Pokemon Fan Gets Hilariously Rick Rolled With Fake Emerald Cartridge This Christmas

Christmas morning took an unexpected turn for one Pokemon enthusiast who thought they’d unwrapped one of the franchise’s most coveted treasures—only to discover their dad’s sense of humor runs deep.

The Setup: A Dream Gift That Was Too Good to Be True

Reddit user BrestonTheBread shared their Christmas surprise on the official Pokemon subreddit, posting what appeared to be a legitimate copy of Pokemon Emerald—one of the most sought-after games in the entire franchise. The excitement was real… until they actually booted up the cartridge.

Instead of diving into the beloved Hoenn region, the Nintendo DS screen transformed into a heavily pixelated version of Rick Astley’s “Never Gonna Give You Up.” Yep, they’d been Rick Rolled by their own father.

The best part? Dad specifically asked them to test the game cartridge in front of him just to witness the reaction firsthand. Talk about commitment to the bit.

This is what my Father bought me for Christmas…
byu/BrestonTheBread inpokemon

Why Pokemon Emerald Is Such a Big Deal

For context, here’s why this prank hit differently than if it were any random Pokemon game:

• Pokemon Emerald is considered one of the franchise’s finest entries, packed with rich postgame content that kept players busy for hundreds of hours
• Third-generation Pokemon games (including the Hoenn titles and first Kanto remakes like FireRed and LeafGreen) are notoriously difficult to find nowadays
• Authentic copies can sell for significant amounts due to their rarity and the prevalence of counterfeit cartridges flooding the market

Since Pokemon first exploded onto the gaming scene in the late 1990s, the monster-catching franchise has grown into one of the world’s biggest multimedia juggernauts. But while modern Nintendo consoles house plenty of recent Pokemon titles, tracking down legitimate copies of older games has become increasingly challenging—and expensive.

The Reveal: How Fake Pokemon Cartridges Fooled (Almost) Everyone

Fellow Pokemon fans in the Reddit comments had plenty of laughs while sharing additional details about the prank:

• The Nintendo DS itself was the actual Christmas gift from the father—the Rick Roll cartridge was just the cherry on top
• Similar joke cartridges are apparently sold on platforms like Etsy, where sellers offer custom-made prank versions of classic Game Boy Advance games
• Sharp-eyed commenters noted they could tell the Pokemon Emerald cartridge wasn’t legitimate just from its appearance (fake Pokemon games have become infamous in collector circles)

Pro tip for Pokemon collectors: Counterfeit Game Boy Advance cartridges are everywhere. Always check the label quality, cartridge color, and most importantly—the game code stamped on the label before dropping serious cash.

What’s Next for Pokemon Fans

While this Christmas prank provided entertainment, the Pokemon franchise continues evolving in exciting ways:

Recent Game Innovations

Pokemon’s ninth generation broke new ground as the first fully open-world entries in the series. Scarlet and Violet let players challenge Gyms in any order, fundamentally changing how trainers experience their journey.

Pokemon Legends: Z-A introduced real-time combat for the first time ever, allowing players to actively move around and dodge attacks during battles—a dramatic departure from traditional turn-based mechanics.

What’s Rumored for Generation 10

Though The Pokemon Company hasn’t officially announced Pokemon’s tenth generation yet, early leaks are already circulating:

• Images allegedly showing the map for the next region have surfaced online
• Rumors suggest a return to traditional turn-based combat, but with a “fluid version” incorporating elements from Pokemon Legends: Z-A
• With Pokemon’s 30th anniversary arriving next year, fans likely won’t wait much longer for official reveals

The Bottom Line

This Pokemon Emerald prank perfectly captures the playful spirit of both the franchise and the holiday season. While the Reddit user didn’t get their hands on a genuine rare cartridge, they got something potentially more valuable—a hilarious Christmas memory and a story that resonated with Pokemon fans worldwide.

And hey, at least they got a Nintendo DS out of the deal. That’s worth something, right?

Related Pokemon News:

• Logan Paul’s Daughter Gets $9,000 Shining Magikarp as First Pokemon Card
• Stardew Valley Switch Bugs Get Christmas Fix from ConcernedApe
• Pokemon Legends Z-A: Why That Shiny Feebas NPC Trade Will Haunt You

Have you ever been pranked with a fake Pokemon game? Share your stories in the comments below!