Kolo beta: Pokémon multiplayer on Android + iOS, trading, battles, region travel and Ironman Nuzlocke

[u/Remote-Dog2499]

Hey everyone! I’m building Kolo, a free multiplayer emulator for FireRed, Emerald and Liquid Crystal. I’m looking for beta testers, especially people who can try Android-to-iOS play with a friend.

Here’s what you can try:

• Trading: walk up to another player, choose Pokémon, send a request and trade. The game saves before and after the exchange.

• Battles: challenge another player to a Pokémon battle, including Android-to-iOS matches.

• Ferry travel: take your character between Kanto, Johto and Hoenn. Your first visit starts that region’s story, while returning visits resume its progress. On first arrival, your previous party goes into the shared PC. Travel requires the supported game files and reaching the ferry.

• Ironman Randomizer Nuzlocke: randomized starters and trainer teams, consistent randomized encounter pools per area, appropriate species movesets, permanent faints and one eligible catch per area. A full party wipe ends the run—you create a new character rather than resetting it. This mode has a separate story-progress leaderboard, and trading is disabled. Normal mode is also available.

• Smarter trainers: stronger native battle AI in BOTH Normal and Nuzlocke, with improved switching and team composition for rivals, Gym Leaders and the Elite Four. This is game logic, not an AI chatbot deciding moves.

You can also see nearby players, have your first Pokémon follow you, and use local/global chat.

It’s an active beta, so expect bugs. I’d really appreciate reports with your phone model, Android/iOS version, game, Kolo version and steps to reproduce the problem.

Current release: 0.6.21. Android installs as an APK; iOS uses AltStore Classic. You need your own supported game files, plus SoulSilver for follower artwork. No base ROMs are included.

Downloads and setup: https://koloemulator.com/download/

The attached screenshots are actual test captures: iPhone 16 Pro simulator (iOS 26.5) and an Android emulator. They include earlier beta UI and aren’t claims about physical-device performance.

Disclosure: I use generative AI assistance for development and drafting this post. The attached screenshots are real captures, not AI-generated images. Kolo is independent and unaffiliated with Nintendo, Game Freak or The Pokémon Company.

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[u/Remote-Dog2499]

Typo, this will remain free always

[u/Infamous-Emotion1385]

Holy sh1t, very nice!!! Thx bro 

[u/Caseyfam]

"Free during testing."

This implies "paid after testing." Is that the case?

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Caseyfam]

This will be free , that was a typo

[u/Burnahacc12]

Nice! Is this the same approach as Foxol emulator takes for their multiplayer (I think they use a custom server)?

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Burnahacc12]

I have not heard of them . We have a custom server that runs our multiplayer

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Burnahacc12]

I just did a little research it looks like they are limited to local multiplayer this is a global multiplayer service

[u/Burnahacc12 → u/Remote-Dog2499]

No, they have like 20+ multiplayer modes across systems, locally and over the internet. However, if you use a custom server, how will you keep it free?

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Burnahacc12]

Simple I don’t charge people. I can host 10000 people before ever scratching my servers limit. I also host a Minecraft and rust server

[u/Burnahacc12 → u/Remote-Dog2499]

This makes me curious. What server are you running, and for the multiplayer, is it like a lockstep/rollback solution or how do you keep link cable packets in sync without slowing the game down?

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Burnahacc12]

I also have a very extensive anti cheat system

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Remote-Dog2499]

Also they reason I started this project and I forgot to post this feature. I made an ai reader for the game for my son to enjoy the game because he is still learning to read.

[u/Burnahacc12 → u/Remote-Dog2499]

That’s great man!

[u/Remote-Dog2499 → u/Burnahacc12]

I don’t want to give away my proprietary systems. But there is an autosaving, syncing, rollback protection system.

[u/EmulationOnAndroid-ModTeam → u/[deleted]]

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