Which Pokémon generation introduced Pokémon Contests?

Generation III introduced Pokémon Contests.

The feature debuted in Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire for the Game Boy Advance, the first main-series games of Generation III. Contests gave Pokémon an alternative way to compete, separate from ordinary battles and Gym challenges.

Contest performances were judged in categories such as Coolness, Beauty, Cuteness, Smartness, and Toughness. A Pokémon first used moves to impress judges, then competed in a performance round where move combinations and appeal affected the score. Contest results could lead to ribbons and helped establish a second progression system for dedicated players.

Pokémon Contests expanded in later games. Pokémon Emerald included them, and later titles changed the presentation or added related features. They are often confused with Pokémon Super Contests, which were introduced in Generation IV's Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. Both systems involve performance, but the original Pokémon Contest feature belongs to Generation III.