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The anon pointing out the map design is absolutely correct; although it is funny that the map that loops most easily is the one pre-Unova game where you cannot notably sequence break.
Some of it is also the legacy of RSE being the first to do certain things that the first non-Game Boy titles would have done, which don't statnd out nearly as much with so many later games to compare to now. The game has visible sections between the usual fields, the Mt. Chimney area, the rainy forest and the ocean that couldn't be done with what Game Freak had the Game Boy. Contests and to a lesser extent bases (only mixed records with a couple of people in person at the time) are fun little single-player diversions that not every other Pokemon game has a match for. And despite the Pokedex's numerous pitfalls I think they actually have a pretty good Pokemon selection on the player's side of things- its some of the boss rosters and the evil teams using three Pokemon families for absolutely no reason where it falters. 60 FPS for the GBA versions too, though Fire Red and Leaf Green share that perk.
But the Pokedex is definitely off-kilter, Ruby and Sapphire are super easy, and the collective visual jump was modest, that's all true. Something has always been missing for me too.
