Since the first Pokémon games were released over 30 years ago, the franchise has grown to include dozens of games. There’s the traditional core game series, of course, which launches its 10th generation next year with Pokémon Winds & Waves. And there are countless spinoffs and fun side stories in different genres, some of which may be even better than the mainline titles.
If all these games are still not enough, there’s one more source for excellent Pokémon games: the fans. The Pokémon community has created countless versions of the older games through ROM hacks: essentially taking the existing games and changing their assets. This has given rise to games with brand-new storylines, new areas and Pokémon, and even stark improvements from the original games. So much so that some of these Pokémon ROM hacks may even be better than the original games they’re modifying.
Pokémon FireRed Rocket Edition
If you’ve ever wondered what it would be like to be the villain of the game instead of the good guy, Pokémon FireRed Rocket Edition has you covered. In this ROM hack by colonelsalt on PokéCommunity, you play as a member of Team Rocket.
Instead of capturing Pokémon, you travel around the Kanto region defeating trainers and stealing their Pokémon to build your own team. You also get to experience the events of Pokémon FireRed from the villain’s point of view, revealing some troubling things that the protagonist never saw on his adventure.
Deal with corrupt gym leaders, uncover the connection between Professor Oak and Giovanni, and learn the truth behind Mewtwo and the Great Pokémon War. A morality system and branching quests make your decisions meaningful even though you’re a “bad guy.” Every choice you make can have long-lasting consequences, so think twice before double-crossing that NPC!
Pokémon Inclement Emerald
Pokémon Inclement Emerald by Buffel Saft on PokéCommunity has been described by some fans as the better way to play Pokémon Emerald. The game takes place in the Hoenn region, and includes most of the Pokémon from the first seven generations.
It also includes quality of life updates, a reworked weather system, improved leveling, and multiple difficulties. There are options to use teams in battles against gym leaders, Mega Evolve certain Pokémon, and even a large collection of exclusive TMs and Move Tutors.
In other words, it’s the ultimate Pokémon game for fans who have played the originals and wish there was one single title that combined all the best things about them into one complete game.
Pokémon Dreamstone Mysteries
Part of the appeal of the old games was in embarking on a new journey through an unexplored area and discovering its creatures and stories. It’s hard to recreate that when the classic titles have been out for so long, which is where games like Pokémon Dreamstone Mysteries come in.
This Pokémon Emerald ROM hack by dsmyst on PokéHarbor features a new story set in the region of Cormoria. The game follows the protagonist through “frozen mountains, fiery craters, misty swamps, bustling cities, and shadowy sewers” on their quest to located the missing Professor Tenebris.
The professor was last seen researching mysterious artifacts known as Dreamstones, and now it’s up to you to uncover their secrets before they fall into the hands of the nefarious Team Somber.
Besides a new story and characters, this hack includes gameplay and leveling tweaks to improve experience, a handpicked Pokédex of around 300 Pokémon, a visual revamp, and more features that improve on the original Pokémon game it’s based on.
Pokémon Heart and Soul
Pokémon Heart and Soul is a ROM hack of Pokémon Emerald that rebuilds the Gold, Silver, Crystal, HeartGold and SoulSilver game generation using Emerald as their base. This means you can experience the Johto region in Game Boy Advanced graphics, with gen-3 mechanics.
Of course, this isn’t a simple port; Heart and Soul makes plenty of upgrades to improve the experience and make this the best way to play the GSC games. Trainer and gym leaders have been reworked to make more intelligent choices in battle for a more challenging combat experience.
The hack also adds customization options that let you change settings, difficulty, level caps, and more to find the perfect combination for each player. Visual upgrades and quality-of-life improvements all combine to make this a superior option to the original gen-2 games.
Pokémon Emerald Rogue
There have been rumors that Pokémon Winds & Waves will include procedurally generated islands. At the time of this writing, nothing has been confirmed yet, but if you want to experience Pokémon as a Roguelike before then, you can check out Pokémon Emerald Rogue by Pokabbie on PokéCommunity.
The hack reimagines Emerald as a Roguelite, complete with a central hub area and randomized routes. Every run will send you out to randomized routes and encounters, interspersed with gym leaders with a team of their specified Type affinity.
When you wipe, you return to the starter area, where you can prepare for the next run by buying permanent items and upgrades, and choosing your next starter Pokémon. It’s a fun new take on a classic formula that brings an element of the beloved Mystery Dungeon series to modern Roguelite mechanics.
Pokémon Scorched Silver
Despite the name, Pokémon Scorched Silver is actually a hack of Pokémon Emerald. Created by Sloo on PokéCommuinty, the ROM explores the Johto region as you’ve never seen it before. It’s been 20 years since the events of Gold and Silver, and a young new protagonist passes through the area on their journey to become a Pokémon Master.
Revisit the characters and locations of the iconic second generation, a bit older but still recognizable. Find yourself embroiled in a new plot from the mysterious Team Phoenix organization, uncover new lore, and more.
As with most ROM hacks, this one brings in elements from future core games for a more robust experience, like the Black & White repel system. It also makes QoL upgrades, includes over 750 Pokémon, and introduces brand-new characters and story that makes this a worthy successor—and possibly an improved version of—Pokémon Gold & Silver.
Pokémon Unbound
Pokémon Unbound is one of the oldest ROM hacks on this list, but it remains one of the best. created by Skeli on PokéHarbor, this Pokémon FireRed hack is considered by many fans to be so good that it makes all other hacks pale in comparison.
The game feels like a traditional Game Freak game and, even more than any of the other titles on this list, is even better than the original Pokémon games. Unbound brings players to the Borrius Region, which once waged war against the Kalos region. The region called on a dark force to win the war, which was sealed away after the battle was over.
Now, a new evil organization known as The Shadows is trying to summon the darkness again. You play a main character who’s tasked with stopping the world from falling into darkness by The Shadows and their nefarious plan.
This game has so many exclusive and custom features that it might as well be a brand-new game. It’s built on an engine based on Gen-8, has every Pokémon from the first eight generations, and includes a range of difficulty modes, character customization options, daily events, puzzles, and even post-game content.
Pulling it all together is a compelling story with new lore and regions to explore, making Pokémon Unbound potentially better than the official Pokémon games it’s based on.
- Video Game(s)
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Pokemon Red and Blue, Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Gold and Silver, Pokémon Crystal, Pokemon Ruby and Sapphire, Pokemon Sapphire, Pokemon Diamond and Pearl, Pokemon Platinum, Pokemon Black and White, Pokemon Black and White 2, Pokemon X and Y, Pokemon Sun and Moon, Pokemon Sword and Shield, Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Pokemon Winds and Waves, Pokemon Legends Arceus, Pokemon Legends Z-A