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Frame from [TAS] [Obsoleted] GBC Pokémon: Yellow Version "arbitrary code execution" by Fracta[...] in 03:14.15 Plays via YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed

[TAS] [Obsoleted] GBC Pokémon: Yellow Version "arbitrary code execution" by Fracta[...] in 03:14.15

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1 HN user recommended this demo1 month2013 score 1.5
Years with an HN recommendation, 2007–2026

HN cites it as a showcase of memory-corruption exploits achievable using only normal controller inputs, often alongside other arbitrary-code-execution speedruns.

A tool-assisted speedrun of Pokemon Yellow on Game Boy Color that uses glitches and frame-precise inputs to make the game execute an arbitrary program. It was later obsoleted by an improved run.

“One of my favourites” (HN, 2013)

1 strong recommendations · 3 citations · Demos · intermediate

4 Hacker News comments

From the HN archive; up to 20 kept per video, favoring different commenters. Recommendations first.

@Shish2k Oct 2013 Strongly recommends
on HN thread Discoveries Ten Years Later in Zelda Speedrun
One of my favourites; not technically a speed run, but a festival of glitches being used to corrupt memory in a very specific way, using only the regular gameboy inputs :) [this video]
Glitches corrupt memory using only normal Game Boy inputs.

Citations, criticism and jokes

@comex Dec 2013 Cites it
on HN thread Writing a Program in Pokemon Blue
These sorts of "exploits" have also been used in Pokemon and other games for extremely fast tool-assisted speedruns: [this video] (Pokemon Yellow) [link] (Super Mario World) [link] (EarthBound)
Example of exploits used in tool-assisted speedruns.
@chilldream Dec 2013 Cites it
on HN thread Writing a Program in Pokemon Blue
It's neat how many glitches people have found in these particular games. A couple other Pokemon "arbitrary code" hacks (in the Yellow version): [this video] (Pi day celebration) [link] (proof-of-concept for a clojure-to-pokemon-to-assembly compiler) A "normal" playthrough in which the author shows off various glitches (most without any kind of cheat device): [link]
Pokemon Yellow arbitrary code hack for Pi day.

Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.

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