GB-Link Switch LDN

Trade and battle between a real Game Boy Advance and Pokémon FireRed / LeafGreen on Nintendo Switch. This page sets up the two boards that make it possible, and can carry the link between them.

1

ESP32 board

Joins the Switch's wireless room. ESP32-S3, C6, C3 or the original ESP32.

2

GB-Link adapter

Plugs into the Game Boy Advance in place of a Wireless Adapter.

More options

Install a .uf2 of your own:

By hand: hold BOOTSEL while plugging the adapter in, then copy the firmware file onto the RPI-RP2 drive that appears.

3

Play

The two boards talk either over a few wires, with no computer involved, or through this page.

Standalone

Join the boards with three wires and power them from anything. This page is not needed while you play.

Connect the board in step 1 to see which of its pins go to the adapter's GP8 and GP9.

Through this computer

Leave both boards plugged into USB and let this page carry the link. Keep the tab open and in view while you play.

Connect both boards first.

On the consoles
  1. On the Switch, go upstairs in a Pokémon Center to the Direct Corner, choose Trade Center or Colosseum, and become the group leader.
  2. On the Game Boy Advance, with the adapter plugged in, choose the same activity and join a group. The Switch player is listed after a few seconds.
  3. When you leave the room, the ESP32 board restarts and is ready for the next one about ten seconds later.

Trades and single battles work. Trading without a Game Boy Advance (the page standing in for the GBA) is not part of this page yet; the desktop app in host/ does that, on Windows and Linux, with the same firmware.

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