Get started with Android Player
Prepare your ROMs and start a pocket computer on your phone. Player is for operating machines and running programs; Studio is the desktop companion for development and ROM packaging.
Update draft for 1.1.2. See the release checklist for preparation status.
1. What you need
- An Android 8.0 or later device and Pokecom GO Player. Also check the requirements for your distributed version.
- ROM files for your machine, or an existing
.pgrompackage. - For packaging ROM dumps: a macOS, Windows or Linux computer with Pokecom GO Studio.
If you already have a .pgrom, skip to file transfer. Supported legacy ROM images can also be registered directly, without Studio.
2. Choose the correct ROM format
A .pgrom packages machine information, ROM data and integrity checks. Renaming a file does not create a package. ROMs are different from BASIC program files (.bas) and memory dumps (.dmp).
| Machines | Direct legacy import | If you have separate ROM dumps |
|---|---|---|
| PC-1245 / 1250 / 1251 / 1255 | Compatible 32 or 64 KiB flat image | Create a .pgrom in Studio |
| PC-1260 / 1261 / 1350 / 1401 / 1402 / 1450 | Compatible 64 KiB flat image | Create a .pgrom in Studio |
| PC-1360 / 1360K / 1460 / 1470U | Single flat images not supported | Create and register a .pgrom |
Size alone does not establish compatibility. Legacy images must use the memory layout supported by the original Pokecom GO. Select the correct machine when registering; the machine is not inferred from the file size.
3. Create a .pgrom in Studio
Choose the package for your desktop OS and read its release notes for supported machines and limitations. The development source may support features absent from a published build. If your machine is missing from the creation dialog, you need a release that supports it.
- Launch Studio and open File → Create ROM Set… (Japanese: ファイル → ROMセットを作成).
- Select the target Machine / 機種.
- Select the separate dumps under Internal ROM / 内部ROM and External ROM / 外部ROM. Do not select an entire legacy 32/64 KiB image as the internal ROM.
- For PC-1360K kanji features, also select the kanji ROM files described below.
- Choose a destination and filename, such as
pc1245.pgrom, then select Create / 作成. - Wait for the success message. Register in ROM Library / ROM Libraryに登録 is optional: it registers the package in Studio and is not required to create the file for Player.
Sizes for separate ROM dumps
| Machines | Internal ROM | External ROM |
|---|---|---|
| PC-1245 / 1250 / 1251 / 1255 | 8 KiB | 16 KiB |
| PC-1260 / 1261 / 1350 / 1401 / 1402 / 1450 | 8 KiB | 32 KiB |
| PC-1460 | 8 KiB | 64 KiB (4 × 16 KiB banks) |
| PC-1360 / 1360K / 1470U | 8 KiB | 128 KiB (8 × 16 KiB banks) |
1 KiB = 1024 bytes. For banked machines, supply one external ROM file already concatenated in bank-number order, starting at bank 0. The dialog does not combine individual bank files. Do not guess the order of unidentified files.
PC-1360K kanji ROM files are 64 KiB per selector. For kana-to-kanji conversion, supply all four files for selectors 0–3. Kanji features are limited without the corresponding ROMs. Extracting ROMs from hardware is outside the scope of this guide.
4. Transfer the file to Android
- Copy your
.pgromor supported legacy ROM to Android, for example over USB. Allow file transfer on the phone when prompted. - Save it somewhere accessible, such as Download. A cloud drive is also possible if its files are available through Android’s system file picker.
- Wait for cloud-only files to download. Keep the filename and extension intact and retain the original files on your computer.
Studio and Player do not synchronize automatically. Any cloud communication and storage are governed by the service you choose.
5. Register the ROM and start Player
- On the Player home screen, find the machine you want to use. For related models, select the model from the machine-name dropdown.
- Select its ROM registration action (ROMを登録 in Japanese) and choose the transferred file in Android’s system file picker.
- After successful registration, select Play (プレイ). The CPU starts automatically on first entry into the play screen.
- Use the on-screen keys. Choose RUN/PRO or CAL/BASIC as appropriate for your machine when using BASIC.
ROMs are shared within the PC-1250/1251/1255, PC-1260/1261 and PC-1401/1402 families. ROMs from different families are not interchangeable. PC-1401/1402 memory recognition also depends on the ROM revision.
The PC-1251, PC-1261 and PC-1401 families offer a per-model RAM unlock checkbox on the home screen. It defaults to off and applies on the next Play action. Save your programs first: applying a different RAM configuration requires restarting and discards current RAM after confirmation.
6. Load and save programs
In the machine screen menu, choose the program load action (プログラム → ロード) to open machine-compatible UTF-8 BASIC text (.bas) or a PGP Memory Dump (.dmp). Starting the emulator CPU is different from running a BASIC program. Enter RUN on the emulated machine when needed.
Player does not include Studio Projects, Assembler, Debugger or WAV import/export. Transfer a compatible .bas or .dmp from Studio instead.
Troubleshooting
- Cannot find the file: open Download or the correct storage provider in the picker. Check the extension and wait for cloud downloads.
- ROM size, machine or integrity error: check the selected machine, input files and bank order. Recreate the package in Studio if necessary. Do not edit its contents or merely rename another file to .pgrom.
- Create is disabled: check internal/external ROM sizes, the destination, the kanji ROM combination and the errors beside each field.
- No boot or key response: check whether the CPU is paused and whether the ROM matches the machine. Normal return from the background leaves the CPU paused. Save before resetting, since a reset may discard your program.
- No sound: check Player’s sound setting, Android media volume and the current output device, including Bluetooth.
- Still stuck: use GitHub Issues. Include Player/Studio versions, device and Android version, emulated model, error text and reproduction steps. This is public: do not attach ROMs or personal information.
Detailed Android help (Japanese) · Releases and known limitations