So, you’re looking for Pokemon Y 1.0 cheats. I get it. Honestly, playing through Kalos the old-fashioned way is fine, but sometimes you just want that Shiny Xerneas or a bag full of Master Balls to make the grind disappear. But here is the thing about version 1.0: it is a specific beast. If you’ve updated your game via the Nintendo eShop at any point since 2013, most of the old-school exploits you’re hunting for might just... fail.
Back when Pokemon X and Y launched, the game was a mess of code. It was Game Freak’s first real jump into full 3D on a handheld, and they left a lot of doors open. Version 1.0 is the "unpatched" state of the game. It’s the version that exists on the physical cartridge before any digital updates are applied. If you’re trying to use a PowerSaves Pro or an Action Replay, or even some of the more niche glitches, knowing if you’re actually on 1.0 is the difference between a working cheat and a crashed 3DS.
The Reality of Pokémon Y 1.0 Cheats and the Lumiose Bug
The biggest reason people talk about version 1.0 is actually because of a game-breaking bug. It wasn't a "cheat" in the helpful sense, but it defined the early days. If you saved your game in the North or South Boulevards of Lumiose City, your save file would basically get bricked. You’d load back in, the music would play, and your character would just stand there, frozen.
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When Nintendo released the 1.1 and 1.2 patches, they fixed this. But they also tightened up the memory addresses that external cheat devices used. If you are using Pokemon Y 1.0 cheats on a modern 3DS, you have to be careful. Most Action Replay codes floating around the internet today were actually written for version 1.5. If you try to force a 1.5 code onto a 1.0 cartridge, you risk corrupting your Hall of Fame data or, worse, losing your PC boxes entirely.
Why physical cartridges are the "Holy Grail" for cheaters
If you downloaded Pokemon Y from the eShop (back when it was still open), you likely have the patched version baked into the download. You can't easily "downgrade" a digital copy. But a physical cartridge? That’s gold. You can go into your 3DS settings, look under "Extra Data," and delete the Pokemon Y update file. Suddenly, your game reverts to its 1.0 state.
This is where the real fun starts.
Using PowerSaves on Version 1.0
The Datel Action Replay PowerSaves is still the go-to for most people because it’s relatively cheap and doesn't require you to "hack" your 3DS console. It’s a USB reader. You plug your cartridge into it, connect it to a PC, and it injects code.
When you load up the software, you’ll see a list of available cheats. Most people go straight for the 999x Rare Candies. But wait. In version 1.0, the item slots are mapped differently than in later updates. If the PowerSaves software doesn't automatically detect your version, you might end up turning your Rare Candies into "Terrible" items or glitch items that don't even have a name.
- Always back up your save before applying any code.
- Check the "Codes" section of the PowerSaves UI specifically for the "v1.0" header.
- Don't apply more than three codes at once. The 1.0 engine is notoriously unstable with memory overflows.
It’s kinda funny how we used to think these games were bulletproof. They really aren't.
The Master Ball and Mega Stone Glitches
In the 1.0 version, there were specific ways to duplicate items using the Wonder Trade system and some very precise timing with the 3DS wireless switch. This was the "poor man's" version of Pokemon Y 1.0 cheats. Basically, if you timed a communication error exactly right during a trade, you could sometimes end up with the item still on your Pokemon while the receiver also got a copy. It was risky. It was frustrating. But for a 12-year-old in 2013, it was the only way to get extra Blazikenites.
PKHeX and the Modern Era of Cheating
If you really want to mess with Pokemon Y 1.0, you aren't using an Action Replay anymore. You’re using PKHeX. This is a save editor created by Kurt (Project_Pokemon). It is the gold standard.
To use it, you need a 3DS with Custom Firmware (CFW) like Luma3DS. You use an app called Checkpoint to rip your save file from the 1.0 cartridge, put the SD card in your computer, and open the main file in PKHeX.
This bypasses the whole "version mismatch" headache. PKHeX reads the raw data. It doesn't care if you're on 1.0 or 1.5. You can manually set your Trainer ID, change your secret ID (to make any Pokemon you catch a Shiny), and even give yourself the unreleased Eternal Flower Floette—which, by the way, is still in the 1.0 code but was never officially released.
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Does it still work in 2026?
Surprisingly, yes. Even though the 3DS is technically "legacy" hardware now, the community around Kalos hasn't died. People still hunt for these 1.0 glitches because they feel more "authentic" than just clicking a button on a computer. There’s a certain nostalgia in trying to execute the "cloning glitch" by turning off your 3DS at the exact moment the "Communicating..." screen flashes.
Common Misconceptions About 1.0 Exploits
A lot of people think that the "Shiny Charm" glitch was a thing in 1.0. It wasn't. People were just lucky. Another big myth is that you can "cheat" your way into the locked power plant doors in the Lumiose Desert.
I’ve spent hours looking into this. I've used walk-through-walls codes on Pokemon Y 1.0. There is nothing behind those doors. No Volcanion. No secret quest. It’s just empty map data. Game Freak likely planned something and cut it before the 1.0 gold build was finalized. No amount of cheating will fix a game that wasn't finished.
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How to Safely Implement Pokemon Y 1.0 Cheats
If you are determined to mess with the game's internal logic, you have to be smart. This isn't like the GameBoy days where a bad code just gave you a weird-colored sprite. A bad 3DS code can actually crash the handheld's firmware.
- Step One: Check your version. Look at the bottom right of the title screen. If there’s no number, you’re on 1.0.
- Step Two: If you’re using a cartridge, keep the 3DS offline. If it connects to the internet, it might try to force an update, which will break your 1.0-specific codes.
- Step Three: Stick to the "safe" cheats first. Money and Items. Avoid modifying your "Bag" or "Pokedex" directly, as these are the most common causes of save corruption in the early 1.0 builds.
Actionable Next Steps
If you want to start cheating in Pokemon Y version 1.0 today, your first move should be checking your hardware. Grab your 3DS, go to the System Settings, then Data Management, and then Nintendo 3DS. Look under Add-on Content. If you see "Pokemon Y Update," delete it. This instantly reverts your physical cartridge to the 1.0 state.
From there, look into getting a PowerSaves Pro or, if you're feeling tech-savvy, installing Luma3DS custom firmware. The latter is far more powerful and lets you use the Rosalina menu to apply cheats in real-time while the game is running. It's much safer than the old methods and gives you way more control over things like encounter rates and shiny odds. Just remember: once you take that Pokemon online, if it has "impossible" stats or moves, the Pokemon Bank (or HOME) might flag it. Keep your cheated 'mon for your own fun, and you'll be just fine.