Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire

Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire is a Gamecube exclusive Pokemon utility disk. It in itself is not directly actually a game, but rather serves as a Pokemon storage system and emulator. Released on July 11th, 2004 in the United States and May 30th, 2003 in Japan, Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire joined the 3rd generation of Pokemon games.

Developed by the Pokemon Company and published by Nintendo, Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire has become sort of a collector’s item in recent years due to its limited availability in the United States. While it had more of a widespread release in the Japanese market, it was only available at the Pokemon Center store in New York City. Because of this, used copies now go for well over one hundred dollars on Ebay, Amazon and other sources.

Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire Box Blurbs

 

The Ultimate Utility for the Poké-Maniac Is Here!

Store up to 1,500 Pokémon from Pokémon Ruby or Pokémon Sapphire!

Organize, collect, sort and search your Pokémon!

Play Pokémon Ruby or Pokémon Sapphire on your TV!

Display your Pokémon on a Showcase stage! Customize the stage and background then display your Pokémon!

 

 

Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire Features

Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire acts similar to the modern Pokemon Bank, allowing trainers to store and move their captured Pokemon. It allows up to 1,500 Pokemon in 25 boxes total boxes (holding up to 60 each). The stored Pokemon could also be moved freely between Pokemon Sapphire and Pokemon Ruby, as its name suggests. It would also work between Pokemon Emerald, LeafGreen and FireRed.

Unlike the Pokemon Bank, where the Pokemon are stored on a cloud type storage system, Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire allowed for saving through a Gamecube memory card that would take up to 59 blocks. A special edition memory card was also included in Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire.

Once inside the Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire disk, Brigette, a sister to Lanette, will guide you through the storage system. Main features include the ability to select a Pokemon and view:

Original trainer
Moves
Friendliness
Contest Stats
Level

The viewing screen is similar to what can be found in the Pokemon storage system of today, and has also been compared to the screens in Pokemon Stadium.

In addition to the above aforementioned options, the trainer could also “showcase” their Pokemon on stage. Players could select backgrounds, music and other customizable features and put their favorite Pokemon on display for their friends to see, locally only.

Not all of the Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire were available to players playing Pokemon Ruby, Sapphire, LeafGreen of FireRed from the beginning though. Certain conditions had to be met before Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire featured could be fully utilized.

In Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire

Before Pokemon can be deposited, players must receive the Pokedex.
Non-deposited Pokemon cannot be be withdrawn until at least 100 Pokemon have been caught.

In Pokémon Emerald

Trainers must have received the National Pokedex and have Hall of Fame data.
Non-deposited Pokemon cannot be be withdrawn until at least 100 Pokemon have been caught.

In Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen

Trainers must complete the Sevii Islands quest and have activated Hoenn-based game trades before they can deposit or withdraw any Pokémon.
Players must have 100 Pokémon caught in the Pokédex before they can withdraw any Pokémon which they did not deposit.

Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire Eggs

The Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire disk also has a function to provide Pokemon eggs to the trainers once certain events trigger them. All of them are obtained at level 5, with some having special movies. The following Pokemon can be obtained (with special moves notes):

Swablu – Obtained from the beginning
Zigzagoon – Obtained from having 100 Pokemon in one game.
Skitty – Obtained from having 500 Pokemon in one game
Pichu – Obtained from having 1,499 Pokemon in one game (knows surf)

Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire Emulation

In addition to the Pokemon storage system features, Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire acts as a Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire emulator, allowing the games to be played on the television without the assistance of the Gameboy Player for the Nintendo Gamecube. Despite this, the “Box” feature does not replace the PC mode on the games. This feature can be accessed from the Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire “Go to Adventure” option on the title screen. Currently, Pokemon Box Ruby & Sapphire is the only way to play any handheld Pokemon title on the Nintendo Wii (due to its backwards compatibility).