Pokemon Ruby Cheat Codes: Why Your Game Keeps Crashing and How to Fix It

Hoenn is a vibe. If you grew up in the early 2000s, you probably remember the tactile click of a Game Boy Advance SP and that iconic, trumpeting soundtrack. But let’s be real. Nobody actually wants to spend forty hours grinding a Geodude in Granite Cave just to beat Brawly. We wanted the Rare Candies. We wanted the Master Balls. Most of all, we wanted that level 100 Rayquaza before the third gym.

That's where the world of cheat codes for Pokemon Ruby comes in.

But here is the thing: using these codes in 2026 is way different than it was back on the playground. Back then, we had physical Action Replay cartridges that you’d sandwich between your GBA and the game. Today, most people are using emulators like mGBA or RetroArch, and the way these systems handle memory addresses is finicky. If you just copy-paste a list of codes you found on a forum from 2005, there is a 50% chance you'll end up with a "Bad Egg" that nukes your save file.

The Logic Behind the Glitch

The Game Boy Advance isn't a powerhouse. It manages data in a very specific, linear way. When you input a cheat code, you aren't "asking" the game for an item. You are literally overwriting a specific line of the game's RAM.

Imagine the game's memory is a shelf of labeled jars. One jar is labeled "Player Money," and another is labeled "First Slot in Bag." A cheat code basically smashes the "Player Money" jar and replaces it with one that says "999,999."

It works. Usually.

The problem arises because Pokemon Ruby has a Master Code (Enable Code) requirement for most hardware-based cheating. If you don't turn that on first, the game doesn't know where the "jars" are. It starts replacing random data. Suddenly, your rival's name is a string of glitchy symbols, and your character is walking through trees.

Why Your Master Code Matters

You can't just dive into the fun stuff. You need the foundation. For the North American (v1.0) version of Ruby, the Master Code is the gatekeeper.

Master Code (Must be on):
9E6AC862 823AB7A8
46B7D9E4 A709E9E1

Without this, your emulator might just ignore everything else you type. Or worse, it’ll let the game run for five minutes before freezing during a save. Never save your game while a cheat is active unless you've tested it for at least ten minutes of gameplay. Use Save States instead. They are your best friend.

Scoring Infinite Items and Money

Let's talk about the Rare Candy. It’s the holy grail. It’s the reason most people look for a cheat code for Pokemon Ruby in the first place. The specific code for Rare Candies in your first PC slot is: 280EA266 88A62E5C.

Once you put that in, check your PC. Don't check your bag. It’ll be in the PC storage. Withdraw one, and then you’ll see the number "99" or a glitchy symbol that represents an infinite amount.

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Money is easier.
Code: 82014922 423F
Code: 82014924 000F

This maxes out your wallet. You'll never have to worry about buying Great Balls again. Honestly, though, if you have infinite Master Balls (12889240 033B4651), money becomes kinda irrelevant. Why buy a Poke Ball when you can just throw a purple one at a Zigzagoon and call it a day?

The "Bad Egg" Warning

I have to mention this because it ruins lives. A "Bad Egg" is what happens when the game's checksum doesn't match the data in the Pokemon's slot. It happens most often with "Wild Pokemon Modifier" codes. If you force a Celebi to appear in the wild, the game knows that Celebi isn't supposed to be in Ruby. It panics.

If you see a Bad Egg in your party, do not save.
Do not put it in your PC.
If it gets into your PC, it can spread—sort of. It can corrupt the data of the Pokemon in adjacent boxes. It’s basically digital cancer for your save file. Always, always create a backup of your .sav file before you start messin' with the internal logic of the Hoenn region.

Walking Through Walls

This is the most "god-mode" cheat there is. It's the one that lets you skip the long route to Fortree City or walk right over the ocean to the Elite Four.

Code: CE61CE35 4D118AA2

It's a GameShark code. It’s brilliant, but it’s buggy. If you walk off the map—into the black void surrounding the rooms—you might get stuck. The game doesn't know how to render "nothing." If you save while standing in a wall and then turn the cheat off, you are soft-locked. You'll be trapped in the brickwork of the Petalburg Gym forever.

The Expert Way to Use Encounter Codes

Most people think you just put the code in and walk into the grass. That’s how you get a level 4 Groudon that only knows Leer.

If you want a Pokemon that is actually usable, you need to combine the Species code with a Level code.

1. Enter the Master Code.
2. Enter the Pokemon Species code (e.g., Rayquaza is 554D90AB FD64C32F).
3. Enter the Level code (Level 50 is 820241E4 0032).
4. Walk into the grass.

Once the battle starts and you see the Rayquaza, turn the codes off immediately. Then catch it. If you leave the codes on during the capture, the game might struggle to write the data to your party correctly.

Addressing the "Mew" Myth

Can you get Mew in Ruby? Yes, but only through cheats or the old "Old Sea Map" event which was never officially released for the English version of Ruby (it was an Emerald thing, mostly).

In Ruby, if you want a Mew, you have to force the encounter.
Mew Code: BE88B351 713C5957

Just remember that a cheated Mew will often refuse to obey you in battle if you don't have the right badges, and it might not be transferable to later generations (like Gen 4) because the "legitimacy checkers" will see that it doesn't have the "fateful encounter" flag.

Making It Work on Modern Hardware

If you’re playing on an original GBA with an Everdrive or an EZ-Flash, you have to be careful about the code format. There are three main types:

• Action Replay (AR): Usually two blocks of 8 characters.
• GameShark (GS): Similar to AR, but uses different header logic.
• CodeBreaker: Usually shorter, 12-character strings.

If a code isn't working, it's probably because your emulator is trying to read an Action Replay code as a CodeBreaker code. Most modern emulators like mGBA have a "Auto-detect" feature, but it isn't perfect. Manually selecting "Action Replay v3" usually fixes the "it's entered but nothing is happening" issue.

Practical Steps for a Glitch-Free Run

If you want to use a cheat code for Pokemon Ruby without losing your 50-hour save file, follow this specific workflow. It’s what the pros do.

1. Hard Save: Save your game using the in-game menu.
2. Export Save: Go to your emulator settings and "Export Backup Save." Put it in a folder labeled "Safe."
3. Input One Code at a Time: Do not stack "Infinite Money," "Walk Through Walls," and "Level 100" all at once. The RAM can't handle that much overwriting simultaneously.
4. Execute and Verify: Get your items or catch your Pokemon.
5. Disable Codes: Turn everything off.
6. Hard Save Again: This "bakes" the changes into the save file without the cheat engine running in the background.

Honestly, the best part of Ruby is the discovery. But if you’ve beaten the game ten times and just want to see what happens when you take a Kyogre to the first gym, these codes are your ticket. Just be smart about the Bad Eggs. They are the only thing that can truly beat a Level 100 legendary.

Check your emulator's "Cheat" menu right now. If you have "Auto-Apply" turned on, turn it off. It’s better to trigger the code only when you need it, rather than letting it run in the background while the game tries to process the heavy weather effects in the later routes. That's usually when the crashes happen. Stay safe, and happy hunting in the tall grass.