List of glitches in Generation III

This article is incomplete. Please feel free to edit this article to add missing information and complete it.

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	This glitch is in need of research. Reason: How do battle-specific glitches work in Link Battles considering different language versions where the glitches are fixed and different games altogether (e.g.: RS-exclusive glitch in a Link Battle with FRLG)? You can discuss this on the talk page.

This is a list of glitches that occur in the Generation III core series and side series Pokémon games.

Ruby and Sapphire

256× item selling glitch

When selling 256 or more of an item, even though the Poké Mart states the correct price, for every 256 the total price is actually counted as $0 and the player loses $2560 for every multiple of 256. For example, selling 999 Berries gives $2310 (0 for 768, +2310 for 231). This is normally only possible with Berries because they are the only items that the player can hold more than 99 of, although through cheating the glitch can be performed with other items as well.

By ChickasaurusGL

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

Berry glitch

Main article: Berry glitch

Dewford Gym statue error

The wall behind the statue to the right at the entrance of Dewford Gym behaves like a statue when approached and the A button is pressed ("DEWFORD POKéMON GYM, BRAWLY'S CERTIFIED TRAINERS:"). After Brawly is defeated, it will list the player as a certified Trainer.

By Wooggle

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

HP drain glitch

If in battle, the user's Pokémon deals over 33 037 damage, the opponent's Pokémon will faint without its HP bar being drained. If the user's Pokémon deals exactly 33 037 damage, the HP bar falls to 0 instantly without any delay.

By ChickasaurusGL

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

Landsurfing glitch

In the Japanese versions, by using the Acro Bike to side-hop north or south onto a tile adjacent to a water tile and then pressing A at the exact right frame, the player can bring up the Surf dialogue box while facing a land tile. Choosing 'yes' will cause the player to Surf onto that land tile. The player can then Surf around on land. The game will still behave as if the player is walking normally otherwise, which is part of the reason for the sub-glitch described below.

By ChickasaurusGL

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

Bypass Fortree Gym block

This glitch can used to enter the Fortree Gym without the Devon Scope (the Gym is normally blocked off from the north by an invisible Kecleon), if it is performed on Route 119 and the player surfs north to Fortree City. At Fortree City, while Surfing, the player can "jump off" from the bridge south of Fortree Gym and access the gym from there. In order to escape, a Pokémon with Teleport or Fly may be brought, however, the player must beat the gym in order to use Fly. Presumably, the player can white out to escape from the gym or the area surrounding it as well.

By ChickasaurusGL

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

Nightmare glitch

If Nightmare is used on a sleeping Pokémon yet the sleeping Pokémon wakes up due to Shed Skin, the opposing Pokémon is still harmed by Nightmare even though it is not asleep.

By NaiJPC

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

Pay Day error

The wrong amount of money received from Pay Day will be displayed if the Amulet Coin is held by a Pokémon, leaving the impression that it does not affect Pay Day. Yet, upon checking the Trainer Card, the player will discover that the money earned from Pay Day has been doubled and added to their total savings.

By ChickasaurusGL

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

Sootopolis rock wall glitch

In Sootopolis City, to the left of the staircase leading to the house of the old lady who talks about Mt. Pyre is a rock wall that the player can walk in. The player can only go one step in, however.

By Wooggle

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

Stuck audio freeze

In some copies of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire, using Thunder or Thunderbolt may cause the game to freeze during the animation sequences of the moves. This can be remedied by turning off the battle effects in the options.

Trainer approach glitch

	This glitch is in need of research. Reason: Check all languages. You can discuss this on the talk page.

There are three NPCs who may move on top of an obstacle. This does not occur in the Spanish versions as none of these Trainers move.

If the player stands in Route 118's Aroma Lady Rose, Route 121's Gentleman Walter, or Abandoned Ship's Tuber Charlie's line of sight while directly behind the ledge, gate, or wall, the Trainer will see the player and walk onto the ledge, gate, or wall to battle.

By Wooggle

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

Truck glitch

At the start of the game, if the player saves inside the truck and reboots, upon exiting the truck the game tries to show "Littleroot Town" as if a new area had been entered, while it normally would not have been.

By Wooggle

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

FireRed and LeafGreen

Infinite Nugget glitch

If the player loses to the Team Rocket Grunt at the end of Nugget Bridge, the player has a chance to battle him again, unlike in the Generation I games. Each time he is rebattled, he will give the player a Nugget, so one can purposely lose to obtain Nuggets repeatedly. More due to lazy scripting than actually being a glitch, this is caused by an unset flag before the battle begins, making the script endlessly repeat itself.

This glitch only works in the Japanese and English versions as the oversight was fixed in the European localizations.

By Wooggle

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

Pokédex species oversight

The Pokédex only displays the first word of two-word species names in the English version 1.0 release. Internal game data lists species names the same as in Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald, and other games. For example, while Beedrill's species is the "Poison Bee Pokémon", it is listed as the Poison Pokémon.

This is likely due to the game reading the space as a terminator. This was corrected in the Player's Choice releases (version 1.1) of the English versions.

Poké Flute music oversight

When the player plays the Poké Flute and while the melody is playing, if the Help Menu is activated and deactivated, the music will be muted until the Pokémon wakes up.

Roaming Roar glitch

If a roaming Pokémon uses Roar to flee from battle, it will permanently disappear from the game. Most notably, this means that if the Raikou or Entei player encounters during the post-game uses Roar before it is caught, it cannot be encountered again, unless the game is reset to the state which it was in before the encounter.

Ruby, Sapphire, FireRed, and LeafGreen

Roaming IV glitch

This glitch causes roaming Pokémon to have extremely low IVs.

In Generation III, the data for a Pokémon's IVs are stored in a 32-bit integer. However, when a roaming Pokémon is captured, only the last eight bits are transferred. While the HP IV is unaffected, the Pokémon can only have a maximum Attack IV of 7. The other IVs will always be 0.

Emerald

Battle Tower cloning glitch

Main article: Cloning glitches#Generation III

Black curtains glitch

Black curtains in the Pokémon Trainer's School of Rustboro City

For unknown reasons, exclusively to Pokémon Emerald, having Pokémon at slots 4-6 in box 8 (or box 7 slots 26-28 in Japanese Emerald) of the Pokémon Storage System causes black pixels to be written on the sides of the windows of Rustboro City's Pokémon Trainer's School. The pixels that appear depend on the Pokémon.

Slot 4 controls a small portion of tiles near the top of the window. Slot 5 controls a large portion of tiles around the middle of the window. Slot 6 controls a small portion of tiles near the bottom of the window.

When all Pokémon are present in the slots, "curtains" typically appear, but one can manipulate the glitch (i.e. by having slot 4 and slot 6 occupied but not slot 5) to make the pixels not resemble curtains as much.

Specifically, with memory address location randomization disabled, the tiles depend on the data from addresses 0202DAE4-0202DB43. Each byte can control 1-2 pairs of pixels for the left and east-most sides.

The glitch happens because data for tiles with IDs greater than 790 is overwritten with Pokémon data, and the pixels on the window depend on the data of tiles 791-793, which are displayed in the way shown in the image below.

(Unused) corrupted tiles that control the pixels overlaid on the window

By ChickasaurusGL

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

Mirage Tower glitch

In Mirage Tower, there is no rock on the second floor near the stairs, but the player cannot walk there.

By Wooggle

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

Pomeg glitch

Main article: Pomeg glitch

By Werster

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

Sootopolis Gym wall glitch

In the Sootopolis Gym, right down the stairs the player can walk one step into the wall. If the player walks into the wall, the stairs will stop working until he/she steps back onto the floor.

By MikaruMenoko

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

Vigoroth cry oversight

In the Japanese version, although the mover Pokémon at the start of the player's adventure were changed from Machoke to Vigoroth by altering the sprites and text, the cry of Machoke was kept.

Ruby, Sapphire, and Emerald

Dive glitch

Main article: Dive glitch

Poké Mart worker glitch

The Poké Mart worker at Oldale Town normally gives the player a Potion. However, if the player has a full Bag when this happens, the Potion won't be handed out. If the player enters Route 103 and then immediately returns to Oldale Town, the worker will be near the Poké Mart, but will behave as if he was at original position. Talking to the worker again will lead the player into a tree; however, the player can get out, because they are only one tile into the trees.

By Wooggle

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

Route 134 current glitch

In the bottom-right corner of the island to the southeast of Route 134, there is a current tile that does not behave as a water tile. The player cannot Surf on it, but can walk on it. Walking on it will simply push the player back onto the island to the left.

By Wooggle

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

In all core series games

Focus Punch glitch

This glitch is triggered by selecting Focus Punch in a Double Battle on the first Pokémon, pressing the "B" button, then switching out the first Pokémon. When the battle is conducted, the first Pokémon will tighten its focus in preparation for Focus Punch, then switch out. This is due to charging turn having a priority of +8, and therefore being executed before switch out.

By Wooggle

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

Sticky Hold glitch

This glitch occurs when Thief or Covet is used to knock out a Pokémon holding an item that has the Sticky Hold Ability. It causes the sprite of the defeated Pokémon to stay in a ghost-like form. This lasts until the screen is changed. Switching to the item list or Pokémon list will cause it to disappear.

If it is a battle against a team of six Pokémon, defeating the next Pokémon will cause that Pokémon's sprite to vanish normally, but the ghost-like sprite will remain. If the second Pokémon is defeated without leaving the battle screen, a third Pokémon will come out, but the second Pokémon's sprite will not remain. The original ghost-like sprite will remain and get recolored to match. This is because the game stores color palettes separately to the pictures themselves.

By NaiJPC

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

Stuck audio glitch

If Thunder or Thunderbolt are used during battle with the effects enabled, the sound of the moves may get stuck until the game is rebooted.

Vital Throw details error

The error in the accuracy parameter

The details on the description for the move Vital Throw show it as having 100% accuracy, despite the move hitting the opposing Pokémon regardless of accuracy and evasion.

Colosseum

Experience glitch

	This glitch is in need of research. Reason: Do volatile status ailments like confusion, Leech Seed, and Curse cause this too? You can discuss this on the talk page.

This glitch occurs when an opponent's last Pokémon is defeated by a burn or poison while the player's Pokémon are under the effect of Perish Song. When this occurs, the player's Pokémon will gain experience immediately after the Pokémon faints, then once again each time one of the player's Pokémon's perish count drops. This allows Pokémon to gain the experience for defeating the Pokémon up to three times.

By Andrew42143

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

Infinite ball glitch

The infinite ball glitch enables the player to reuse any type of Poké Ball.

The glitch is performed by selecting a Poké Ball with the player's first Pokémon's turn. Then, on the second Pokémon's turn, switching the location of the Poké Ball in the Bag chosen with another Poké Ball in the Bag (using the "Y" button). After the Ball is thrown, the Poké Ball pocket will still have the same amount of Poké Balls, as if the Ball just thrown had not been used.

Sometimes, if using a Master Ball, the game will freeze and bring the "An error occurred" message the Nintendo GameCube gives when it fails to properly read a game.

Also, if the second Pokémon is using a multiple-turn move that has been selected on a previous turn, the attack prevents the glitch from working, which causes the thrown Snag Ball to be used.

By Gligar13Vids

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

Shiny Shadow Pokémon glitch

Like in the core series games, in Pokémon Colosseum there is a 1/8192 chance of a Shadow Pokémon being Shiny, but it will most likely lose its Shiny status when captured by the player; conversely, there is a 1/8192 chance that a Shadow Pokémon may spontaneously become Shiny when captured by the player.

This glitch occurs because when the player captures a Shadow Pokemon, their Trainer ID number overwrites the original Trainer's ID number (unlike with traded Pokémon); because the Trainer ID number is a factor in Shiny calculation, this may cause the Pokemon to acquire (or lose) Shiny status. This is similar to the oddity of a hatched Pokémon Egg changing from normal to Shiny (or vice versa) if it was traded to another player before hatching.

In Pokémon XD, the game calculates a personality value for a Shadow Pokémon, it checks it against the player's and opponent's ID numbers, and if either one would result in a Shiny Pokémon, it generates a new personality value for that Pokémon (repeating if necessary). As a direct result, Shadow Pokémon in Pokémon XD can never be Shiny (though other Pokemon, such as those appearing in Poké Spots, or Battle CD can be).

By SargeantMario101

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

Snagging with switch out glitch

	This glitch is in need of research. Reason: Is it fixed in XD? You can discuss this on the talk page.

The glitch in effect

If the player snags a Shadow Pokemon on the same turn AI switches out its other Pokemon (eg. to avoid Yawn's effect), the opponent will not properly send out a Pokemon in the place of the snagged one.

Walking glitch

In Agate Village, the cliffs directly to the left and right of the hill at the entrance are glitched. If the player walks downward while on these small cliffs, there are two specific points where the player will hit the edge and continue to walk, and the screen will start to shake. This can be used to automatically purify all Shadow Pokémon in the player's party or the Day Care while the control stick is held in the same direction. This glitch can also be done in Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness under different conditions.

References

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