Time Capsule exploit

The Time Capsule exploit, also known as the Johto guard glitch, is a method used in Pokémon Gold, Silver, and Crystal that works around the programming checks put in place on the Time Capsule to prevent players from trading Generation II Pokémon to Pokémon Red, Green, Blue, and Yellow. The Pokémon sent over to the older game is either recognized as a glitch Pokémon or a Generation I Pokémon, depending on its index number.

Requirements

To exploit the Time Capsule checks, a Generation I and II game as well as a Game Link Cable are required.

In-game, the player will need a ????? (FF). There are multiple ways to obtain a ????? with an index number of 0xFF. The Celebi Egg glitch can be used to get any version of ?????. To do this, the Celebi Egg glitch should be done with a Pokémon that has only two moves. This will produce an Egg that will hatch into a "bad clone" of ????? (00), likely ????? (00) though there are ways to obtain a ????? (FC) or ????? (FE). If the player has a ????? (00), the player must deposit said "bad clone" into the Pokémon Day Care on Route 34. Should everything go correctly, the "bad clone" will become a ????? (FF). If the Egg hatched into ????? (FC) or ????? (FE), the player will need to train them to level 3 or 18, respectively, to have them evolve into ????? (00) before depositing the "bad clone" into the Day Care. A second, though more random, method is to use a cloning glitch to create a "bad clone" on the save file. The "bad clone" must then be taken to the Day Care to attempt a ????? (00) "bad clone" after withdrawing it. If the withdrawn Pokémon is a ????? (00), it can be deposited back into the Day Care and withdrawn again to become a ????? (FF).

Hiding Generation II Pokémon

This exploit takes advantage of ????? (FF)'s "cloaking" capabilities. If the ????? (FF) is switched above a Generation II Pokémon, it is possible to bring Generation II Pokémon into the Time Capsule, as long as each Generation II Pokémon in the party is hidden below the ?????. This is because Pokémon below ????? (FF) are temporarily regarded as being of index number 0x00, and ????? (00), being number 0x00, is not considered as a Generation II Pokémon by the game. In addition, ????? (FF) is regarded as index number FF, which becomes the CANCEL function. As such, Pokémon below the ????? (FF) will be regarded as 'M (00)^RB or 3TrainerPoké $^Y.

However, the game will still block the Pokémon if it has any moves which originated from Generation II even if ????? (FF) is above it, so any moves which originated from Generation II must still be removed by the Move Deleter if they are known by a Pokémon to be hidden by the ????? (FF).

Applications

The exploit is useful for obtaining glitch Pokémon in Generation I games, and can be used to obtain almost any glitch Pokémon in Generation I, including glitch Pokémon previously unobtainable via the Ditto glitch and old man glitch because of a procedure where an equivalent Trainer class is fought if glitch Pokémon with index numbers of 200 and above are fought in the wild.

Reverting 'M (00)/3TrainerPoké $ into an equivalent species

If ????? (FF) is switched back underneath the Generation II Pokémon after entering the Time Capsule, its original species is restored, meaning that Generation II Pokémon can be taken into the Time Capsule.

If the Pokémon is traded as an 'M (00) or 3TrainerPoké $, it is actually an unstable hybrid of 'M (00) or 3TrainerPoké $ and the actual glitch Pokémon, with the actual Pokémon as the recipient and the 'M (00) or 3TrainerPoké $ as the donor. To stabilize an unstable hybrid Pokémon, a Pokémon can be evolved (in the way the recipient would), traded to Pokémon Stadium 2, or deposited and withdrawn from the Day Care. A stabilized hybrid will be the species and level of the recipient Pokémon (or its evolved form if it was evolved), but have the stats, nickname, and moves of the donor. Once stabilized, the Pokémon can be traded to the Generation II games.

Since Generation II Pokémon do not exist in Generation I, the received Generation I Pokémon is determined by a conversion table for index numbers 0x01-0xFA which is hardcoded in the ROM of Gold, Silver, and Crystal. It is currently unknown what determines the equivalent Pokémon in Generation I for a Generation II Pokémon with index numbers 0x00 and 0xFB-0xFF because the equivalent Generation I Pokémon is not consistent on the species for these Pokémon.

This requires arbitrary code execution, as if the Pokémon received from Generation I changes its type (except Magnemite and Magneton), the trade is considered illegal.

Conversion

Generation II Generation I Same type without arbitrary code execution Hex Pokémon Hex PokémonRB PokémonY RB 98 Chikorita BF ▶ A 4 4 ✘ 99 Bayleef C0 a 4 4Hy ✘ 9A Meganium C1 ゥ (C1) ♀ . ✘ 9B Cyndaquil C2 ゥ .4 PPKMNp' ' ✘ 9C Quilava C3 h POKé ゥ ( Z4 ✘ 9D Typhlosion C4 PokéWTrainer X ゥ- xゥ, ✘ 9E Totodile C5 PKMN (C5) 4. . ✘ 9F Croconaw C6 ゥL ゥM 4 7g ✘ A0 Feraligatr C7 ♀Pゥ ゥゥT u ✘ A1 Sentret C8 ゥU? g g ✘ A2 Furret C9 ◣ゥ 8 ァ / g J 1 ✘ A3 Hoothoot CA PC4SH Glitch (CA) ✘ A4 Noctowl CB p . pゥ ✔ A5 Ledyba CC PKMN ◣ n .8 ✘ A6 Ledian CD Trainer ゥ. B ✘ A7 Spinarak CE ▼ W G d PKMN pゥぁ ゥぇ (CE) ✘ A8 Ariados CF OPKMN4X 4, ゥァ (CF) ✔ A9 Crobat D0 PKMN PKMN T ゥ' ✘ AA Chinchou D1 4B 8 4 8 B ァ h ✘ AB Lanturn D2 ゥ ' PKMN ? A ✘ AC Pichu D3 M p'u ゥ ゥゥ) ✘ AD Cleffa D4 Aゥ G ゥ (D4) ✘ AE Igglybuff D5 Pゥ ゥ ゥ 'ゥ. ✘ AF Togepi D6 4h PKMN pゥぁ ゥぇ * B0 Togetic D7 Glitch (D7) B (D7) ✘ B1 Natu D8 PKMNaPKMNゥ ♂ fPKMNk PKMN (D8) ✘ B2 Xatu D9 PKMNRPKMN " ゥ (D9) ✘ B3 Mareep DA B (DA) ] ✘ B4 Flaaffy DB Glitch (DB) ゥ' B ✘ B5 Ampharos DC Glitch (DC) PKMN (DC) ✘ B6 Bellossom DD 7PKMN'v 4, ゥァ (DD) ✘ B7 Marill DE -PKMN 8 (DE) ✘ B8 Azumarill DF .PKMN p ID ✘ B9 Sudowoodo E0 /PKMN ▼PKMN 8 P ァ ✘ BA Politoed E1 'v 'r 'r 4 ✘ BB Hoppip E2 …… (h4to89 ✘ BC Skiploom E3 ゥ (E3) 4 89 4 ✘ BD Jumpluff E4 Glitch (E4) 8B 4 8 ✘ BE Aipom E5 C Z ゥ ✘ BF Sunkern E6 - - 9 ✘ C0 Sunflora E7 Pゥ 4$ ゥHIゥ. ✘ C1 Yanma E8 X:LC 4(h4hi?$ ✘ C2 Wooper E9 c 4HI? ✘ C3 Quagsire EA A (EA) 'r ゥ ✘ C4 Espeon EB Glitch (EB) $ Pゥ. 4( ✘ C5 Umbreon EC Glitch (EC) ?/ ✘ C6 Murkrow ED hゥ 4(h4? ✘ C7 Slowking EE .g ゥ► ゥ▼ ゥ ✘ C8 Misdreavus EF ゥ$'M h 4Pゥ ゥ... ✘ C9 Unown F0 ゥ$ (F0) . ゥ ( .I' . ✘ CA Wobbuffet F1 94 ' B' ゥ ✘ CB Girafarig F2 ゥ l (F2) ゥ ゥェ ゥ ▷ ✘ CC Pineco F3 ゥ l (F3) ゥ $ A (F3) ✘ CD Forretress F4 ゥ$ (F4) ♂ p ゥ ✘ CE Dunsparce F5 ゥ (F5) ▼ pゥ CF Gligar F6 G'Mp ゥ $ A (F6) ✘ D0 Steelix F7 'Ng'Mp PKMN (F7) ✘ D1 Snubbull F8 'Ng ゥ$ ゥ 4- 4 ✔ D2 Granbull F9 94 h $ ✘ D3 Qwilfish FA Glitch (FA) ゥ▾ ゥ♂ ✘ D4 Scizor 1F MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ D5 Shuckle 20 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ D6 Heracross 32 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ D7 Sneasel 38 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ D8 Teddiursa 3D MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ D9 Ursaring 3E MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ DA Slugma 3F MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ DB Magcargo 43 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ DC Swinub 44 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ DD Piloswine 45 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ DE Corsola 4F MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ DF Remoraid 50 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E0 Octillery 51 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E1 Delibird 56 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E2 Mantine 57 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E3 Skarmory 5E MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E4 Houndour 5F MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E5 Houndoom 73 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E6 Kingdra 79 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E7 Phanpy 7A MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E8 Donphan 7F MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ E9 Porygon2 86 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ EA Stantler 87 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ EB Smeargle 89 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ EC Tyrogue 8C MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ ED Hitmontop 92 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ EE Smoochum 9C MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ EF Elekid 9F MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F0 Magby A0 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F1 Miltank A1 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F2 Blissey A2 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F3 Raikou AC MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F4 Entei AE MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F5 Suicune AF MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F6 Larvitar B5 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘ F7 Pupitar B6 MissingNo. (Kabutops Fossil form) MissingNo. (Kabutops Fossil form) F8 Tyranitar B7 MissingNo. (Aerodactyl Fossil form) MissingNo. (Aerodactyl Fossil form) F9 Lugia B8 MissingNo. (Ghost form) MissingNo. (Ghost form) FA Ho-Oh 34 MissingNo. (Red and Blue normal form) MissingNo. (Yellow normal form)|style="background-color:#fa8072; text-align: center"|✘

Video

By ChickasaurusGL

This video is not available on Bulbapedia; instead, you can watch the video on YouTube here.

External links

• Glitch City Laboratories wiki article
• Glitch City Laboratories thread

Glitches in the Pokémon games Multiple generations Transform glitches • Glitch Trainers • Cloning glitches • Error messages • Arbitrary code execution Generation I Glitches • Battle glitches • Overworld glitches -- • 0 ERROR • Broken hidden items • Cable Club escape glitch • Dual-type damage misinformation Experience underflow glitch • Fight Safari Zone Pokémon trick • Glitch City • Item duplication glitch • Item underflow Mew glitch • Old man glitch • Pewter Gym skip glitch • Pokémon merge glitch • Rhydon glitch • Rival twins glitch Select glitches (dokokashira door glitch, second type glitch) • Super Glitch Time Capsule exploit • Walking through walls • ZZAZZ glitch Generation II Glitches • Battle glitches Bug-Catching Contest glitch • Celebi Egg glitch • Coin Case glitches • Experience underflow glitch Glitch dimension • Glitch Egg • Teru-sama • Time Capsule exploit • Trainer House glitches • GS Ball mail glitch Generation III Glitches • Battle glitches • Overworld glitches Berry glitch • Dive glitch • Pomeg glitch • Glitzer Popping Generation IV Glitches • Battle glitches • Overworld glitches Acid rain • GTS glitches • Pomeg glitch • Rage glitch Surf glitch • Tweaking • Pal Park Retire glitch Generation V Glitches • Battle glitches • Overworld glitches Charge Beam additional effect chance glitch • Charge move replacement glitch • Choice item lock glitch Frozen Zoroark glitch • Sky Drop glitch Generation VI Glitches • Battle glitches • Overworld glitches Charge Beam additional effect chance glitch • Charge move replacement glitch • Choice item lock glitch Lumiose City save glitch • Symbiosis Eject Button glitch • Toxic sure-hit glitch Generation VII Glitches • Battle glitches Charge Beam additional effect chance glitch • Charge move replacement glitch • Choice item lock glitch Toxic sure-hit glitch • Rollout storage glitch Generation VIII Glitches Charge Beam additional effect chance glitch • Charge move replacement glitch • Choice item lock glitch Toxic sure-hit glitch • Rollout storage glitch • Party item offset glitch Generation IX Glitches Glitch effects Game freeze • Glitch battle • Glitch song Gen I only: Glitch screen • TMTRAINER effect • Inverted sprite Gen II only: Glitch dimension Lists Glitches (GO • Mystery Dungeon • TCG GB • Spin-off) Glitch Pokémon (Gen I • Gen II • Gen III • Gen IV • Gen V • Gen VI • Gen VII • Gen VIII) Glitch moves (Gen I) • Glitch types (Gen I • Gen II)

This article is part of Project GlitchDex, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on glitches in the Pokémon games.