How to Patch a Pokemon ROM in Under Ten Minutes
Patching sounds scarier than it is. A patch file is a small set of instructions that turns a clean ROM into the hacked game. You bring the ROM, the patch brings the changes, the patcher glues them together. None of the steps need an account, and nothing here installs anything secretly.
The two patchers, side by side
Pick one. The browser patcher is easiest; xDelta is the one that handles the biggest, newest hacks.
| ROM Patcher JSBest | xDelta cross | |
|---|---|---|
| Installs anything | No | No |
| Runs in browser | Yes | No, an app |
| Handles xdelta patches | Yes, small | Yes, all sizes |
| Best for | Most hacks | Big recent hacks |
Patching, step by step
Get a clean ROM from a cartridge you own
Dump it with a cart reader or a homebrew console. A downloaded ROM is the part that is illegal, so do not start there.
Download the patch file
Grab the .xdelta or .ips file from the hack's release page. The patch is usually a few megabytes.
Open the patcher and drop both files in
The patcher asks for the patch and the clean ROM. Match the base the hack expects, almost always FireRed for GBA hacks.
Apply and save the patched ROM
Save it with a new name so you keep the clean ROM. The output is what your emulator opens.
Open it in your emulator and test the title screen
If the custom title screen shows, the patch applied. If the game is a black screen, the base ROM did not match, recheck step three.
Ninety percent of the bug reports I get are people who patched onto the wrong base, or onto a ROM they already patched. Start clean, every time.
When it goes wrong
Frequently asked questions
The patched ROM is a black screen
The base ROM did not match the patch. Recheck which base the hack expects, redump a clean copy, and patch onto that. Do not patch onto an already-patched ROM.
The patcher says the file is too big
Use xDelta instead of the browser patcher. The browser tool struggles with the largest modern hacks; xDelta handles any size.
My emulator says unsupported file type
Name the output file ending in .gba, .nds, or .gb matching the base. Some patchers let the extension default oddly; just rename it.
Do I need to do this every time I play
No. You patch once and keep the output file forever. After that, just open it in your emulator.
Patched and ready?
Pick a hack that earned its slot and start playing.