Credit: @ahenley17
Summary
- Hardware adapter lets a real GBA trade Pokémon directly with Switch 2 FireRed/LeafGreen
- Provides an unofficial emergency exit to rescue GBA Pokémon once Pokémon Bank shuts down
- No build instructions yet; an October FireRed/LeafGreen update could let these Pokémon move into Pokémon Home
A month ago, Nintendo announced that it was shutting down the Pokémon Bank service. However, it seems not everyone was ready to let go of the Game Boy era of Pokémon just yet. Someone has figured out a way to transfer Pokémon from a GBA directly to the Switch 2, without needing Nintendo’s services.
This tinkerer found a way to directly bridge generations of Pokémon
It’s like an emergency exit for GBA-era Pokémon
Credit: ahenley17
As spotted by Notebook Check, user ahenley17 on X posted what they’ve been working on. Right now, if you want to migrate a Pokémon all the way from the Game Boy Advance era to the current Switch 2 system, you need to hop from the GBA to a DS, then use the Pokémon Bank app on the DS to move the Pokémon onto the cloud, then send them over to Pokémon Home via the app, then retrieve them on your Switch 2.
The bad news is that, once Nintendo pulls the plug on Pokémon Bank, that migration route will be sealed off forever. The good news is that ahenley17 figured out a way to directly link up a GBA to their Switch 2 and send over Pokémon in a trade. All they had to do was boot up the eShop version of FireRed and LeafGreen on their Switch 2 and finagle the system into performing a trade between it and a Game Boy Advance.
Now that their Pokémon are safe on the Switch 2, they’re ready to move to Pokémon Home once an update to FireRed and LeafGreen drops in October. If all goes well, they may have figured out a way to migrate Pokémon over without using Bank. They haven’t listed any instructions on making your own device at home yet, so keep an eye on their space for more information.
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