Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald marked a huge shift for the monster catching series as it embraced new, shiny, and more pixel dense hardware with the Game Boy Advance. It wasn't just the visuals that became more expressive and detailed, but battle mechanics too. Where the second gen refined stat types, the third gen was all about making each Pokemon more of an individual through hidden values tied to things like personalities.
Which is all to say that Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald took huge steps forward to make this world of odd little creatures feel more alive than ever, really leaning into the idea that your personal Pokemon team was your team, not like anyone else's. Add to that weather, which plays into the game's epic narrative, completely new ways to battle, and so much more, and you've got a deep iteration that rightfully still holds a special place in the hearts of many as some of the best Pokemon games. Take a look below as we run through the core reasons Pokemon's third generation pushed the series to the next level.
