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Overview

To build Pokémon Red and Blue from source, you need to install:
  1. RGBDS 1.0.1 - The Game Boy assembler, linker, and graphics tools
  2. Build tools - make, git, and a C compiler (gcc or clang)
The project requires RGBDS version 1.0.1 specifically. Older versions will not work, and newer versions may have compatibility issues. If problems occur with newer versions, download 1.0.1 exactly.
Follow the instructions below for your operating system. If you encounter any issues, ask for help on Discord in the #pokered channel.

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Windows 10 / Windows 11

The recommended method for Windows is to use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), which provides a full Linux environment.
1

Install WSL

Download and install Windows Subsystem for Linux. This will give you a Linux terminal environment within Windows.Open PowerShell as Administrator and run:
wsl --install
2

Open WSL Terminal

After installation, open the WSL terminal from your Start menu.
3

Update WSL Packages

Before continuing, update your distribution’s package manager. For Ubuntu/Debian (the default):
apt-get update && apt-get upgrade
4

Navigate to Your Working Directory

WSL has its own file system, but Windows files are accessible from /mnt/c/. It’s recommended to store your project in a Windows directory for easy access.For example, to work in your Windows Desktop folder:
cd /mnt/c/Users/<username>/Desktop
Replace <username> with your actual Windows username. You’ll need to run this command every time you open WSL.
5

Follow Linux Instructions

Now follow the Linux installation instructions below for your WSL distribution (usually Ubuntu).

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Windows (Cygwin Alternative)

If you prefer not to use WSL, you can use Cygwin to get a Unix-like environment on Windows.
1

Download Cygwin

Download the appropriate installer:
  • setup-x86_64.exe for 64-bit Windows
  • setup-x86.exe for 32-bit Windows
Get it from cygwin.com/install.html
2

Install Required Packages

Run the setup and leave default settings. At the “Select Packages” step, install these packages from the “Devel” category:
  • make
  • git
  • gcc-core
Double-click on “Skip” next to each package to select the most recent version.
3

Install RGBDS 1.0.1

Follow the RGBDS installation instructions for Windows with Cygwin to install RGBDS 1.0.1.
4

Configure Working Directory

Open the Cygwin terminal. By default, Cygwin uses C:\cygwin64\home\<username> as your home directory.To work in a different location like your Windows Desktop:
cd /cygdrive/c/Users/<username>/Desktop
In Cygwin, the C:\ drive is /cygdrive/c/. Replace <username> with your Windows username.
You’re now ready to build pokered!

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macOS

1

Install Homebrew

Install Homebrew, the package manager for macOS. Open Terminal and run:
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
Follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation.
2

Install RGBDS 1.0.1

Follow the RGBDS installation instructions for macOS to install RGBDS 1.0.1.Typically this involves:
brew install rgbds
If Homebrew installs a version newer than 1.0.1 and you encounter issues, you may need to install version 1.0.1 specifically.
You’re now ready to build pokered!

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Linux

Installation steps vary by distribution. Choose your distro below:

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Debian / Ubuntu

1

Install Build Tools

Open Terminal and install the required packages:
sudo apt-get install make gcc git
2

Build RGBDS from Source

Follow the RGBDS instructions for building from source to build RGBDS 1.0.1.Quick summary:
# Install dependencies
sudo apt-get install bison pkg-config libpng-dev

# Download RGBDS 1.0.1
git clone https://github.com/gbdev/rgbds.git
cd rgbds
git checkout v1.0.1

# Build and install
make
sudo make install

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OpenSUSE

1

Install Build Tools

sudo zypper install make gcc git
2

Build RGBDS from Source

Follow the RGBDS instructions for building from source to build RGBDS 1.0.1.

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Arch Linux

1

Install Packages

Arch Linux has RGBDS available in the official repositories:
sudo pacman -S make gcc git rgbds
If you prefer to compile RGBDS yourself or need version 1.0.1 specifically, follow the RGBDS build instructions.

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Termux (Android)

1

Install Build Tools

pkg install make clang git sed
2

Install RGBDS

pkg install rgbds
Or build from source using the RGBDS instructions if you need version 1.0.1 specifically.

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Other Distributions

If your distribution isn’t listed, install these packages from your package manager:
  • make
  • gcc (or clang)
  • git
  • rgbds
If rgbds isn’t available in your repositories, follow the RGBDS instructions for building from source to build RGBDS 1.0.1.

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Verifying Installation

After installing RGBDS and build tools, verify everything is working: 
rgbasm --version
You should see version information for each tool. For RGBDS, verify you have version 1.0.1: 
rgbasm version 1.0.1
If the commands aren’t found, make sure the installation completed successfully and that the tools are in your system’s PATH.

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Advanced: Using a Local RGBDS Version

If you have multiple projects requiring different RGBDS versions, you can install RGBDS in a local directory instead of globally.
1

Build RGBDS in Local Directory

Build or extract RGBDS 1.0.1 into a subdirectory like pokered/rgbds-1.0.1/:
cd pokered
mkdir rgbds-1.0.1
# Build or copy RGBDS binaries here
2

Specify RGBDS Path When Building

When running make, specify the RGBDS directory:
make RGBDS=rgbds-1.0.1/
This tells the Makefile to use the RGBDS binaries from your local directory instead of the system-wide installation.

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Next Steps

Now that you have all the tools installed, you’re ready to build your first ROM!

Quick Start Guide

Learn how to clone the repository, build ROMs, and verify your build

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