.
- The HD-2D style of Surfing looks absolutely mind-blowing and adds a nostalgic yet modern touch to the gameplay.
Well, the video is not too long — literally, it’s just a one-minute showcase of the Surfing Mechanics using a few Pokemon on a small part of the water area. This is just a small preview of how Surfing will look in the full release of the game.
Still, it’s enough to show the core mechanics, animations, and the HD-2D art style developed specifically for Surfing in Pokemon Gamma Emerald.