Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, the first games of Generation III, were released for the Game Boy Advance. They were developed by Game Freak and published by Nintendo and The Pokémon Company.
The games debuted in Japan on November 21, 2002, and reached North America in March 2003. Their Hoenn setting introduced new environmental themes, double battles, Pokémon Abilities, Pokémon Contests, and 135 new species. The Game Boy Advance’s improved hardware allowed more detailed visuals and supported connections between multiple players.
Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire are sometimes associated with the original Game Boy because they continued the handheld series, but they were not compatible with the earlier Game Boy and Game Boy Color games for trading. Players could connect Ruby and Sapphire with other Generation III titles, including Pokémon Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen, using Game Boy Advance link features.