Why would you want to buy a Nintendo game console to play Pokémon when you can play the fun-filled game on your computer?

Pokémon are creatures of various shapes and sizes. Numbering over 700. Pokémon is a short name for pocket monsters. It comes as trading cards, video games, TV shows, etc. However, the version that you get to enjoy on your PC is the game.

Mainline Pokémon games have historically only seen releases on Nintendo’s consoles and handheld devices, with Pokémon GO breaking that tradition.

However, there has never been an official release of Pokémon games on PC. Due to Nintendo’s tradition, gamers have to look for other ways to play their favorite titles on computers.

It would always be great to be able to play all your favorite Pokémon games on your PC. The best part is that it is possible through the use of ROMs and emulators. ROMs are digital duplicates of game cartridges, while emulators are applications that simulate game consoles.

You’ll need to download a separate emulator for each game console you want to simulate on your PC. For Pokémon, this includes Game Boy, Game Boy Color, Game Boy Advance, and Nintendo DS. You can also play ROMs online using an online emulator without downloading anything at all.

Playing ROMs Online 

If you don’t want to install an emulator on your computer, there are many sites you can visit to play Pokémon online. Visit https://www.emulatorgames.net in a web browser. It is also one of many websites that have ROMs and emulators for downloading.

Once on the website, type Pokémon in the search bar and press ENTER. This will display all the Pokémon titles available for download.

Select any of the Pokémon games, already displayed and listed by their box cover on the website.  After selecting, click Play Game Online. It’s the button to the right, below the “Download ROM” button. This will then load the game in a window within the website.

Next, click on Run Game button, which will be displayed on that screen. This loads the game and initializes it in the web browser. This may take a few minutes.

Click the icon that resembles a game controller. It appears in the lower-left corner of the emulator window when you hover your mouse cursor over it. This displays the keyboard controls for the game.

To change the keyboard controls, click a button you want to assign, and press the keyboard key you want to assign to that button. Then scroll down and click Update in the window.

The “X” button in the upper-right corner of the keyboard controls window is used to exit the keyboard controls without saving.

To play the game in full-screen mode, click on the icon that resembles two arrows pointing outward. It’s located in the lower-right corner of the ROM game window when you hover your mouse cursor over it.

Click the Pause button to pause the game. It’s in the lower-left corner of the ROM window when you hover your mouse cursor over it.

Click on the music note icon to toggle the sound on or off. It’s in the lower-left corner of the ROM window when you hover the mouse cursor over it.

Click on the download button to save the game state to your computer. It’s the icon of an arrow pointing down over a bar. A save state can be uploaded to resume a game in the exact state it was saved in.

Click the upload button to upload a saved game. It’s the icon of an arrow pointing up over a bar. To upload a save state, select a save state (.save) file you downloaded and click Open.

Click the two arrows in a circle to reset the game.

Playing using a Nintendo DS Emulator

In order to download the Nintendo DS emulator, you need to know whether your computer uses a 32-bit OR, a 64-bit processor.

Go to https://desmume.org/download in your browser. DeSmuME is a Nintendo DS emulator designed for both Windows and Mac computers.

Select a download link. Beneath the “DeSmuME v0.9.13 Binaries for Windows” heading, click either Windows 32-bit (x86) (32-bit system) or Windows 64-bit (x86-64) (64-bit system). DeSmuME will begin downloading after a brief ad.

• You may need to click the direct link if DeSmuME doesn’t begin downloading.

Open the DeSmuME ZIP file. In order to open a zip file, you need an archive program, such as WinZip, WinRAR, or 7-zip. Double-click the zip file to open it. By default, you can find downloaded files in your Downloads folder, or in your web browser. Double-click the downloaded ZIP folder to do so.

Click the option to extract the contents of the zip file. This may be a little different depending on which archive program you are using.

Navigate to the location you want to save the emulator. It’s recommended that you create a folder to store all of your video game ROMs. You may even want to create a separate sub-folder for each game console. You can save the emulator to one of these folders, or any folder of your choice.

Click Ok. This extracts the contents of the zip file to your computer.

DeSmuMe plays Nintendo DS games. Pokémon games for Nintendo DS include Pokémon: HeartGold Version, and Pokémon: Black Version. Use the following steps to download a Pokémon ROM:

To download the Pokémon ROM:

• Go to https://www.emulatorgames.net/ in a web browser.
  • Type “Pokémon” in the search bar in the upper-right corner and press “Enter”.
  • Click a Pokémon title for Nintendo DS.
  • Click Download Game.
  • Open the zip file containing the ROM.
  • Extract the contents of the zip file to a folder on your computer.

Open DeSmuME. Double-click the DeSmuME application file to do so. The DeSmuME emulator will open.

• Click Yes when prompted to confirm that you want to open DeSmuME.

Click File. It’s a tab in the top-left corner of the DeSmuME window. A drop-down menu will appear.

Click Open ROM…. This option is at the top of the drop-down menu.

Select your downloaded ROM. Click the ROM that you downloaded. Go to the “Downloads” folder on the left-hand side of the window to find the ROM.

Click Open. This will open the ROM in the Nintendo DS emulator, at which point your game should start.

View and change keyboard controls. Use the following steps to view and change the keyboard controls:

• Click Config in the menu bar at the top.
  • Click Control Config.
  • Next, click a button and press the keyboard key you want to assign the button.
  • Then press Ok to confirm.

 Save a save state. You can save the game at any moment and load the game at the exact save state. Use the following steps to save the game as a save state:

• Click File ⇾ Save State.
  • Finally, click a number 0 – 9.
•  Load a save state. Use the following steps to load a save state:
• Click File ⇾ Load State.
  • Click a number 0 – 9.

Playing Gameboy Pokémon Games On PC

There are two components for playing a Gameboy Pokémon game on your PC. The first part is the emulator software that can mimic the Gameboy operating system and software.

The second part is the Pokémon game to play on the emulator. To begin with, you can start by downloading a good emulator.  VBA-M, is the recommended, open source and the most frequently updated.

Once you have downloaded VBA-M, extract the downloaded .zip file to your preferred location. Next, double click to run visualboyadvance-m.exe.

Your emulator will now be ready to play Pokémon. Go on and search for the right, ROMs online, a virtual version of the game that needs to be loaded into the emulator.

If you’re curious about the legality of downloading emulators, and Nintendo’s stance, you can read up their TERMS and CONDITIONS on their website, with a variety of ROMs for Pokémon and other Nintendo games on Emulator Games, too.

Click on a game you’d like to play and then click Save Game. A ROM will be downloaded to your PC inside a .zip file. Do not extract the .zip file.

Next, return to Visualboyadvance-m and click File > Open. Navigate to the downloaded .zip file and double click it to open it. The game will now run on the emulator, and you can play the game freely.

To save games on an emulator, click on the File > Save State and then choose an empty slot.

When playing in the future, you can use File > Load State to load up the game from exactly where you last saved it.

Using a Gameboy Color Emulator

Go to https://www.emulatorgames.net/emulators/gameboy-color/ in your browser. This page has a variety of Game Boy Color emulator downloads for a variety of platforms.

Click on BasicBoy (Windows). It’s among the top options on the web page.

ClickDownload Emulator. It’s the green button to the right. You’ll need to wait about 5 seconds, and then it will download the emulator as a ZIP file.

Next, open the BasicBoy ZIP file.

Download an archive program, such as WinZip, WinRAR, or 7-zip, if it is not already in the system. Double-click the zip file to open it. By default, you can find downloaded files in your “Downloads” folder.

Click the option to extract the contents of the zip file. This may be a little different depending on which archive program you are using.

Navigate to the location you want to save the emulator to. It’s recommended that you create a folder to store all of your video game ROMs to. ClickOk to extract the contents of the zip file to your selected folder.

Download a Pokémon ROM. BasicBoy plays Game Boy and Game Boy Color ROMs. Pokémon games for Game Boy and Game Boy Color include Pokémon: Red. Pokémon: Blue, Pokémon: Yellow, Pokémon: Gold, Pokémon: Silver, and Pokémon: Crystal. Use the following steps to download a Pokémon ROM:

• Go to https://www.emulatorgames.net/ in a web browser.
  • Type “Pokémon” in the search bar in the upper-right corner and press “Enter”.
  • Click a Pokémon title for Gameboy Color.
  • Click Download Game.
  • Open the zip file containing the ROM.
  • Extract the contents of the zip file to a folder on your computer.

Double-click thebasicboy.exe application. It resembles a gray and black directional pad. Doing so will open the BasicBoy emulator window.

When you right-click the emulator window, a drop-down menu will appear.

• If your mouse doesn’t have a right-click button, click the right side of the mouse or use two fingers to click the mouse.
  • If your computer uses a trackpad instead of a mouse, use two fingers to tap the trackpad or press the bottom-right side of the trackpad.

 Click Load ROM…. It’s near the top of the drop-down menu.

 Select your downloaded ROM and click Open. This loads the ROM in the BGB emulator.

 Use the following steps to configure the keyboard controls:

• Right-click the BGB window.
  • Click Options.
  • Click Configure keyboard.
  • Press and hold the keyboard button you want to assign for each Game Boy button when prompted.
  • Click Apply.

You can save the game at any moment and load the game at the exact save state. Use the following steps to save the game as a save state:

• Right-click the BGB window.
  • Click State.
  • Click Quick Save.

Use the following steps to load a saved game state:

• Right-click the BGB window.
  • Click State.
  • Click Quick Load.

 

Using a Gameboy Advance Emulator

In order to download the Nintendo DS emulator, you need to know whether your computer uses a 32-bit processor or a 64-bit processor.

Go to https://www.emulatorgames.net/emulators/gameboy-advance/ in a web browser. This page has a variety of Game Boy Advance emulators for a variety of platforms.

Click Boycott Advance 0.4 Windows. This will take you to the download link for Boycott Advance 0.4. There are many emulators to chose from. Some are in 32bit versions, the voice is yours, and the windows bit version.

Click Download Emulator. It’s the green button to the right. You’ll need to wait about 5 seconds, and then it will download the emulator as a ZIP file.

Open the Boycott Advance ZIP file. To open a zip file, you must have an archive program, such as WinRAR, or 7-zip. Double-click the zip file to open it.

By default, you can find downloaded files in your Downloads folder, or follow the path in the web browser. Double-click the downloaded ZIP folder to do so.

Click the option to extract the contents of the zip file. This may be a little different depending on which archive program you are using.

Navigate to the location you want to save the emulator too. It’s recommended that you create a folder to store all of your video game ROMs too.

You may even want to create a separate sub-folder for each game console. You can save the emulator to one of these folders, or any folder of your choice.

ClickOk, to extracts the contents of the zip file to your computer.

Download a Pokémon ROM. Boycott Advance 0.4, plays Game Boy Advance games. Pokémon games for Game Boy Advance include Pokémon: Fire Red, Pokémon: Ruby, Pokémon: Jupiter, Pokémon: Leaf Green, and Pokémon: Emerald.

Use the following steps to download a Pokémon ROM:

• Go to https://www.emulatorgames.net/ in a web browser.
  • Type “Pokémon” in the search bar in the upper-right corner and press “Enter”.
  • Click a Pokémon title for Gameboy Advance.
  • Click Download Game.
  • Open the zip file containing the ROM.
  • Extract the contents of the zip file to a folder on your computer.

Double-click the BoycottAdvance.exe file. The purple icon is in the new window. Doing so opens the BoycottAdvance program.

TheFile tab is in the upper-left corner of the BoycottAdvance window. A drop-down menu will appear. Tap on it.

 Click Open…. This option is near the top of the drop-down menu.

• You can also load Game Boy and Game Boy Color ROMs in BoycottAdvance.

Select your downloaded ROM and clickOpen. This loads the ROM in the BoycottAdvance emulator.

Use the following steps to view and configure the keyboard controls:

• Click Options.
  • Next, go to Configure
  • Click a GBA button and press the keyboard button you want to assign it (optional).
  • Then, click on Ok.

You can even save the game at any moment and load the game at the exact save state. Use the following steps to save the game as a save state:

• Click File.
  • Click Save state.
  • Select one of the numbered save slots.

To load a saved game state, follow the following simple steps.

• Click File.
  • Click Load state.
  • Select one of the numbered save slots.

How to Play Pokémon GO on PC via AirDroid Cast

AirDroid Cast is the best application to screen mirror your mobile devices to Windows. Its amazing feature is that you can not only mirror your screen, but also you can control your mobile device from your PC and that is the reason it is the best option to run Pokémon GO on a PC.

Here are the steps to follow to do so:

Install the Application

Firstly, install the application on your mobile and the PC by click the download link below and launch it.

https://www.airdroid.com/download/airdroid-cast/

Connect the Both the Mobile and PC Devices

There are 3 connection methods that allow you to cast your Android to PC. Each method has its own advantages. You can choose one which is suitable for your needs.

a). WLAN

You can see the QR code and cast code which are displayed on your PC. Open AirDroid Cast to scan the QR code or enter the cast code number. This connection allows you to mirror your mobile phone screen through the same network or remotely.

b). USB

Please connect your iOS/Android device to your computer via a USB cable. Click on allow access to give access to your computer.

c). AirPlay

Tap “Screen Mirroring” in the control center of your iOS device and select “AirDroid Cast – XXX”. Your PC and iOS device should connect to the same network.

Allow Access and Start Playing Pokémon GO on PC

When prompted if you are want to share the screen on both your devices, click on allow to start sharing the screen.

After the screen is shared, click on the hand icon to start control your phone to play game. You can also manage the microphone and speaker.

Play Pokémon GO on the Computer with Virtual Location Tool

To play Pokémon GO on a computer with a Virtual location, you need to have the following things ready:

• Download and install a VPN to choose your location for starting the game and getting the Pokémon at a new location.
• Downloada GPS spoofing app, such as “Mock Mock Locations”.
  
• Set the VPN server location to a place where you want to play and get more Pokémon GO games. You can also change the location many times.
• This will make the system unable to catch you while using emulators. You need to be very clever about this. If you are found using it, you will be banned.
• A fully technical person who is aware of all these terms and conditions can handle this.
• Download and install the Pokémon GO game on your mobile device and follow the complete guidelines to play it in a much better way.

Choose and download VPN

Choose a VPN and launch it after complete downloading. Go to Play Store and also download the Fake GPS Location App.

Finish settings

Go to the settings option on your phone and open the “About Phone” tab. Then turn on developer mode and move to settings again to select the “Developer” option.

Root your device

Root your mobile device. Then install and turn on “Mock Locations”.

Start playing game

Turn on your mobile VPN and select the specific server of an area where you would like to play Pokémon GO. Also, make sure your Spoofing app is working, and then play the Pokémon GO freely.

How to Play Pokémon GO on Windows PC

Pokémon GO is an augmented reality game by Nintendo. Just a few days after its release, some players have gotten in serious trouble by walking into unsafe neighborhoods, discovering dead bodies, or getting robbed.

To set up Pokémon GO on Windows using BlueStacks, set up a bunch of tools in exactly the right order.

To use BlueStacks, go ahead and download all the tools listed below. For everything but BlueStacks – the Android emulator for Windows that we’ll use to install the game -, download the Android APK file.

• A Windows PC and admin rights to install software.
• BlueStacks.
• KingRoot, a root tool for Android devices.
• Lucky Patcher, a tool to modify app permissions.
• Fake GPS Pro, an app to spoof your location. It costs around $5 on the Google Play Store. You can still find the APK file for free, but download at your own risk.
• Pokémon GO, the game itself. Follow the guidelines first before installing, to make sure it works on the PC.

Make sure to put all these files into a single folder, to easily find them later.

How to Set It All Up

1. You should also set up your Google account. If you do that now, you’ll be able to connect to the game quicker later on.
2. Install and Run KingRoot
3. To install KingRoot, open BlueStacks, click the APK symbol on the left, open the respective APK file on your computer, and KingRoot will install automatically.
4. Once installed, run KingRoot, scroll to the bottom, click Try it, then click Fix now.

When you see your Security Index, click Optimize now, then close KingRoot.

3. Restart BlueStacks
4. Click the cogwheel in the top-right corner of BlueStacks and select Restart Android Plugin. This will restart your BlueStacks app player.
5. Copy Files from Windows
6. Click the folder icon in the BlueStacks sidebar on the left and open FakeGPS. You don’t actually have to complete the action with any app; it should be copied to BlueStacks automatically. You can close the selection window by clicking a random spot in the background.
7. Install and Run Lucky Patcher
8. Click the APK on the left-hand side of the BlueStacks window, select the APK file on your computer, and it will install. When you open Lucky Patcher for the first time, click Allow to grant the app access.

Now, inside Lucky Patcher, go to Rebuild & install in the bottom right, then head to sdcard > Windows > BstSharedFolder. Here, select the APK file for FakeGPS and Install as a System App. Confirm with Yes to install.

Now, reboot BlueStacks to apply those changes. You can hit Yes or use Restart Android Plugin.

6. Install Pokémon GO
7. As for KingRoot and Lucky Patcher before, just install the APK file you downloaded previously. Don’t launch the app at this point because it won’t work yet.
8. Check Your Location Settings
9. In BlueStacks, click the cogwheel in the top right, select Settings, go to Location, and make sure the Mode is set to High accuracy.

Any Windows GPS service needs to be disabled, because it can mess with BlueStacks. In Windows PC, press Windows key + I to access the Settings app, then head to Privacy > Location and make sure the Location for this device is set to Off.

In other versions of Windows, open the Start Menu, search for location, and ensure the feature, if available, is disabled.

8. Set Up FakeGPS
9. Head back to Lucky Patcher and you might see FakeGPS in the list of apps.
10. If not among the list, go to Search at the bottom, then select Filters in the top right, check System Apps, and click Apply.
11. Click FakeGPS from the list and select Launch App. A How to operate window will pop up that explains how to use it. Read the instructions carefully and click OK to close the window.

Click the three dotted button in the top right, go to Settings, check Expert Mode, read the warning message, and confirm with OK.

Click the back arrow in the top left to get back to the map. Now select your preferred location, either somewhere close to your real location or your favorite and, ideally, highly populated place on the planet.

Click the entry and select Save to add that location to your favorites. Click the orange Play button in the bottom right to engage the fake location.

9. Play Pokémon GO
10. If the Pokémon GO app takes a while to launch, that’s okay. You’ll set Pokémon GO up exactly like you would on a regular Android or iOS device. You can log in with Google and the app will automatically load your previously set up Pokémon GO account, should you have attached one to your Google account.

When the game finally launches, you should find yourself in the fake location you engaged in earlier. If the game doesn’t immediately detect your location, go back to FakeGPS (inside Lucky Launcher), pick a spot on the map, and engage a fake location again.

Every time you want to move to a different spot, you have to go back to FakeGPS and engage a new fake location. That’s why it’s handy to set a few favorites, which will help you to go back and forth between Poke Stops.

N/B: You don’t have to turn off your camera. When the first Pokémon is detected and your camera doesn’t work, the app will ask you whether you want to turn off AR mode (AR = augmented reality). Just confirm with Yes and you can catch the Pokémon in the virtual environment.

If you have a touch screen, you can use it to interact with the app and throw your Poke Balls.

Troubleshooting Tips

Setting up this game in BlueStacks isn’t easy, and you can easily miss a couple of things along the way. Here are some tips in case the game fails to detect GPS or your location.

• On Windows, make sure the Location for this device is off.
• In FakeGPS, double-check that Expert Mode is enabled.
• In BlueStacks’ location settings, confirm that Google Location History is Off and Mode is set to High accuracy.
• Launch FakeGPS and engage a new fake location.
• Use a location you have visited in reality on your Android or iOS device.
• Restart BlueStacks and try again.

How To Play Pokémon Games Without an Emulator?

If you’d prefer to play a Pokémon game on PC that doesn’t require an emulator, you’ll be happy to hear there are many options available. Some are official releases from Nintendo, and others are third party games.

Pokémon Trading Card Game – Official

If you like the physical Pokémon trading card game, you’ll love the online version too. One advantage with this platform is, the same code you get when you purchase a physical Pokémon trading card pack, can be used to open a pack online as well with no restrictions.

The Pokémon trading card game features online battles with strangers, friends, and AI, with frequently new pack collections released to keep the gameplay and meta interesting.

PokeMMO – Unofficial

PokeMMO is a fan made unofficial Pokémon multiplayer game that’s free to play. You can meet up with other friends in the world and progress through missions, catch Pokémon, and defeat gym leaders together. You can trade Pokémon and battle others, too.

PokeMMO combines four different regions and brings all the Pokémon from those regions with it, and uses graphics similar in style to Pokémon Black and White.

Pokémon-Planet – Unofficial

Pokémon-Planet is another fan made unofficial Pokémon game you can play online. It features a fan made world that’s bigger than any other Pokémon game.

Hundreds of Pokémon from different regions are included, and you can catch, train and evolve them just like in the official games. You can build a team in Pokémon-Planet and form a clan of Pokémon trainers and go head-to-head with others online.

Conclusion

Everything on a bigger canvas is appealing to the eye. Similarly, gaming is much more amusing when played on a bigger screen. The user can immerse himself in the media and enjoy high resolution and clarity, making the experience much more engrossing.

So, in this article, we kept our target on providing you the best possible mirroring ways and some useful tips and tricks, so you can play Pokémon on your PC like a pro.

Playing Pokémon games on the PC involves easy steps. However, you have to download it first to get started. With all the steps outlined in this tutorial, you wouldn’t need anyone to assist you because they are crystal clear.

Now, you no longer have any dull moments because you can always enjoy yourself when you game on your computer. More importantly, you don’t need to buy a Nintendo game console any more before enjoying some Pokémon in the comfort of your home.

Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for Nintendo to make Pokémon GO available on Windows. While this solution might not be perfect (or legal), it does work and may give those living in rural areas or unable to leave the house an opportunity to safely participate in the hype.

An alternative, and easier way to play Pokémon GO on Windows is using the Nox App Player. This emulator even comes with Pokémon GO pre-installed, and you can navigate inside the game using your keyboard.

Another welcome feature is that the emulator window automatically minimizes the dimensions of the game.

If you also see a white map and can’t leave the default location, close Nox App Player and manually add your preferred coordinates (right click a spot-on Google Maps > What’s here?) under C:\\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Nox\conf.ini. Fortunately, you don’t have to switch your location a lot because you can walk around using keyboard navigation.

Pokémon Ready, Set, GO!

Right now, Pokémon GO is the hottest app on the planet. Unfortunately, it’s not available on the Windows Store. This triggered some disgruntled users to start a Change.org petition to convince Nintendo to develop an app for Windows 10.

The petition has gathered close to 25k votes, but Nintendo are yet to do something about it.