Dual-slot mode

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Dual-slot mode (Japanese: ダブルスロット Double-Slot) is a method of communication between a Nintendo DS game card and a Game Boy Advance game cartridge by inserting both into the same Nintendo DS system. However, due to the removal of the GBA slot, dual-slot mode is not available if the player is using a system from the Nintendo DSi family or Nintendo 3DS family.

In the core series games

Pal Park

Main article: Pal Park

In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver, Pal Park allows the player to transfer Pokémon from Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen, using dual-slot mode for communication. Additionally, someone at Pal Park will give accessories to the player if there is a game cartridge in the DS.

The Pokémon are sent from the Generation III game to the Generation IV game, and cannot be sent back.

Dongle method

In Pokémon Diamond, Pearl, and Platinum, the dongle method changes the wild Pokémon that appear based on the game in the Game Boy Advance slot, via dual-slot mode. This method is compatible with any of the Generation III core series games: Pokémon Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen.

The name "dongle method" is an unofficial name that comes from the fact that this method uses the Game Boy Advance game as a dongle for the Nintendo DS game.

The wild Pokémon that can appear this way are mostly not in the Sinnoh Pokédex in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl. They are usually game-exclusive Pokémon to one of the Generation III games.

If the player has the ability to use Pal Park, the dongle method allows specific wild Pokémon to appear depending on the GBA game with an 8% chance (4% each if there are two different Pokémon that can appear this way due to the same game). If the player cannot use Pal Park, the dongle method has no effect.

In order for these changes to wild encounters to take effect, the GBA game must already be in the GBA slot when the player opens the title screen. Wild encounters will not change if a GBA game is inserted or removed from the Nintendo DS system after this time.

Like Pal Park, the language of the GBA game will prevent Pokémon only available through this method from appearing. For example, a Japanese Pokémon FireRed will not cause wild Elekid to appear in the Valley Windworks in an English Pokémon Diamond, but would work if the Japanese Pokémon FireRed was English.

Pokémon Dream Radar has a similar feature that allows players to catch a Generation IV game mascot with its Hidden Ability in extensions unlocked by putting the Game Card of the corresponding game into the game card slot of the Nintendo 3DS system.

List of Pokémon available using the dongle method

Game in the GBA Slot
Pokémon Location Game
Ruby
Seedot Seedot Routes 203, 204 and 210 (South), Eterna Forest D P Pt
Nuzleaf Nuzleaf Routes 210 (South) and 229 D P Pt
Mawile Mawile Iron Island D P Pt
Zangoose Zangoose Routes 208 and 210 (North) D P Pt
Solrock Solrock Lake Verity, Lake Acuity, Lake Valor, Mt. Coronet, Sendoff Spring, Turnback Cave D P Pt
Sapphire
Lotad Lotad Routes 203, 204, 205 (North), and 212 (South) D P Pt
Lombre Lombre Routes 212 (South) and 229 D P Pt
Sableye Sableye Iron Island D P Pt
Seviper Seviper Routes 208 and 210 (North) D P Pt
Lunatone Lunatone Lake Verity, Lake Acuity, Lake Valor, Mt. Coronet, Sendoff Spring, Turnback Cave D P Pt
FireRed
Caterpie Caterpie Route 204Pt (South)DP, Eterna ForestPt D P Pt
Metapod Metapod Eterna Forest D P Pt
Ekans Ekans Route 212 (South) D P Pt
Arbok Arbok Great Marsh D P Pt
Growlithe Growlithe Routes 201 and 202 D P Pt
Elekid Elekid Route 205, Valley Windworks D P Pt
LeafGreen
Weedle Weedle Route 204Pt (South)DP, Eterna ForestPt D P Pt
Kakuna Kakuna Eterna Forest D P Pt
Sandshrew Sandshrew Wayward Cave D P Pt
Sandslash Sandslash Route 228 D P Pt
Vulpix Vulpix Routes 209 and 214 D P Pt
Magby Magby Route 227, Stark Mountain D P Pt
Emerald
Teddiursa Teddiursa Route 211DP (West)Pt, Acuity LakefrontDP, Lake AcuityPt D P Pt
Ursaring Ursaring Routes 216 and 217, Acuity LakefrontPt, Lake AcuityDP D P Pt
Pineco Pineco Eterna Forest, Routes 203, 204, 210 (South) and 229 D P Pt
Gligar Gligar Stark Mountain, Routes 206, 207, 214, 215, and 227 D P Pt
Shuckle Shuckle Route 224 D P Pt
Multiple Generation III games
Haunter Haunter Old ChateauFRLGRSE D P Pt
Gengar Gengar Old ChateauFRLGRSE D P Pt
Staravia Staravia Lake VerityFRLGE D P Pt
Bibarel Bibarel Lake VerityFRLGE D P Pt

Event distributions

10th Movie Deoxys distribution Slot 2 cartridge

In the Generation IV core series games, some event distributions were done using a Slot 2 cartridge, which was inserted into the GBA slot to send data to the DS game card.

In Pokémon Dash

050Diglett.png This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.
Reason: When the inserted game is checked, whether it reflects the Pokémon's form
Japanese/Korean version cup display
American/European version cup display

In Pokémon Dash, players can make custom cups based on the party in a Generation III core series game inserted in the GBA slot. Pokémon Emerald sprites are used; Spinda patterns are retained, but Shiny coloration is not depicted. Eggs in the player's party are ignored.

The Japanese, European, and American versions of Pokémon Dash have no region checks, allowing the player use any language game (although only the first 5 characters of a Pokémon's name will be displayed in the Japanese version of Pokémon Dash). The Korean version only allows Japanese game cartridges to be used.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team and Blue Rescue Team

050Diglett.png This section is incomplete.
Please feel free to edit this section to add missing information and complete it.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, dual-slot mode allows the game to communicate with Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Red Rescue Team.

If the player has both games inserted into a compatible system, SOS Mail can be sent between the games, allowing for the rescue team in one game to save the team in the other cartridge's save file.

In Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Blue Rescue Team, the player can use Receive Team while Red Rescue Team is in the Game Boy Advance slot. If used, the rescue team from Red Rescue Team becomes the boss of the Rescue Team Maze of Makuhita Dojo.

In other languages

Language Title
Germany Flag.png German Dual Slot-Pokémon
Italy Flag.png Italian Modalità dual-slot

See also


Inter-generational transfer
Gen I Time CapsulePoké TransporterBank
Gen II
Gen III Dual-slot modePal Park
Gen IV Dual-slot modePal ParkPoké TransferRelocator
Gen V Poké TransferRelocatorPoké TransporterBank
Gen VI Poké TransporterBank
Gen VII Poké TransporterBankGO ParkHOME
Gen VIII BankHOMEGO Transporter
Gen IX


Communications media
Gen I Game Link CableTransfer Pak3DS Wireless (VC)
Gen II  Game Link CableInfraredTransfer Pak
Mobile Game Boy Adapter3DS Wireless (VC)
Gen III Game Link CableWireless AdapterDual-slot mode
Gen IV DS WirelessWi-FiDual-slot modeInfrared
Gen V DS WirelessWi-FiInfrared
Gen VI 3DS WirelessNintendo NetworkInfraredStreetPassSpotPass
Gen VII 3DS Wireless/Switch WirelessNintendo Network
InfraredNintendo Switch OnlineBluetooth
Gen VIII Switch WirelessNintendo Switch Online
Gen IX Switch WirelessNintendo Switch Online


Project Games logo.png This game mechanic article is part of Project Games, a Bulbapedia project that aims to write comprehensive articles on the Pokémon games.