Pokemon Heart & Soul

By Admin 5 Min Read

Download Pre-Patched Pokemon Heart & Soul GBA ROM Hack

Creator: lildill01
Version: 1.0
Hack of: Emerald
Released: September 27, 2025
Language: English
Status: Completed

Pokemon Heart & Soul is a GBA ROM Hack by lildill01 based on Pokemon Emerald in English. And it is now available to download. It was released on September 27, 2025.

Table of Contents

Download Pre-Patched Pokemon Heart & Soul GBA ROM Hack

What is Pokemon Heart & Soul?

Features

Setting Expectations

Differences from GSC/HGSS

Recommended Emulators

Also, be sure to check out Pokemon Lost World: Echoes of Eternity

What is Pokemon Heart & Soul?

Pokemon Heart & Soul is a modern reimagining of Johto built on the Modern Emerald decomp. It blends elements of Pokémon Gold, Silver, Crystal, and HeartGold/SoulSilver into a fully completed, faithful-yet-fresh experience. Featuring Gen 3 mechanics, modern quality-of-life updates, and extensive playtesting, Heart & Soul delivers the definitive Johto adventure on GBA. Completely open source, it also serves as a foundation for future Johto ROM hacks.

Developer’s Note

Development for this project was primarily (95%) a solo-effort that consumed almost all of my free time for the last year. I am not a professional programmer or artist, but I did my best to make the game that I wanted to play. If you’d like to improve, expand upon, or make your own version of HnS, feel free to take advantage of the open source! Please direct any questions to the (Heart & Soul Discord). I hope you enjoy!

Features

Generation 1-3 Pokémon, plus their later gen evolutions (excluding the Regis and Jirachi)
Full Johto story and Kanto postgame from HGSS, including the Kimono Girls and Eusine
Following Pokémon
Overworld background Pokémon allow you to easily see the notable encounters on each route
Day/Night System with variable encounters
Dynamic overworld palettes
HGSS Music
Highly varied trainer teams and encounters, based on Crystal Legacy
HMs do not need to be taught to a Pokémon in order for it to be used
Apricons replaced with berries, Kurt will use them to make unique Pokéballs
Timekeeping does not track days of the week, Everything is progression based
16 Gym leader rematches
Two Safari Zones
Unique surfing Pokémon sprites
Customizable shiny rate
Physical/special split is toggleable
Fairy type is toggleable
AutoRun and FastSurf are toggleable
Quick run from wild battles using button combination
Ball prompts for quick catching
… and much more!

Setting Expectations

Heart & Soul was designed as a traditional Pokémon adventure, similar to the official mainline games. It is not a difficulty hack and does not include built-in support for alternative playstyles like infinite rare candies, randomization, or nuzlocke modes.
This project stands on the shoulders of giants. Many of the art assets and some code come from existing open-source resources. While I’ve done my best to properly credit all contributors in the game and below, please let me know on the Heart & Soul Discord if you notice any missing credits.
The game has been rigorously playtested (huge thanks to the testers), but small bugs may still exist. If you find any, please report them in the Discord.
Finally, some features from GSC/HGSS were simply too complex or time-consuming to include. See the Differences section below for details.

Differences from GSC/HGSS

Radio is a standalone Key Item with limited functionality instead of a menu in the Pokégear
Trainers will not offer their phone numbers, no way to rematch them
Greatly improved level curve
Apricorns replaced with berries, berry ball catch boost is based on Type
Strength boulder-in-hole puzzles replaced with Emerald Mach Bike puzzles
No itemfinder and no hidden items
Only 50 TMs (The ones from emerald)
Swarms are replaced with a 5% Hoenn encounter on each route in Kanto
Mom does not take your money
Ruins of alph back room requirements are slightly altered
No pokéathalon dome
No trades in Kanto

Recommended Emulators

For PC/Mac: mGBA
For Android: pizzaboy, Lemuroid, Retroarch w/ mGBA core.
For IOS: Delta, Retroarch w/ mGBA core, Ignited.
For Linux Handheld Devices: Retroarch w/ mGBA core.

Future Plans

After release, the immediate priority will be fixing any post-release bugs that surface. Once stability is ensured, I plan to take a step back from active development. During playtesting, the dev team expanded from 1 to 6 members, and work is already underway to port Heart & Soul to the pokeemerald-expansion base.

Screenshots

Useful Stuff

Documentation

Discord

Downloads

Mediafire

Mega

Credits

Lead Developer / Game Director

Lil Dill

Developers

TixoRebel
InfiniteBacon42
Exclsior
Phantonomy
DaniRainbow

For the full credits visit the PokeCommunity thread

Source: PokeCommunity

Admin September 28, 2025

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39 Comments

Sabrina says:

October 13, 2025 at 9:06 pm

1.4 is out. Could you update please? Thank you!

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Peanut says:

October 13, 2025 at 1:54 am

There is a new version. Could you add it?

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Ian says:

October 8, 2025 at 1:02 am

I can confirm that this runs on a 3DS using the Virtual Console emulator via the Super Ultimate 3DS Injector

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Red says:

October 5, 2025 at 3:11 pm

Does this let you trade with real versions? Would be great finally having a Johto game that allows trading with Kanto and Hoen Gen3 games

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acmn says:

October 5, 2025 at 4:52 am

How do I evolve togetic into togekiss

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giannis tsaggaras says:

October 3, 2025 at 5:45 am

any walkthrough ? maybe legendries locations and event’s ?

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- Sean Mcgovern says:
  
  October 5, 2025 at 10:44 pm
  
  Hello does anyone know how too fix the old radio in this game I found it in a cave after new bark city it’s says battery is dead I believe I need that radio too give a girl in exchange for an mystic ticket too go birth island thanks.
  
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Ko says:

October 3, 2025 at 4:05 am

A majority of romhacks which ppl say don’t work on myboy at all, actually do work for me. I have progressed very far or even completed some of them. Zero issues at all. The only one so far that didn’t work, and froze on selection screen, was Pokemon: The Pit. All 3 versions.
It’s odd to me. But you guys need to be less aggressive and confrontational. Are you here to play games? Or to pretend you’re superior to everyone around you?

He who talks, does not know. He who knows, does not talk.
Stop trying to flex your intellectual superiority when you aren’t even a top scientist or working at NASA. Bragging about your own intelligence and trying to put others down who you think are less intelligent than you, is actually not a sign of high intelligence at all. It is only showing a lack of dignity or capability to treat others with respect, kindness and equality. And that is free, you know. It will only hurt yourself in the long run.

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- Ko says:
  
  October 3, 2025 at 4:06 am
  
  You are only hurting yourselves in the long run, I should say.
  
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- Hakumen says:
  
  October 5, 2025 at 2:52 pm
  
  Other things that MyBoy can’t emulate include Super Mariomon, Stranded (at least for me), and some newly released ones like Transform, and Spirits of the Storm
  
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  - Ko says:
    
    October 8, 2025 at 10:56 am
    
    That’s really really weird to me because I’ve been playing Super Mariomon just fine on Myboy and I’m quite far into the game, while not yet completed. I also haven’t gotten the newest update since they nerfed Sonic. It’s currently on v1.3 from April. But I don’t think that should really matter too much, since it is still a complete build and they haven’t added in any new content as far as I know. I did get the latest version of Transform, as well as all the new hacks posted both here and the reddit community, in the last month or so. Just not had time to play through every single one yet. But I’ll just quickly try to open them all up and post a follow-up comment after testing them all out.
    
    But yeah like I said. Maybe it’s just me. (And one other I saw on this site a while back who shared a similar experience)
    But most of them I can literally play thru the game in its entirety with zero issues whatsoever. I don’t even have this pizzaboy emulator, I don’t have retroarch, nor do I play romhacks on my pc literally EVER. And I’ve never felt like I’m missing out on anything. The Pit is the only one I have on the John emulator. It could also come down to my device itself and its specs and firmware and version, etc, possibly my settings on myboy as well? The fact I’ve got the paid version…? I’m guessing most have the free one. Not that having paid would necessarily make something that doesn’t normally work for them on the free version, magically function correctly.
    
    Well, I’ll go check some of these games now on myboy
    
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- Ko says:
  
  October 9, 2025 at 9:06 am
  
  《Repost since it didn’t submit the other dsy for some reason》
  
  Alright. I tested a good amount of them out. And I gotta correct myself on just one thing. I misremembered when it came to Mariomon. I swore I played that on myboy, but I was mistaken. It’s been months since I opened it up and there’s so many romhacks, I forgot. I did play that on John GBAC.
  
  Aside from that one, here are my (limited so far for most, but nevertheless) results of testing games out on MyBoy:
  Pokémon Transform’s latest version loaded up just fine, opening sequence in the daycare was clean.
  Imperium’s second to last latest version worked it just kept resetting when I tried loading my various save states. But my battery save remained and then I could save a state again fine. I hadn’t played since updating it a while ago.
  Pokémon Autumn Red worked.
  Recharged Emerald loaded perfectly.
  Mario Red and Luigi Green just fine.
  Record Keepers didn’t have any issues whatsoever. Pokémon Tourmaline’s new 1.0 update works
  Dark Souls / Pokesouls, and Monster Hunter also load up without a hitch.
  I was able to play Royal Sapphire, I got pretty far in Pokémon: All-In.
  Pokémon Lucid, and Dreamstone Mysteries I’m somewhat far in.
  Sparkling Red is A-OK.
  
  I might be forgetting some. Not Pokémon, but I’ve got dozens of Fire Emblem romhacks, both old and new, last time I got a new romhack or updated version was maybe early this year in the spring. And a lot of those are really insane with what they feature and how they modernize the clássic gba FE games
  and stuff. Especially FE8 (Sacred Stones).
  
  Oh there was Battle Fire’s new update by hacksrepairman. That one works as well.
  
  And finally, the only two which did not work were “Pokémon: Heart and Soul” and “Pokémon: Spirits of the Storm”.
  However, they did both load up in John GBAC, zero problems. For anyone who was unable to play Spirits of the Storm, if you are on android, I’d recommend John GBAC, since you all said it wasn’t working on myboy for you, nor pizzaboy. I doubt it works on Linkboy, as all other games and romhacks I’ve tested on there have consistent results with myboy. (IDK about ios, pc or any other operating systems tho. I only have Samsung-Android)
  
  Some of these I plan to play more than others in the more near future. And I will try to post some updates on this site. Probably not on this page specifically. We’ll see. Maybe on this thread as well as a new comment on whatever is new at the time. I will say Record Keepers, HnS, and Spirits I do want to get thru sooner rather than later.
  
  And if any bugs or glitches come up on any of these, I’ll also share them as well!! Thanks for reading.
  
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Lexi Johnson says:

October 1, 2025 at 2:52 am

I can’t get across the ice path even with a bike…why make that so difficult?

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Anon says:

September 30, 2025 at 6:44 pm

Congrats u made Whitney even more annoying with the repeated Moo moo milk thing.

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james says:

September 30, 2025 at 6:37 am

what’s the method for trade evolutions in this game ?

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- Skipper says:
  
  October 2, 2025 at 3:34 am
  
  You can find all evolution methods in here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Qqneo5YFYF1h66WzRa1C2SHa3-YssosZGVYOhErUK9M/edit?gid=1441073295#gid=1441073295
  
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Ray says:

September 30, 2025 at 1:59 am

Sometimes it crashes, but other than that I enjoy the game and the modern johto update. The custom settings are nice too

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WhoNose says:

September 29, 2025 at 11:35 pm

The issue is, I got too good at battling from playing pokemon unbound and now only difficulty hacks offer a challenge and fun gaming experience. This shit was a cake walk. Want my money back.

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Omni says:

September 29, 2025 at 8:13 pm

I think I’m stuck cuz i don’t have a hm strength and i can’t find the person who gives it and i can’t fight chuck either

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- Skipper says:
  
  October 2, 2025 at 3:35 am
  
  He’s in Olivine in the restaurant
  
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- Ko says:
  
  October 3, 2025 at 3:49 am
  
  Yo wait dude Omni? 😱 Like.. OMNI Omni? Inferno Omni? Lay it Omni? If so that’s so cool bro!!! Sorry man just wasn’t expectin to see you here. If you have no idea what I’m talking about… Please ignore this 💀
  
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Isidoro24 says:

September 29, 2025 at 3:20 pm

The game apparently let’s you activate the physical and special split but ONLY has TMS from gen 3.
Does this mean that the game has no moves from gen Four like aura sphere,air Slash or dark pulse?asking this because it would defeat the porpuse of the physical and special split.

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- Isidoro24 says:
  
  September 29, 2025 at 3:22 pm
  
  I mean purpose.made a mistake there
  
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  - Fossilmaniac says:
    
    September 29, 2025 at 5:54 pm
    
    doesn’t Work why, why!!!!
    
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    - Abdul says:
      
      September 29, 2025 at 8:56 pm
      
      Can you up load pokemon berilo we need it
      
      3
      
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      - Ko says:
        
        October 3, 2025 at 3:51 am
        
        The name Abdul is really cool man. I had some friends with that name. If I was born in another country in a different life, I’d want that name. It’s a mighty sounding name
        
        2
    - Ko says:
      
      October 3, 2025 at 3:50 am
      
      clam down fossil maniac. Don’t pop a prehistoric blood vessel. Hahahaha
      Here, take this claw fossil I found
      
      4
      
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- Lexi Johnson says:
  
  October 1, 2025 at 3:38 am
  
  I’m stuck in the ice cave because I can’t get across the cracks even with the bike
  
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  - Tacohead says:
    
    October 4, 2025 at 10:33 pm
    
    Hopefuly an update comea out to fix this. Does anyone have reddt or discrd to tell the vre jcreator about this glitch or sof tlock
    ?
    
    Reply
N says:

September 29, 2025 at 10:15 am

Oooukay…it is not another Kanto or Hoenn again, but I don’t think I’ll play this one. Still having a good time with GS Chronicles as Johto GBA

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Same_Kamonegi says:

September 29, 2025 at 5:59 am

I downloaded it and after the first screen (the one that displays the years and company names) it goes black and doesn’t do anything

I don’t know if this is a problem with the game itself or with my emulator (I use myboy)

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- Dio says:
  
  September 29, 2025 at 10:11 am
  
  You really doesn’t read the recommended emulators on this page.
  
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  - John Wilson says:
    
    September 29, 2025 at 9:18 pm
    
    How do trade evos work in this hack?
    
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- N says:
  
  September 29, 2025 at 10:13 am
  
  MyBoy already been reported several times, even being listed as not recommended in mostly nowadays romhacks. Even the MyBoy dev said it’s an old emulator. He created a new one called Linkboy that’s more stable. Also yeah read the page bruh
  
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  - Ko says:
    
    October 3, 2025 at 3:59 am
    
    I took multiple romhacks (not just Pokémon either. And also base roms of more obscure games uploaded to the megathread) which didn’t work on MyBoy, on tried them out on Linkboy. Still did not function correctly, or they failed to load up at all. John emulator is the only one I have which has never failed to load ANY romhack. The only thing it hasn’t been able to load up, are a handful of the GBA video roms. But good luck finding an emulator that can. Probably would need just real hardware. Could be the dumps themselves idk. But also it still loaded MANY that neither myboy nor linkboy could load. And Linkboy was unable to play ANY that failed on Myboy.
    The only thing is I heavily prefer MyBoy’s UI. It’s the best one. Clean, simple, I like its style. I like how it works, the simple list and everything. Only downside to it is after a samsung/android update, you could no longer access its save files. And screenshots are now saved in a different folder entirely. But nothing from the old version has been moved. Plus I tried using external software, my computer, android apps… to move save files around but it just breaks things.
    I do have the paid versions for MyBoy and John emulator, if that makes a difference. Just btw.
    
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Katieb says:

September 29, 2025 at 5:35 am

Crashes as soon as it’s opens 😭

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PokeFan says:

September 29, 2025 at 1:52 am

Any working cheats?

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BertieD says:

September 29, 2025 at 1:09 am

Does anyone know if any cheat codes work with this?

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Sabrina Harkestad says:

September 28, 2025 at 11:44 pm

looks really promising

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