Pocket Monsters Ruby on GBA, Japanese version of Pokemon Ruby. Launch of the 3rd generation, magnificent Hoenn, Kyogre or Groudon. An excellent Pokemon RPG foundation that aged well.
Your verdict
Category
RPG1 player7+
Description
Third-generation Pokémon RPG developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo. The trainer explores the Hoenn region and battles Team Magma seeking to awaken Groudon to dry up the oceans. First GBA generation with double battles, Pokémon Contests, Secret Bases and PokéNav. 202 new species join the national Pokédex.
Pocket Monsters - Ruby review
4/5
Art direction
★★★★★
"Striking"
MAX
Music
★★★★★
"Legendary"
3/5
Story
★★★★★
"Solid"
Inaugurating the Hoenn region, the third generation's music stands out with its maritime themes, sunlit routes and nervy, sprightly battles. The melodies, lively and memorable, accompany the trainer's every step with an infectious energy. This sonic identity stays dear to the heart of a whole generation.
Gameplay
"Excellent"
Fun
"From the very first minutes"
Addictiveness
"Obsessive"
Capturing, training and evolving your creatures in the Hoenn region weaves a loop of collection and progression you keep putting off ending. Every battle yields experience, every route hides a brand-new species, and completing the Pokédex becomes a gentle obsession. The battles can repeat, but this capture quest keeps a timeless power to hook you.
Difficulty
"Balanced"
Lifespan
"Massive"
Beating the eight Gyms and the League only burns through part of what Hoenn offers: Pokémon Contests, customisable Secret Bases and double battles open parallel pursuits. Catching Groudon, tracking down the 202 new species and combing a water-soaked map demand time and curiosity. As the first GBA Pokémon, this dense, well-structured adventure holds a treasured place in trainers' hearts.
Technical info
💾4,5 MB📅21/11/2002
Published by Nintendo
Pocket Monsters - Ruby (GBA) price, value & rarity
Complete: box, manual and disc/cart very clean. Lightly handled.
Q1 damagedQ6 completeQ10 new
Compare prices
Loading eBay listings…
Alert active — budget
$
Collector interest
Original Japanese edition of Ruby, released in November 2002 under the Pocket Monsters Ruby title, founding the third generation that introduces Hoenn, contests, double battles and the Pokemon Box connectivity tied to the GameCube volume. Japan run was high carried by the Pokemania fervour, but the CR1616 battery is now largely drained, which makes a complete copy with intact obi and working original battery increasingly rare in clean shape.
A questionable morality
However thoroughly the founding idea has become cultural common sense, it stays delicious from a distance: you catch wild animals in little balls, make them fight until they faint to become the greatest trainer, and the rejects wait forever in a computer box. All of it in the name of a friendship the parties involved never actually asked for.
Is Pocket Monsters - Ruby still worth playing in 2026?
Ruby and Sapphire kick off the third generation by laying out Hoenn, its dual team rivalry and its climate based ecosystem. The weather in battle, the multiple abilities and the introduction of double battles permanently reshape the strategic balance of the series. The Gen 3 roster remains one of the most beloved and the cartridge play stays remarkably readable today. Trade compatibility with FireRed and LeafGreen grants access to the full National Pokedex. An excellent gateway into Game Freak's GBA golden age.
