Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire (
: ポケットモンスター ルビー・サファイア,
: Pocket Monsters Ruby and Sapphire) are the first two games introduced for Generation III series. This set of games takes place in the Hoenn region and features new Pokémon in comparison to the previous versions.
Locations
Game info
Changes
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire featured a number of upgrades and differences from the previous games.
- The game takes place in a new region, Hoenn.
- An additional 135 Pokémon were introduced.
- Brand new Moves and TMs were made available.
- Double Battles were introduced.
- The player can participate in Pokémon Contests.
- Pokémon now have Abilities.
- Separate icons for each Pokémon.
- Running Shoes were introduced.
- Weather effects were introduced.
First partner Pokémon
As is tradition, the player can choose one of three different First partner Pokémon at the start of the game. The player will need to choose either Torchic, Mudkip, or Treecko of their choice to save Professor Birch, who was being attacked by a Poochyena. Also, in tradition, the three Pokémon are Fire, Water or Grass types, respectively.
Team Magma and Team Aqua
Both Team Magma and Team Aqua are featured in the Ruby and Sapphire games. Depending on which game it is though will determine which Team the player will need to fight against. Ruby will feature Team Magma as the antagonist and Team Aqua as the allies and Sapphire is vice versa.
Legendary Pokémon
As in every other main series Pokémon game, there are a set of Legendary Pokémon which were first featured in Ruby and Sapphire.
The Golems
The Eon Pokémon
The Super-Ancient Pokémon
Pokémon
Version exclusive
Ruby
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Sapphire
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Gym Leaders
  Roxanne  Rustboro City |
  Brawly  Dewford Town |
  Wattson  Mauville City |
  Flannery  Lavaridge Town |
  Norman  Petalburg City |
  Winona  Fortree City |
  Tate and Liza  Mossdeep City |
  Wallace  Sootopolis City |
Elite Four and Champion
 Sidney 
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 Phoebe 
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 Glacia 
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 Drake 
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 Steven Stone 
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Reception
Ruby and Sapphire received mostly positive reviews, though critics were divided in their assessment of the games, especially on the gameplay and graphics. Most of the complaints focused on the fact that the gameplay had not changed much since previous generations. With the popularity of Pokémon on the decline and the rising popularity of Yu-Gi-Oh! at the time, the games sold less than previous generations. However, they were still commercial successes; with around 16 million copies sold according to IGN, they are the best-selling games for the Game Boy Advance.
Trivia
- Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald are the first Pokémon games where the player cannot choose the name of their rival at the start of the game.
- These two games are the first games of the main series where Professor Oak isn't encountered.
- These games are also the only games where the player will encounter your rival at the arena where the player battled Steven.
- These games are the first main series games where the player can't access Kanto.
- Ruby and Sapphire are the first games to not have the slogan, "Gotta Catch 'em all".
- Ruby and Sapphire has the least amount of in-game trades.
- Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald are the only main-series Pokémon games in which the protagonist speaks (other than answering "yes" or "no"). They say "Where did he go?" and "Why did he go?", referring to the Magma/Aqua leader in the hideout.
- Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are the first and only Pokémon games with the starting point not being the player's bedroom. Rather, the starting point is the moving truck.
- Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are the first Pokémon games to feature automobiles.
- Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald are the only games to have the protagonist have a known father.
- Ruby and Sapphire are the first games where the rival is based off what gender you choose, it was later used again in Pokémon X & Y.
- Ruby and Sapphire were the first games to include Dragon types that weren't Pseudo Legendary, Semi-Pseudo Legendary or a previous evolution of a Pseudo Legendary Pokémon.
Gallery
