Error codes (Generations I and II)

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Error prevention and placeholders in the Pokémon games:

?????????? | ????? | ! | Abnormal Pokémon | Bad Egg | Enigma Berry (Generation III) | Error! | Error codes (Generations I and II) | Error traps for damaged save data | Error traps to prevent impossible progress | Event data debugging messages | Instant victory effect (Generation II) | Mystery Zone | N/A | Pokégear instruction booklet trap | Rhydon trap | Special (location) | This Game Pak is designed only for use on the Game Boy Color. | This Pokémon cannot be traded.


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This article is a summary page for different variations of a glitches, etc. when talked about as a whole.

There are two types of error codes in Generation I and II, as described in the headers below. They are not to be confused with event data debugging messages.

00 character error codes

"0 ERROR." redirects here. For the glitch caused by an invalid meta-map script that can lead to this error message and previously known by this name, see Walking lag glitch.

The 00 character error codes (Japanese: エラー) appear in the form of "(X) ERROR" in Pokémon Red and Blue or "(X) error" in Pokémon Yellow when a 00 character appears in the middle of a text box. They are possibly debugging remnants.

The value of the error code is the index number of the text box. These error codes can commonly found when memory hacking, but they can also be found with the Trainer escape glitch via text box ID matching, which allows the player to bring up a certain text box in a place, where the text box corresponds to the last one in memory from the previous area.

When the player brings up a text box, its value in stored in the memory address CF13 or FF8C (after the menu is closed). There are only a finite amount of text box messages for any given map and each map has a different set of text boxes and text box ID numbers. Through the aforementioned text box ID matching glitch, the player can bring up a text box with no valid equivalent on the old route and get glitch dialog.

Certain glitch dialog will just bring up an error code on its own, while with other glitch dialog, there may no error code, or glitch text before an error code.

When an error code appears, everything after it will not appear, but it is possible for text to precede the error code. When this happens, the game may give the false impression that the error code is of a higher value than it actually is. This is called a "mixed error" code.

For example, if the text "50" preceded a "1 ERROR", the game would display the text "501 ERROR".


Example procedure for getting an error code with the Trainer escape glitch

  1. Perform the Trainer-Fly glitch to fly away from the long range Trainer on Route 6.
  2. Fight any Trainer on a route other than Route 6 and either win or lose.
  3. Read the sign that says 'VERMILION CITY The Port of Exquisite Sunsets'. This puts the value 8 into CF13.
  4. Return to Route 6 and an '8 error' will appear.

In Pokémon Red and Blue, the 'Port of Exquisite Sunsets' sign step can be replaced with reading the PokéMart sign (CF13=9) to get a '9 error'.

Error codes in Generation II

Error codes return in Pokémon Gold and Silver and they work exactly the same way as in Pokémon Red, Blue and Yellow, however, the relevant text was untranslated from エラー and they appear in the form "(x)Df-".

This is because the index numbers of 'エ', 'ラ' and 'ー' in the Japanese versions are hex:83, hex:A5 and hex:E3 respectively, but in the English versions, 'D', 'f' and '-' use these values. If a hex:00 character is forced in the middle of a text string in Pokémon Crystal, '?' appears instead of '(x)Df-'.

Printer error codes

A Printer Error 2 in Pokémon Gold and Silver

In Pokémon Yellow, as well as Pokémon Gold/Silver/Crystal there are a total of four legitimate printer errors that are used for when the player attempts to print something, but there is a problem when printing. These appear as "Printer Error (x)".

These error codes are not exclusive to the Pokémon games, and appear in other Game Boy or Game Boy Color games that support the Game Boy Printer.

Below is information about the four possible error codes, regarding what causes them and how these errors can be amended (as sourced by Nintendo [1])

Error number Cause Solution
01 The batteries are empty. Insert new, working batteries into the hardware and then turn the power on.
02 The universal game link cable is not, or incorrectly connected to the printer. The player should re-connect the link cable correctly.
03 There is a paper jam. Carefully remove the Paper Jam (see the GameBoy printer manual for more information) [or see this FAQ]
04 The ambient printer temperature is too high or low for the printer to operate. Attempt printing again at an appropriate room temperature.


Additionally, in Pokémon Yellow, after trying to print the player's high-score in the Summer Beach house (Surfing Pikachu minigame house), getting a highscore and exiting, the text "PRINT error!" will appear.