File: bcXMG.jpg (657 KB, 2591x1935) Image search: [Google]

657 KB, 2591x1935

All right, we need to clear some things up because a lot of people have their facts wrong.

Gen 1 games were made before Nintendo had standardized the use of flash memory in handheld systems. To save your data, these games instead use a RAM chip powered by a single watch battery contained in the cartridge to hold your save data.
>In short, these cartridges contain batteries, and if the battery dies, it deletes your save. You also won't be able to save again until you replace the battery.
However, these batteries can last 15+ years.

Gen 2 games are the same situation. However, the battery has to pull double duty because these games include a real-time clock to keep track of the time. So the battery powers both the clock and the RAM chip, and as a result, the batteries die faster than in Gen 1 games. Most have already died, in fact.

Gen 3 is where people always seem to get confused. By the time these games came out, Nintendo had standardized flash memory across the board, therefore there was no need to include a battery for saving. However, because RSE once again use a real-time clock, they put batteries in the cartridges anyway to keep the clock going.
>In short, RSE do include a battery, but if it runs out it WILL NOT delete your save, it will simply stop the in-game clock.
It's worth noting that FR/LG do NOT have batteries because these games don't have an in-game clock. (This is a good way to spot fake cartridges, by the way.)

Starting with Gen 4, all games use the Nintendo DS/3DS's internal clock to keep track of time. Therefore, no Pokemon cartridges made after this point contain batteries. They only contain a flash chip to save your data.

Now please stop spreading false information.