Pokémon Fan Figures Out How To Rescue Your Gen 1 And Gen 2 Pokédex

Some "Pokémon" fans like to start fresh with every game release, beginning a new journey and building a new Pokédex. Others, however, like to see each game as another chapter in an ongoing story. They transfer their Pokémon from one title to the next, carrying over their progress. Now, thanks to the work of a committed Pokémon trainer and programmer, the ability to transfer Pokémon has been extended all the way back to the beginning of the series. Until now, this has largely been out of reach.

Unfortunately, when the third generation launched with "Pokémon Ruby" and "Sapphire," changes from the Game Boy to the Game Boy Advance made it impossible to link the new games to the old. This cut off players from trading with the older generations. Even as the "Pokémon" franchise has evolved and moving one's collection from one game to the next has gotten easier, Pokémon from the first two generations have remained largely out of bounds for modern gamers. This left Gen 1 and Gen 2 Pokémon forever trapped on their original cartridges, awaiting the tragic fate of eventually disappearing forever.

Thankfully, one clever fan has finally found a way to rescue these Gen 1 and Gen 2 Pokémon, pulling them forward to Gen 3. From Gen 3, these Pokémon can then be traded further on to the later generations and into the current games. With this development, gamers can now, through a series of transfers, get their very first Pokémon into the modern era.

Redditor Lorenzooone recently posted their newly developed method for transferring beloved pocket monsters from the Game Boy to the GBA so they can be saved from the first generation onward. This method requires downloading their homebrew software for the GBA, as well as a certain level of comfort with performing these sorts of technical tasks. It also requires a GBA with a Gen 3 game, a Game Boy with a Gen 1 or Gen 2 game, and Game Boy Link Cable.

Assuming a player has all the necessary equipment, Lorenzooone has provided a link to their software and a video walkthrough of the transfer process. The procedure isn't exactly easy, but it does seem to work, and based on responses to the post, plenty of trainers are thrilled to finally have access to their old friends again. 

Not everyone will want to risk their old GBA by downloading homebrew software, and some may not want to go through the hassle. For Pokémon trainers that truly need to "catch 'em all," however, this is an amazing and welcome development.