Get Pokemon on Your Android Device

You can now play the famous creature-collecting game on your Android device. If you're looking to play Pokémon GO, the first place to check is the Google Play Store. However, for the many countries where the app is not available through Google Play, there is also a third-party method that'll allow you to download the game without using the Play Store. Additionally, hardcore fans can use Game Boy and DS emulators just to play other Pokémon games on their Androids. Game Boy versions of Pokémon are light enough to work well on Android devices.

Steps

Getting Pokémon GO Using a Third-Party Source

1. Open your phone's settings. This tutorial will walk you through how to obtain Pokémon GO on an Android from a third party source, which is useful for countries where the game may not be available on Google Play. To open your settings, look for a gray cog on the home screen labelled "Settings" and tap on it.
2. Scroll down to the "Security" section. You will see a button labelled "Allow installation of apps from unknown sources." Indicate "Yes" to this option by sliding this button to the right, turning it green.
   • Allowing apps to be installed from third-party sources makes your phone more susceptible to malware. For this reason, after completing this process, it's a good idea to turn this setting off again.
3. Go to a third-party site from a desktop computer to get the Pokémon GO app. Your best bet is to use the file on APKMirror, which can be found here: http://www.apkmirror.com/apk/niantic-inc/pokemon-go/pokemon-go-0-29-0-release/pokemon-go-0-29-0-android-apk-download/
   • Click on the link above.
   • Hit the red "Download APK" button to begin the file download.
4. Download Android File Transfer. This program will allow you to transfer the Pokémon GO app to your phone. To get Android File Transfer:
   • Click on this link: https://www.android.com/filetransfer/
   • Click on the "Download Now" button.
5. Open the androidfiletransfer.dmg file you just downloaded. In your Downloads folder, locate the file and double-click on it.
6. Drag the Android File Transfer icon into your Applications folder. Hold your mouse on the icon to drag it across. Then, wait for a green + symbol to appear next to the Applications folder, and release the mouse.
7. Connect your Android to your computer. The easiest way to do this is by Access-Your-Android-from-Your-PC.
8. Open the Android File Transfer application. The data stored on your Android will open in application window.
9. Load the APK file onto your Android using Android File Transfer. Drag the downloaded APK file into the Android File Transfer application to save it onto your Android.
10. Find the app on your Android's home screen. You're ready to play!

Getting an Emulator

1. Find an emulator that can play the version of Pokémon you want. There are many different versions of Pokémon that have been released for all of the different Gameboys over the years. You will need a different emulator depending on which version you want to play.
   • Red, Blue, Gold, Silver, Crystal - You'll need a Game Boy Color emulator. One of the most popular is John GBC. There is a free version or a more full-featured version for a few dollars.
   • Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald - You'll need a Game Boy Advance emulator to run these games. Popular GBA emulators include My Boy! and GBA.emu. Note that these emulators can usually also run Game Boy and Game Boy Color games.
   • Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, Black, White, Black 2, White 2, HeartGold, SoulSilver - You'll need a Nintendo DS emulator. The current king in this department is DraStic DS Emulator. It costs a little more than other emulators but runs Nintendo DS games flawlessly on most devices. There are also free emulators available.
   • X, Y, Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire - It is not currently possible to play Nintendo 3DS games on Android, as there is no legitimate emulator. Avoid any site that claims to host a 3DS emulator, as these are most likely scams.
2. Check the system requirements. Before downloading an emulator, ensure that your phone meets the system requirements for the app. Some of the newer emulators such as DraStic may only run on newer devices. All apps will post their system requirements in the App Description.
3. Install the emulator. All of the most popular emulators can be downloaded directly from the Google Play Store. If you want to install an emulator that isn't available on the Google Play Store, you'll need to enable installing apps from other sources:
   • Open your device's Settings menu.
   • Tap Security.
   • Check the "Unknown sources" box.
   • Download the emulator from its website, or Add-Music-to-Your-Android Device onto your Android device from your computer.
   • Find the APK file on your device using a File Explorer app. Tap it to install the app.
4. Download the Game Boy Advance BIOS file. If you are installing a Game Boy Advance emulator, you will need to download a separate BIOS file. This file is not included for legal reasons, but can easily be found online by searching for "gba_bios.bin"
   • Place this BIOS file somewhere on your phone that is easy to find. It is recommended that you place it in the same folder that you will be placing your ROM files in.
   • You will be asked to locate the BIOS file when you start your Game Boy Advance emulator for the first time.

Downloading the Game

1. Search Google for the game you want plus the word "ROM". For example, if you want Pokémon Emerald, search "Pokémon Emerald ROM". A ROM file is a copy of the game that the emulator will load. It is essentially a copy of the original cartridge. It is illegal to download a ROM of a game that you do not own.
   • ROM sites come and go quite often, and not all of them will host Pokémon files. Some of the current popular ROM sites include romhustler.net, emuparadise.me, and loveroms.com. Avoid sites that ask you to answer surveys or jump through a lot of hoops to get the file.
2. Download the ROM file. Once you've found a good link, tap the Download button on the ROM's page to download it to your device. Look carefully for the real download link. Oftentimes there will be advertisements disguised as Download buttons. Files will be downloaded in .ZIP or .7z format to your Download folder.
   • The time the game takes to download varies depending on the game. Pokémon Red is a much smaller file than Pokémon Black 2.
3. Place the ROM in a dedicated folder. You may find it easier to collect all of your ROM files in one place, especially if you are downloading multiple games. You can use a file manager app on your phone to move the files to a dedicated folder, or you can plug your device into your computer and use Windows Explorer to move files around.

Playing the Game

1. Open your emulator. Depending on which emulator you chose, the process for opening ROMs may vary. Some emulators will ask you to browse for the ROM immediately when you launch the emulator, others you will need to tap "Load ROM" or "Open".
   • Some emulators such as GBAoid will prompt you for your ROM folder location. This is when having all of your ROMs in one location will make things much easier.
2. Select your game. After the app completes its search, the list of games you have downloaded will appear on the menu. To play, simply tap on the name and the game will start automatically.
3. Start playing. Most emulators will place virtual buttons on the touchscreen that emulate the physical directional pad and buttons on a Game Boy. Use these to control just as you would on a real Game Boy.
4. Save your game at any time with save states. One of the benefits of using an emulator is the ability to take a snapshot of your game at any time. This allows you to save at a moment's notice, or quickly revert back to an earlier snapshot.
   • The process for creating a save states varies depending on your emulator. You can usually create one by pulling up the emulator's menu while playing.
5. Customize the emulator layout. Many emulators allow you to adjust the position of the onscreen buttons, and emulators like DraStic allow you to adjust how the DS's dual screens are displayed on your device. You man make these adjusts in the emulator's menu.
6. Get a leg up using built-in cheat tools. Many emulators include cheat tools that allow you to enter Gameshark Action Replay, and CodeBreaker codes. You usually need to be using one of the paid emulators in order to access the cheat features. Some emulators come with databases of codes that you can use immediately, while others will need to have codes entered manually.

Tips

• Understand that in many places, it may be illegal to download emulated versions of Game Boy games. Check the piracy laws in your country!

Sources and Citations

See also

• Install GBA4iOS on iOS
• Play Arcade Games on a Computer
• Get an Emulator
• Play NES Games on Your Computer Using Roms
• Use an Emulator and Roms
• Add Cheats to Project 64
• Use and Set up VisualBoy Advance
• Set Up a Xbox 360 Controller on Project64
• Use a Playstation Emulator
• Set up a Playstation Emulator

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