This is Officially The Best Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire Starter on Switch

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The unexpected release of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen on the Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 delighted fans on Pokémon Day, and it’s sparked speculation about more classic games being ported to the consoles, like Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire. Datamining suggests that Ruby and Sapphire are indeed planned for release on Switch and Switch 2 soon, though Nintendo hasn’t officially announced anything. However, there are several good reasons why these remakes would make sense.

  • You can’t complete Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen‘s National Pokedex due to Gen 3 Pokemon not being natively in the game, despite there being trade options with Gen 3 games.
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves will release in 2027, meaning another set of ports could be more impactful in the meantime and provide content for fans to engage with.
  • 2026 is the 30th anniversary of Pokemon, and next year is the 25th anniversary of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.
  • Pokemon XD: Gale of Darkness is on Switch via subscription, which shows that more ports are indeed possible.

With rumors suggesting Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire will come to Switch, it’s likely they’ll be simple ports, similar to FireRed and LeafGreen. The recent Kanto remakes on Switch had minimal changes – mostly bug fixes, and didn’t even address all the original glitches, like mail duplication or issues with Legendary Pokemon. Because of this straightforward approach to remaking older games, it’s fairly easy to predict which starter Pokemon will be the best choice in the Switch version of Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire.

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire’s Gym Leaders and Elite Four Explained

Okay, so as a huge Pokémon fan, I’ve realized that picking your starter in Ruby and Sapphire actually really matters when it comes to certain battles. Some starters just make things way easier for specific Gym Leaders or challenges, and it totally changes how the game plays out. Here’s what I’ve found are the key battles to keep in mind when choosing:

  • Roxanne (Rustboro City Gym, Stone Badge)
    • Geodude Lv. 14
    • Nosepass Lv. 15
  • Brawly (Dewford Town Gym, Knuckle Badge)
    • Machop Lv. 17
    • Makuhita Lv. 18
  • Wattson (Mauville City Gym, Dynamo Badge)
    • Magnemite Lv. 22
    • Voltorb Lv. 20
    • Magneton Lv. 23
  • Flannery (Lavaridge Town Gym, Heat Badge)
    • Slugma Lv. 26
    • Slugma Lv. 26
    • Torkoal Lv. 28
  • Norman (Petalburg City Gym, Balance Badge)
    • Slaking Lv. 28
    • Vigoroth Lv. 30
    • Slaking Lv. 31
  • Winona (Fortree City Gym, Feather Badge)
    • Swellow Lv. 31
    • Pelipper Lv. 30
    • Skarmory Lv. 32
    • Altaria Lv. 33
  • Tate and Liza (Mossdeep City Gym, Mind Badge)
    • Lunatone Lv. 42
    • Solrock Lv. 42
  • Wallace (Sootopolis City Gym, Rain Badge)
    • Luvdisc Lv. 40
    • Whiscash Lv. 42
    • Sealeo Lv. 40
    • Seaking Lv. 42
    • Milotic Lv. 43
  • Sidney (Elite Four)
    • Mightyena Lv. 46
    • Cacturne Lv. 46
    • Shiftry Lv. 48
    • Sharpedo Lv. 48
    • Absol Lv. 49
  • Phoebe (Elite Four)
    • Dusclops Lv. 48
    • Banette Lv. 49
    • Banette Lv. 49
    • Sableye L. 50
    • Dusclops Lv. 51
  • Glacia (Elite Four)
    • Glalie Lv. 50
    • Sealeo Lv. 50
    • Glalie Lv. 52
    • Sealeo Lv. 52
    • Walrein Lv. 53
  • Drake (Elite Four)
    • Shelgon Lv. 52
    • Altaria Lv. 54
    • Flygon Lv. 53
    • Flygon Lv. 53
    • Salamence Lv. 55
  • Steven (Champion)
    • Skarmory Lv. 57
    • Cradily Lv. 56
    • Claydol Lv. 55
    • Armaldo Lv. 56
    • Aggron Lv. 56
    • Metagross Lv. 58

Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire’s Rival Battles Don’t Affect The Best Starter

Besides the main battles, you’ll run into your rival a few times in the Generation 3 games, but these encounters end pretty quickly – you won’t even see their final, fully evolved Pokémon. You can find their strongest team outside the Lilycove Department Store, though the specific Pokémon they use will depend on which starter you picked.

  • Swellow Lv. 31, Wailmer Lv. 32, Shroomish Lv. 32, and Combusken Lv. 34 (if you pick Treecko)
  • Swellow Lv. 31, Shroomish Lv. 32, Numel Lv. 32, and Marshtomp Lv. 34 (if you pick Torchic)
  • Swellow Lv. 31, Numel Lv. 32, Wailmer Lv. 32, and Grovyle Lv. 34 (if you pick Mudkip)

The battles throughout the game, even the last one at the Lilycove Department Store, are fairly easy. Because of this, they won’t affect which starter Pokémon is considered the best in the Generation 3 games – the outcome remains the same no matter which one you choose.

Why Mudkip is The Best Starter in Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire

If you want a strong and reliable Pokémon to begin your journey through Gyms and challenge the Elite Four in these games, Mudkip from Ruby and Sapphire is the best choice. Here’s why:

  • Mudkip has no issues with Roxanne, even unevolved
  • Mudkip/Marshtomp take and deal neutral damage vs. Brawly
  • Marshtomp takes no damage from Electric attacks vs. Wattson, and Ground is supereffective against its Pokemon
  • Both Water and Ground are supereffective against Flannery’s Pokemon
  • Marshtomp/Swampert take and deal neutral damage vs. Norman
  • Marshtomp/Swampert take and deal neutral damage vs. Winona’s Swellow, whereas Pelipper, Skarmory, and Altaria take no damage from Ground moves and resist Water
  • Swampert deals supereffective damage to Tate and Liza’s Pokemon
  • Swampert resists or takes neutral damage from Wallace, while also dealing neutral damage with Ground moves
  • Swampert can deal with Sydney’s Mightyena, Sharpedo, and Absol easily, but takes 4x damage from Cacturne and Shiftry’s Grass-type moves
  • Swampert takes and deals neutral damage vs. Phoebe
  • Swampert takes and deals neutral damage vs. Glacia
  • Swampert can deal with Drake’s Shelgon and two Flygon easily, but can struggle against Altaria and Salamence without Ice moves
  • Swampert can deal easily with Steven’s entire team except for Skarmory

Swampert struggles against certain Gym Leaders – Winona, Sydney, and Drake – because it can’t learn Ice-type moves, and it has trouble with Skarmory. However, if you build a team that covers those weaknesses, Mudkip is the strongest starter Pokémon in Generation 3, purely from a competitive standpoint. While all three starters can beat the game, Mudkip offers the best overall performance. Torchic is a solid second choice, and Treecko is generally considered the least effective.

Torchic performs well against challenging opponents like Sydney, Glacia, and Steven, while Treecko has a harder time with many Gym Leaders and Elite Four members, including the Champion. However, choosing a starter in Pokemon Emerald is different. That game significantly changes battles and opponents, meaning Mudkip isn’t always the best choice.

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2026-04-03 16:06