An old exploit that allowed Pokemon players to get online and download Mystery Gifts across all Pokemon games for Gen 4 and Gen 5 is still up and running more than 10 years after the original service was shut down. Previously reported by ShackNews back in 2018, we can confirm that six years later, the process still works on your Nintendo DS handheld console but we found that it also now works on emulators, specifically melonDS.
Below, you will find video instructions from YouTuber Marcanine on how to do this on Pokemon SoulSilver version for DS and emulator melonDS. And just below that are written/typed out instructions on how to do this on your 3DS console, along with a list of supported DS devices.
The process is quite simple, regardless of what Pokemon game you are playing, whether it be any from Gen 4 or 5, or what DS device you are playing on. Unless it is a Nintendo DSi, which is not supported for some reason.
For how to do this on an emulator, we recommend watching Marcanine’s video and checking out the description box of that same video, as it contains additional instructions for melonDS. As for an actual Nintendo DS handheld device, here is how to set it up on the 3DS, 3DS XL, 2DS, and 2DS XL for both Gen 4 and Gen 5, and on the Nintendo DS and DS Lite for Gen 4 (again, note that Nintendo DSi is not supported):
For Generation 5 Games
- Internet Connection Setup:
- If your 3DS already has an internet connection, skip this step.
- Otherwise, go to System Settings > Internet Settings > Connection Settings. Add a “New connection” and follow the tutorial to set up your internet. Test the connection to make sure it’s successful.
- DNS Configuration:
- Go to Change Settings and find DNS. Set “Auto-obtain DNS” to No.
- Enter 164.132.44.106 as the primary DNS and leave the secondary DNS as all zeros. Hit OK.
For Generation 5 games, you’re now done and ready to go.
For Generation 4 Games
- Mystery Gift Setup (for Diamond, Pearl, Platinum):
- If Mystery Gift isn’t unlocked, go to Jubilife City’s TV building (3rd floor), and talk to the man in the bottom left. Answer his questions with “Everyone Happy” and “Wi-Fi Connection” to unlock Mystery Gift in the main menu.
- Wi-Fi Configuration:
- These games require a router with an older WPS setting. If your router or phone hotspot supports this, use it and enter the WPS code instead of a password.
- Use the DNS settings mentioned above (164.132.44.106) or try 178.62.43.212 as the primary DNS with 1.1.1.1 or 8.8.8.8 as the secondary.
What You Get
There are a lot of special items and Pokemon to earn here, and each entry is different with what legendary, mythical, shiny, unique, or anime-related Pokemon you get. Below is a fairly comprehensive list of what you can get for all the games in Gen 4 (Diamond, Pearl, Platinum, HeartGold, and SoulSilver), and Gen 5 (Black, White, Black 2, and White 2).
Also, be advised that because you can get all of the gift event Pokemon and items all at once, your gifts will be random and in any order. During our testing, we got different Pokemon at different times on different devices running the same game. Also, you may get duplicates that state you have already received the gift, so you may need to grind to get them all.
Diamond | Pearl | Platinum
- App: Alarm Clock
- App: Feeling Checker
- Arceus (Lvl 100, 2009 TRU)
- Ash’s Pikachu (Lvl 50, Phantom Champion Zoroark 2010)
- Celebi (Lvl 50, Winter 2011)
- Crobat (Lvl 30, 2010 Worlds)
- Crobat (Lvl 30, Worlds 2010)
- Darkrai (Lvl 50, ALAMOS, 4 possible with diff ID)
- Deoxys (Lvl 50, 2008 Gamestop)
- Dragonite (Lvl 50, TRU)
- Jirachi (Lvl 5, Summer 2010)
- Key Item: Membership Card
- Key Item: Oak’s Letter
- Key Item: Secret Key
- Key Item: Unofficial, Azure Flute
- Lucario (Lvl 30, 2008 Worlds)
- Manaphy (Lvl 50, AU JB Hi-Fi)
- Manaphy (Lvl 50, Nintendo World)
- Manaphy (Lvl 50, TRU)
- Pikachu (Lvl 20, Nintendo Zone, Knows “Present”)
- Regigigas (Lvl 100, EU Movie)
- Regigigas (Lvl 100, TRU USA)
- Scizor (Lvl 50, Phantom Champion Zoroark 2010)
- Shaymin (Lvl 50, TRU, Gracidea)
- Shiny Entei (Lvl 30, Gamestop Event)
- Shiny Milotic (Lvl 50, Video Game Championships 2009)
- Shiny Pichu (Lvl 30, Spring 2010, When brought to HGSS can give you Spiky Eared Pichu)
- Shiny Raikou (Lvl 30, Gamestop Event)
- Shiny Suicune (Lvl 30, Gamestop Event)
- Weavile (Lvl 30, 2009 Worlds)
HeartGold | SoulSilver
- Amity Meadows (Pokewalker Route Info, Japanese)
- Ash’s Pikachu (Lvl 50, TRU)
- Celebi (Lvl 50, Winter 2011)
- Crobat (Lvl 30, Worlds 2010)
- Enigma Stone (Lvl 40, Latios in HG or Latias in SS)
- Jirachi (Lvl 5, Summer 2010)
- Lock Capsule (Unofficial, separate Wonder Card section)
- Mew (Lvl 5, Fall 2010)
- Rally (Pokewalker Route Info, Japanese)
- Shiny Eevee (Lvl 50, Video Game Championship 2010)
- Shiny Entei (Lvl 30, Winter 2011)
- Shiny Raikou (Lvl 30, Winter 2011)
- Shiny Suicune (Lvl 30, Winter 2011)
- Sightseeing (Pokewalker Route Info, Japanese)
- Winner’s Path (Pokewalker Route Info)
- Yellow Forest (Pokewalker, All Pikachu)
Black | White | Black 2 | White 2
- Cloyster (Lvl 30, 2013 Winter Regionals, Abram’s)
- Darkrai (Lvl 50, May 2012, Dark Explorer’s tie-in)
- Deoxys (Lvl 100, 2013, B2W2 Only)
- Genesect (Lvl 15, Fall 2012, B2W2 Launch event, “Techno Blast” move)
- Karrablast (Lvl 50, European Summer 2011 Pokemon Day)
- Keldeo (Lvl 15, Summer 2012, Black 2/ White 2 Pre Release)
- Liberty Pass (Item to meet Victini)
- Meloetta (Lvl 50, Spring 2013 Gamestop/ EB Games/ GAME)
- Mewtwo (Lvl 70, Feb 2012, 1st Anniversary)
- Mewtwo (Lvl 100, 2013 Extremespeed Genesect Pre-Order Event in Japan)
- Pikachu (Lvl 50, 2012 Worlds, knows “Fly” move)
- Pikachu (Lvl 100, 2012 Pika Pika Carnival event in Singapore, OT: Fes)
- Pikachu (Lvl 100, Germany Summer 2012 Pokemon Day)
- Ray’s Shiny Metagross (Lvl 45, 2013 Regionals)
- Reshiram (Lvl 100, Spring 2012)
- Scrafty (Lvl 50, 2011 Worlds)
- Secret Egg (TRU 2011, Random 3 from Anime: Ash’s Pidove, Iris’s Axew, and Cilan’s Pansage)
- Shelmet (Lvl 50, EU Pokemon Day 2011)
- Shiny Dialga (Lvl 100, Summer 2013, Gamestop)
- Shiny Giratina (Lvl 100, Summer 2013, Gamestop)
- Shiny Larvitar (Lvl 5, 2012 Worlds)
- Shiny Palkia (Lvl 100, Summer 2013, Gamestop)
- Smeargle (Lvl 50, 2013 Worlds)
- Victini (Lvl 50, Pokemon the Movie 2012 Black and White, has V-Create move)
- Woler’s Ludicolo (Lvl 30, 2013 Spring Regionals)
- Zekrom (Lvl 100, Spring 2012, Has “Bolt Strike” move)
- Zoroark (Lvl 50, Summer 2011, TRU)
Error Codes
If you encounter any errors like 52100, try resetting the game or redoing the WFC setup. For the “6000 error,” follow this method:
- Open the game’s WFC settings.
- Delete the WFC config, then set it up again and connect to Mystery Gift.
- Agree to update your Wi-Fi profile when prompted.
- Reconnect if you get an error the first time.