Pokémon mods: what are rom hacks and best creations

True Pokémon fans have always demanded games that are more daring, with greater difficulty and, in general, that show that the saga has evolved into a more adult aspect. Unfortunately, Pokémon is Pokémon and Game Freak does not seem to want to change the plans of its franchise. Luckily for us, there are people out there who have dared to create their own Pokémon video games . Unofficial roms, created by amateurs that, sometimes, have everything that we are looking for and that we do not find in real titles. There are hundreds of unofficial Pokémon video games, but most of them are unfinished or full of bugs . Therefore, in this post we will collect some of the safe bets that every Pokémon player should try.

Pokémon mods

What are Hack Roms and why you should try them

In short, they are video games created by fans , just like in literature and cinema with their respective fan fictions .

The Pokémon Community is one of the most grateful in this regard. And it is that there are many people who have the ability to create their own video games and make them available to everyone for free and for the love of art. Unfortunately, most projects end up on deaf ears, either because they never finish programming, because they are riddled with bugs or even because they don’t get translated into other languages.

Despite this, many of these versions deserve to be played . Some focus on improving the story, others simply add Pokémon from other generations to classic games, and others modify the difficulty , for example, by adding game modes (nuzzlocke, randomlocke and others). In the most extreme case, there are games with regions designed from scratch , with totally original plots and even with their own characters and Pokédex.

Within this type of game, we can classify the titles into two large groups : those that are made by modifying an original rom and those that are designed completely from scratch using an engine like RPG Maker or similar. In this post we will focus on the first group, highlighting some very well-crafted video games that you will be able to play on your Android phone , or on your computer (either PC or Mac) using emulators.

Best Hack Roms based on original games

We leave you below with our selection.

Pokémon Let’s Go Pikachu / Eevee for Game Boy Advance

pokemon lets go gba

Using the foundation of Pokémon FireRed and LeafGreen , this game is literally Pokémon Let’s Go for Switch with Game Boy Advance graphics. A replica of the game with incredibly well-crafted gameplay.

Mainly, in this game we are not going to have random battles, but we will see the wild creatures and we will be able to choose whether or not to fight against certain Pokémon. All kinds of Pokémon up to the seventh generation also appear. Regarding the difficulty, it is almost as simple as the game on which it is based and is available in Spanish.

Pokemon Ash Gray

Pokémon Ash Gray

As you may know, the first season of the Pokémon series is based on the video game. Later, Pokémon Yellow is based on the animated series. Well, Pokémon Ash Gray is a rom based on Fire Red and Leaf Green that reproduces point by point everything that happens in the anime .

We will never be able to evolve Pikachu and Team Rocket will be especially interested in stealing our traveling companion. For the rest, it has a translation into Latin Spanish , and the difficulty of the game is to reproduce the events in the same conditions as Ash in the television series. Otherwise, we will not be able to move forward.

Pokemon Crystal Clear

Based on Pokémon Crystal for the Game Boy Color, Crystal Clear turns the second generation title into an open world experience , something Game Freak has never dared to create. You can access all of the cities in Johto and Kanto right from the start , as physical barriers don’t exist in this version. Likewise, you can beat the game in any order you like .

And if you wonder, the difficulty of the game adapts depending on the number of medals you have. You can jump from region to region and complete your adventure completely tailor-made, the game will adapt to your experience. The title also recovers parts of Kanto that disappeared in the second generation, and the story is very well spun, making it clear that it is a sequel to Pokémon Crystal . Finally, you can choose from several unusual starter Pokémon if you want the adventure to become a real challenge for you.

Pokémon Renegade Platinum

pokemon renegade platinum

This other rom seeks to be a definitive version of Pokémon Platinum for Nintendo DS. It preserves the history and the Pokémon of the original game, but modern mechanics such as the fairy type have been added and the difficulty has been increased enough to make it a real challenge for the player . It is also available in Spanish.

Pokemon Mega Emerald X and Y

pokemon mega emerald xy

There are many roms based on Pokémon Emerald , since it is one of the most beloved titles of the saga by far. On this occasion, its creator, jovefreak1993, brings us a modified version in which we will be able to capture Pokémon from the first to the sixth generation . The metagame is also updated and we can make use of mega evolutions. There are a total of three regions and the difficulty of the game is within normal limits. There are also modifications in certain areas and specific alterations of the plot. As a negative point, it is only available in English , but if you know the original game by heart, it will not be an impediment for you.

Pokémon Glazed

pokemon glazed

Based on Pokémon Emerald , this game brings us a totally new region and a total of three different maps . You can choose between 5 starter Pokémon and all Pokémon appear from the first to the sixth generation, mega evolutions included. The graphic section is very successful and we have it in Spanish.

Pokémon Omega Red

pokemon omega red

It uses a Fire Red Pokémon base and it is fully translated into Spanish . The main novelty is that it includes many graphics taken from the Nintendo DS versions , as well as new routes. It has the complete Pokédex from first to seventh generation , mega evolutions and regional forms of the Pokémon. In addition, it has a high difficulty , so do not miss this rom hack if you are looking for a real challenge playing a Pokémon of a lifetime.