Play Pokémon GBC, GBA, NDS Hack Roms on Android, IOS and PC
A Complete Guide to Playing Hacked Pokémon GBA ROMs on Android, iPhone, and PC. Recommended emulators, installing APKs, and how to patch ROMs with UPS files.
How big is your ROM?
.gba
Game Boy Advance.nds
Nintendo DS.gbc
Game Boy ColorGBA emulators (My Boy!, mGBA) also read files .gbc. A GBA emulator doesn't open files .nds — You need an NDS emulator for that.
Play GBA Online for Free
No download required. Compatible with Android, iPhone, and PC. Touch controls on mobile, keyboard on computer. You can save your game and pick it up later.
GBA and NDS Emulators for Android
The best GBA and NDS emulators for Android in 2025. All are free except for DraStic, and most are available on Google Play.
Nintendo DS (NDS)
GBA emulators do not read files .nds — You need a specific emulator for the NDS.
How to Install an APK
If you'd rather download the emulator directly as an APK instead of using the Play Store, follow these steps.
Download the APK file
Download the APK from the emulator's official website. Avoid unverified third-party websites to prevent installing malicious software.
Enable "Unknown Sources"
Go to Settings → Security (or Privacy) and enable "Unknown Origins". In Android 8 or later, the permission is granted on a per-application basis: you'll need to enable it for the browser or file explorer you're using to install the app.
Install the APK
Open the downloaded file from your browser or from a file explorer such as ZArchiver. Tap "Install" In the security prompt that appears, confirm the necessary permissions.
GBA and NDS Emulators for PC
The best options for playing hacked GBA and NDS ROMs on a computer. All free.
Nintendo DS (NDS)
Patching a ROM with UPS
Some hacked ROMs are distributed as files .ups .ups instead of a pre-patched ROM. Here's how to apply it.
Quick option: patch in the browser
No installation required. Works on PC and Android.
Get the original ROM
You need the game's base ROM (for example Pokémon FireRed (U).gba). Pokemundo does not offer original ROMs—you'll have to get one on your own from a legal source.
Get the UPS file
The file .ups .ups This is the ROM hack patch. It's included in the ZIP file you downloaded for the ROM hack. Some ROMs already come with the patch applied, in which case you can skip applying the patch.
Apply the patch
Online (PC and Android): Open RomPatcher.js, load the ROM and the .ups file, and click "Apply patch". The patched file downloads automatically.
On PC: Download NUPS, choose "Apply an UPS patch to a file", select the ROM and the patch, and click Apply.
On Android: Use UniPatcher from the Play Store, select a ROM and a patch, and tap "Apply Patch".
iPhone and iPad
As of April 2024, Delta Emulator is officially available on the App Store. No jailbreak, no AltStore. Compatible with GBA, NDS, SNES, N64, and GBC.
Download Delta from the App Store
Search "Delta - Game Emulator" in the App Store or use the link above. It's completely free and doesn't require a jailbreak.
Import the ROM from the hack ROM
Open Delta and tap the button + to import games. You can do this from the app Files (iCloud or direct download), via AirDrop from a Mac, or using any direct download link from Safari.
Play using touch controls or a controller
Delta features customizable touch controls and is compatible with Bluetooth controllers: PS5, Xbox, and any MFi gamepad. You can save your session at any time and use custom skins to change the emulator's appearance.
Common Mistakes
Quick solutions to the most common problems when playing hacked GBA and NDS ROMs on Android, iPhone, and PC.
UPS Patch
You're using the wrong version of the base ROM. Each hack ROM requires a specific version (for example, FireRed USA v1.0, not v1.1 or the EUR version). Download the original ROM for the exact region and version specified by the ROM hack, and try patching it again.
Android · PC
Try a different emulator — My Boy!, RetroArch, and Pizza Boy GBA have different levels of compatibility. Also make sure the file has the correct extension (.gba for GBA, .nds for NDS) and that is unzipped, not inside a .zip o .rar.
Android
In My Boy! Enable frameskip in Settings → Emulation. In RetroArch, go to Quick Settings → Frameskip. If you have a low-end phone, Pizza Boy GBA usually runs better than My Boy!. For NDS with DraStic, reduce the resolution from 2× to 1× in the emulator settings.
Android 11 and later
In Android 11 and later, emulators require explicit permission to access folders. Open the emulator, go to Settings → ROM Folder and select the folder where you saved the file. Also make sure the ROM is unzipped—not inside a .zip o .rar.
Hack Roms
That ROM hack doesn't have a Spanish translation. Many ROM hacks are only available in English—check the game's description on its download page to see if there's a Spanish version. If there isn't, you'll have to play it in the language that's available.
iPhone · iOS
Download the ROM from Safari and tap Share → Open in Delta. If you downloaded it using a different browser, move the file to the app Files ("On My iPhone" folder) and import it from Delta by tapping the button +.
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