Official patch
Download Pokémon SoulGold
The official SoulGold download is a Hackdex patch. Patching is local. This site does not host ROMs, and neither does Hackdex.
Current version on Hackdex: v1.2, released 2026-10-03 (checked 2026-10-14). The 8 October fixes from the release notes are already in the Hackdex patch. Always check Hackdex for a newer build before reporting bugs, and read the changelog to see what changed.
How to patch SoulGold on Hackdex
- Get a legally obtained Pokémon Emerald GBA dump. SoulGold is built on pokeemerald-expansion, so FireRed, Ruby, or an already-patched hack will not work.
- Open the Hackdex SoulGold page and choose Select Emerald ROM.
- Hackdex verifies the checksum before it patches. If it rejects the file, your dump is not a clean Emerald ROM.
- The BPS patch is applied in your browser. Your ROM is never uploaded, and Hackdex never sends you a ROM file.
- Save the patched
.gbafile and open it in one of the supported emulators below.
Supported emulators
The author only accepts bug reports from accurate emulators. This is the list on Hackdex:
| Emulator | Platform | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Real hardware | Game Boy Advance family, via a flash cart | Supported |
| mGBA | Windows, macOS, Linux | Supported |
| RetroArch with the mGBA core | PC, Android, iOS | Supported |
| Pizza Boy | Mobile | Supported |
| Lemuroid | Android | Supported |
| Manic | iOS | Not recommended: saving issues have been reported |
| VBA / VisualBoyAdvance, GPSP | Various | Do not use |
On a computer, use standalone mGBA. On iPhone and iPad, Hackdex lists RetroArch with the mGBA core. On Android, Lemuroid and Pizza Boy need the least setup, and RetroArch is the option if you already use it for other systems.
Which patch file?
Most players should use the Hackdex browser patcher. The v1.2 GitHub release also attaches two BPS files for people who patch offline with a BPS tool:
soulgold.bps: the standard build, the same as Hackdex.soulgold_21boxes.bps: a variant with 21 PC boxes.
Both files apply to a clean Emerald ROM. Do not apply one SoulGold patch on top of another.
Updating without losing your save
The official FAQ says saves are always forward-compatible: you can patch a newer version and keep playing. Going back to an older version after loading your save in a newer one is not supported.
- Back up your
.savfile first. - Patch the new version from a clean Emerald ROM.
- Give the new ROM the same file name as the old one, so your emulator loads the same save.
- Do not use save states to move between versions. Save in game, close the emulator, then open the new ROM.
Common problems
- Hackdex rejects the ROM: the file is not a clean Emerald dump (wrong region, already patched, or trimmed).
- The game freezes or saves fail: switch to mGBA or another supported emulator before reporting a bug.
- No save after updating: the new ROM has a different file name from the old one. Rename it to match your save.
- Cheat codes broke something: the official FAQ warns that cheats are not supported and are likely to corrupt saves. See the cheats guide.
What this page will not do
We will not link “SoulGold ROM” mirrors or delta patches from random aggregators. The official FAQ says Hackdex is the only download source and other sources are unofficial and may be out of date. If you searched for a ROM, you still need your own Emerald dump plus that patch.
After you patch
- Play in the browser player by loading the patched file yourself.
- Check the walkthrough for level caps and key-item locations.
- Read the FAQ for HMs, shiny odds, and save questions.
- Look up species in the Pokédex.
Mods
This site does not maintain a separate mods catalog. Start from the official v1.2 patch and treat add-on patches as unofficial unless the author posts them.