The Pokemon journey is one which followers look ahead to at any time when a brand new recreation is introduced, even when latest titles haven’t at all times garnered widespread acclaim. Whereas the video games have strayed lately with new titles and mechanics, Pokemon video games are finally consolation meals that many individuals look ahead to consuming each few years. That mentioned, the primary initiatives don’t at all times reach impressing everybody who has been alongside for the trip because the late Nineties; consequently, some followers have come ahead to create their very own video games.
Though Nintendo has, on a number of events, unplugged and halted the manufacturing of a number of initiatives, many comprise new and thrilling options and mechanics that utterly change the Pokemon recreation expertise. As such, let’s spotlight among the coolest Pokemon ROM hacks.
This text highlights spectacular works that showcase their creators’ love for Pokemon, so it isn’t a standard suggestion checklist and the rankings are comparatively arbitrary. Additionally, no hyperlinks.
Up to date October 6, 2025 by Mark Sammut: In just a few weeks, a brand new Pokemon recreation will hit the market. Most individuals shall be busy with Pokemon Legends: Z-A; nevertheless, the greatest Pokemon ROM hacks are additionally round. Two extra loving tributes have been added:
Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu GBA Model
Fashionable Replace On A Traditional System
- Sport: Pokemon FireRed
- Created By Kevin PokeFan
The Nintendo Swap’s Let’s Go Eevee & Pikachu may not be thought-about the greatest Pokemon video games of all time, however they’re nice throwbacks to the traditional Kanto-era video games. Fittingly sufficient, a ROM hack is accessible that returns these titles to their roots; properly, to be actual, Pokemon FireRed.
Pokemon: 8 Oldest Playable Protagonists, Ranked
These Pokémon protagonists stand out for his or her age and maturity, providing tales and roles that transcend the traditional newbie coach.
The largest adjustments come within the type of fashionable Pokemon, improved gameplay, and a few high quality of life adjustments. Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu GBA Model shouldn’t be finally something too authentic and, for essentially the most half, will in all probability solely be beloved by those that are already infatuated with the Swap video games.
Pokemon Anonymous
A Darkish Change Of Tempo
- Sport: Pokemon FireRed
- Created By Wind1158
Though most initiatives are introduced as stand-alone, some creators have crafted a collection of video games that loosely join. Pokemon Anonymous is, technically, the third recreation in a trilogy, with Resolute and Mega Energy popping out earlier than it. Nevertheless, the story is ready in-between these two titles, so it isn’t the ultimate chapter within the saga. Extra importantly, gamers can simply choose to do this recreation and principally ignore the opposite two, that are first rate however have fairly just a few quirks that may make them irritating to sit down via at instances.
“Darkish” Pokemon ROMs will not be all that unusual, and loads of followers have put collectively tales which are tailored for older gamers. Contemplating many creators seemingly fell in love with the franchise after they had been children, the craving for a extra mature model that matches their present ages is sensible. That mentioned, simply because one thing is darkish doesn’t robotically make it good. Anonymous shouldn’t be good by any means, however it affords a comparatively refreshing try and shake up the system by shifting away from the street to the Pokemon League construction. As an alternative, the story follows a lady who’s making an attempt to flee from an empire, and issues get heavy and intense in a short time. The marketing campaign even goes via a time-skip.
Dragon Ball Z: Crew Coaching
A Tremendous Saiyan Twist
- Sport: Pokemon FireRed
- Created By Z-Max
Now for one thing barely completely different, Dragon Ball Z: Crew Coaching takes Pokemon Hearth Crimson and provides it a Saiyan-themed makeover. Combining two of the preferred Japanese anime properties of all time, Crew Coaching drops gamers right into a world full of wild Nappas and Krillins; actually, the sport has over 170 Fighters which are simply ready to be caught. Whereas the sport largely performs out like a normal Pokemon title, it’s thrilling to go right into a Fitness center and discover Bulma armed with a Tremendous Saiyan 2 Gohan.
10 Finest Dragon Ball Characters, Ranked
Dragon Ball’s Goku, Gohan, Bulma, and Vegeta are among the many most iconic anime characters ever, and they’re all nice.
Not like lots of the greatest Pokemon ROM hacks which are meant particularly for die-hard followers of Sport Freak’s franchise, Crew Coaching is a kind of uncommon circumstances of a undertaking that may primarily be really useful to individuals who love a very completely different IP. Contemplating nice Dragon Ball RPGs will not be plentiful, this hack is perhaps one of many higher choices on the market for folks craving one thing that’s not a combating recreation. That mentioned, Crew Coaching doesn’t change all that a lot past throwing in DB characters and strikes. In any other case, this can be a fairly commonplace Pokemon expertise, together with a principally unchanged Kanto map and a storyline that doesn’t take full benefit of its chosen franchise. Nonetheless, as somebody who loves Dragon Ball as a lot as Pokemon, this can be a combo made in heaven.
Pokemon Adventures Crimson Chapter
Adapting The Pokemon Adventures Manga
- Sport: Pokemon FireRed
- Created By Aethestode
Though nowhere close to as mainstream because the video games or the anime, Pokemon Adventures is mostly thought to be one of many franchise’s higher media. The manga tries to adapt the video games pretty precisely, slightly than utilizing them as a launching pad to inform Ash’s story. Every arc is known as after one of many predominant titles and options completely different protagonists. If anyone is a reasonably large fan of Sport Freak’s initiatives, they need to check out the manga.
As a result of manga masking the video games, a ROM that adapts the previous might sound redundant on paper; nevertheless, Pokemon Adventures has a singular id that units it aside from its inspiration. Consequently, Pokemon Adventures Crimson Chapter is a distinct beast than the unique video games, and it is without doubt one of the extra bold fan video games available on the market. It’s significantly darker than the usual entry within the franchise, reflecting the manga’s mature tone. To be truthful, the sport does have its share of juvenile humor, however a whole lot of it’s pulled from the supply materials.
Pokemon Adventures Crimson Chapter tells a reasonably lengthy story that features two areas, together with introducing faux Pokemon through the post-game. Whereas largely sticking to the manga, the sport additionally consists of some authentic content material, principally within the type of facet quests. The latter parts are fairly divisive, although. The fight shouldn’t be that far faraway from the bottom FireRed, however it’s principally serviceable.
Pokemon Mild Platinum
A Typical Pokemon Journey (& That Is A Good Factor)
- Sport: Pokemon Ruby
- Created By Wesley FG
Though the title suggests the sport is ready in Sinnoh, Pokemon Mild Platinum takes place in a completely new area, Zhery. Boasting vibrant graphics, each Pokemon from Era 1 to 4, and new Fitness center Leaders and rivals to battle, the creation is a standard tackle a Pokemon recreation. It gives an evil workforce, a League to overcome, and a Pokedex to finish — all whereas being a standalone expertise.
Pokemon Video games That Deserve Remakes
As Pokemon followers desperately look forward to Gen 4 remakes, these titles is also in consideration.
The sport is a re-skin of Pokemon Ruby however takes parts from later Generations, such because the Distortion World and the Pokemon World Championship. It is an easy-to-play, visually stimulating expertise that followers unfamiliar with ROM hacks or fan video games ought to start with.
Pokemon One Piece
Catch All The Pirates & Marines
- Sport: Pokemon FireRed
- Created By Nosta11
Much like Dragon Ball Z: Crew Coaching, Pokemon One Piece‘s enchantment lies within the surprising mash-up of two main anime/manga franchises. The adjustments on this recreation don’t go too far past the addition of One Piece characters, though the story does throw out just a few curveballs alongside the way in which.
So, if anybody ever needs to journey via Kanto with the Straw Hats, Pokemon One Piece will scratch that itch. Additionally it is a reasonably difficult recreation, so gamers should earn the correct to name themselves a Pokemon Grasp (or Pirate King). Much like the DBZ hack, this providing is only for followers of Eiichiro Oda’s manga, with the primary change being primarily the character swaps. The hack is entertaining, so long as anyone can inform their Zoros from their Sanjis. And, there are method fewer nice One Piece video games than there are DBZ titles, so this ROM has arguably extra worth.
Pokemon Emerald Rogue
A Pokemon Roguelite
- Sport: Pokemon Emerald
- Created By Pokkabie
Now and again, a ROM hack comes round that raises an vital query: why does this not exist already and formally? Pokemon Emerald Rogue takes the franchise’s commonplace system and runs it via a roguelite filter, making a recreation that simply works and is not possible to place down when you settle for its rhythm. The premise is easy: Go on repeat adventures with the intention to get hold of all of the badges. In the end, you’re nonetheless striving to do the identical factor as every other Pokemon recreation, however Emerald Rogue shakes issues up via randomizations, restarts, and a continuously rising hub space that provides a enjoyable component of development.
The ROM gives fairly a little bit of customization choices to assist cater the expertise to somebody’s liking, whereas nonetheless being primarily constructed on randomness (which tremendously helps replayability). After selecting a Pokemon and leaving the hub space, you’ll drop into an overworld full of random routes, permitting you to battle trainers, catch Pokemon, and ultimately face a Fitness center Chief. In case you lose, you come back to the Hub with out your caught Pokemon and your authentic companion is decreased to their base degree. When you get hold of a badge, you’ll be able to both proceed or end the journey to finish quests and obtain rewards.
The repetition would possibly sound boring, however Emerald Rogue correctly quickens the leveling-up course of.
Pokemon Recordkeepers
Nicely, Why Not Strive One other Pokemon Roguelite?
- Sport: Pokemon Emerald
- Created By Turtleye & Hedara
Nintendo and the Pokemon Firm ought to hear; clearly, there’s a yearning for a well-done Pokemon roguelike, as each of those highlighted roms are addictive, novel, and simply plain outdated enjoyable. I would say in comparison with Pokemon Emerald Rogue, Recordkeepers is a bit messier, and its implementation of random parts is usually a contact extra irritating, at the very least till you begin to perceive how all the things works. As Tiana, you’re a recordkeeper who goes into “tales” to successfully full challenges and defeat Pokemon. You will have a predominant boss you’re finally aiming for, however you principally go round combating enemies in an effort to be rewarded with new strikes, which you’ll then equip to your three Pokemon.
A extremely cool idea is that Recordkeepers has an asymmetrical turn-based fight system, which means you’ll be able to swap between three Pokemon on the fly. The Pokemon are assigned to you relying on some decisions you make earlier than coming into a map, so you do not get to select (however you’ve gotten some selection).
Pokemon Celebrations
Nostalgia However Higher
- Sport: Pokemon Crimson or Blue
- Created By CreamElDudJafar
The Pokemon ROMs that are inclined to get essentially the most consideration are huge initiatives that create new tales or considerably revamp the fight system. Nevertheless, there’s something to be mentioned about releases that principally try to raise the vanilla video games, and Pokemon Celebrations is a reasonably nice instance of this sort of ROM. Fairly than utilizing Crimson & Blue as a launchpad, the hack focuses on including quality-of-life enhancements to assist make these bona fide Sport Boy classics simpler to revisit practically three a long time later.
If you’re not an enormous fan of Crimson & Blue, Celebrations might be not price a obtain since its worth is at the very least partially decided by your nostalgia. Conversely, in case you grew up with the originals and are craving a replay, this ROM is a superb different to strive, because it delivers a well-known expertise that also holds its share of surprises.
Pokemon Ash Grey
Ash’s Unique Journey
- Sport: Pokemon FireRed
- Created By Metapod23
Sport Freak’s Pokemon RPG collection shouldn’t be the one a part of the franchise that holds a particular place within the hearts of thousands and thousands of individuals; the anime can also be enormous. Within the late ’90s, Ash’s adventures helped introduce many kids to Japanese animation, and the unique collection continues to be extremely regarded right this moment.
Whereas the video games and anime share loads of issues in frequent, Ash shouldn’t be one in all them, at the very least relating to official releases. Ash Grey rectifies this by turning FireRed into an adaptation of the anime’s first season. The Pokemon ROM hack provides gamers the liberty to resolve how devoted their journey is to the anime, though Ash Grey does reward those that willingly stroll in Ketchum’s footwear.
Sadly, Ash Grey was by no means accomplished, so it simply sort of ends through the Orange Islands arc.
