GB-Link Docs

What is GB-Link?

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GB-Link is a hardware adapter that connects an original Game Boy, Game Boy Color, or Game Boy Advance to your computer or Android phone over USB. It brings classic link cable multiplayer online and unlocks browser-based tools that extend what the original hardware could do on its own.

What You Need

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Before you start, you need three things: a GB-Link adapter, a working Game Boy setup, and a browser on a computer or phone.

Quick Start

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Everything runs in your browser at launcher.gblink.io — connect your adapter, confirm you are on the latest firmware, then pick a game or tool. No apps or drivers to install.

Setting Up Your Adapter

Wed, 08 Jul 2026 00:00:00 +0000

This guide walks through a complete first-time setup.

A complete setup: Game Boy Advance, link cable, and GB-Link adapter connected to a host over USB.

Physical connection

Console — Insert your game cartridge and power on the console.
Link cable — Connect one end to the console’s link port and the other to the GB-Link adapter.
USB — Connect the adapter to your computer or Android phone with a USB cable.

GBA cable orientation

GBA link cables have two different connectors:

Updating Firmware

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Firmware updates add new games, fix bugs, and improve compatibility. GB-Link supports two update methods.

Web update (recommended)

The easiest way to update is through the launcher:

Hardware Compatibility

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GB-Link works with original hardware and select FPGA consoles. This page summarizes what is and isn’t supported.

Consoles

Console	Supported	Notes
Game Boy (DMG)	Yes	GB link modes
Game Boy Color	Yes	GB link modes
Game Boy Advance	Yes	GBA and GB modes
Analogue Pocket	Yes	Requires link port support
Chromatic	Yes	FPGA with link support
Game Bub	Yes	FPGA with link support
Emulators	No	Requires physical link port
Emulation handhelds	No	No physical link port

Link cables

The firmware auto-detects cable type at mode selection.

LED Status Indicators

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The onboard WS2812 RGB LED (on pin GP16) shows the adapter’s current status at a glance.

Green LED — USB connected to the host.

Blue LED — Game Boy or Game Boy Color link mode active.

Default colors

Color	Status
Red	Power — device is on, no data connection
Green	Connected — USB connected to host
Yellow	GBA Mode — Game Boy Advance link active
Blue	GB/GBC Mode — Game Boy or Game Boy Color link active
Purple	Printer Mode — Game Boy Printer emulation active

Customizing LED colors

You can customize per-mode LED colors from the launcher:

Pokémon Gen 3

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Trade Pokémon, battle friends, and mix records with original, unmodified Game Boy Advance hardware.

Web client: celio.gblink.io

They Said Online Gen 3 Pokémon Was Impossible… — GB-Link showcase on YouTube.

Supported games

Pokémon Ruby
Pokémon Sapphire
Pokémon Emerald
Pokémon FireRed
Pokémon LeafGreen

What you can do

Trading — Complete your Pokédex with trade-only evolutions
Battling — Fight other trainers online
Record mixing — Share in-game records with other players

Requirements

Game Boy Advance (or compatible FPGA console)
Pokémon Gen 3 cartridge
GB-Link adapter with GBA link cable (master connector)
Chrome or Firefox on desktop, or Chrome on Android

How to play

Insert your Pokémon cartridge and power on the GBA.
Open celio.gblink.io and connect your adapter.
Follow the on-screen prompts to enter the link room in-game.

Connect the link cable to the adapter before selecting GBA mode. The firmware detects cable type at mode selection.

Pokémon Trading (Gen 1–2)

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Complete your Pokédex by trading Pokémon from Generations 1 and 2 online — no emulators required.

Web client: pokemon.gblink.io

Tetris Online

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Stack blocks against players around the world using your original Game Boy and Tetris cartridge.

Web client: tetris.gblink.io

Game Boy Tetris online — GB-Link showcase on YouTube.

Supported games

Tetris

What you can do

1v1 battles — Head-to-head matches
Battle royale — Create a lobby and play with 2+ players

Requirements

Game Boy or Game Boy Color
Tetris cartridge
GB-Link adapter with link cable
Chrome or Firefox

How to play

Insert Tetris and power on your console.
Open tetris.gblink.io and connect your adapter.
Enter the multiplayer menu in-game and follow the web prompts.

History

Tetris online was one of the earliest GB-Link implementations, originally open-sourced by Stacksmashing. It demonstrated that classic link-cable games could work over the internet.