I’ve been playing around with the best Pokémon ROM hacks for years now, and each of them never fails to surprise me or offer something new. That’s all thanks to the incredibly talented Pokémon community who spend months, if not years, building these incredible games and a new boom in AI-assisted launches that offer us fans even more to choose from.
I've made a list of my favourites and the best ROM hacks the internet has to offer. Some have been tweaked slightly from the originals, while some feel like completely new games that could have been part of the official canon. Many of which I pair with my favourite retro handhelds in a way that mixes nostalgic gameplay with modern hardware in an exciting way. The Retro Dodo team and I have tested each one on this list and have a genuine passion for Pokémon games since the late 90s.
I want to quickly mention that some of these hacks are fully human-made, but some have been assisted with AI. There are also links to HackDex and other sites that require ROM patching for those of you who want to obtain this legally, but I will not be linking to other sources to find the ROM hacks that do not require patching; you will have to find them yourselves, respectfully!
⭐️ TL;DR - Give Me The Results! ⭐️
- Close To Flawless: Pokemon Unbound
- For FireRed Fans: Pokemon Radical Red
- A Must Play: Pokemon Monomyth
- My Personal Favourite: Pokémon Lazarus
- Best For Dual-Screen: Pokémon Origin Heart Gold
Pokémon Lazarus
- Remarkable Storyline
- Beautifully Designed World (Greece)
- Features Pokémon From All Generations
- Good Amount of Puzzles & Strategic Thinking
- Relatively Easy (You Can Change Difficulty)
- Great For Newcomers To Poké ROM Hacks
- There's Mounts
- It Takes A Long Time To Complete
- Catching Rate Is Low (You'll need lots of Pokéballs)
- No Fast Travel Early In-Game
- Release Date: Late 2025
- Made By: Nemo622
- Base Game: Pokémon Emerald
- Where To Download: Nemo622's KoFi Page
- AI-assisted: No
- Our cheats guide: All Pokémon Lazarus Cheats
The best Pokémon ROM Hack for GAME BOY Advance... wait, likely of all time is Pokémon Lazarus, a beautiful take on Emerald that takes you to Greece in a wonderful journey that has made me fall in love with Pokémon all over again. I put down the latest mainline Nintendo Switch games for this, and it was 100% worth it. Where do I start? It's visually beautiful in a way that feels like you're experiencing the GAME BOY Advance for the first time.
It features Pokémon from every generation (yes, even Gen 9); there are hundreds of Pokémon to catch in the first few hours, and you'll explore forests, mountains, oceans, caves, ice caverns, and deserts in what feels like a pixelated movie.
It's easy to pick up and understand from the get-go, unlike some of this list. You can have Pokémon follow you; you can even mount Pokémon; it comes with modern features that help you catch Pokémon; it has quests and side-missions that are trackable and, most importantly, a fun, well-written storyline that feels like an original Pokémon game.
It is difficult at times; you'll come across puzzles that make you think, trainers that smash you back to the nearest Pokémon Centre, and the catch rate can be gruesome at times, just to catch a basic Pokémon. But that somehow makes you connect more with the ones you caught and the puzzles that you have completed.
As you get further in the game, there are mega evolutions to explore, legendaries to catch and the Elite 4 to beat, which will make you want to cry once you do because this game will consume you for well over 50+ hours if you're trying to complete all missions and your Pokedex. This is the best Pokémon ROM hack I have ever played, and every Pokémon fan should experience it because you'll never know why you bought the new games when this is available for free (but we recommend supporting the creator via their Ko-Fi page Pokémon).
Pokémon Origin Heart Gold
- Release Date: 2026 (New English Translation)
- Made By: 雁南飞TB
- Base Game: Pokemon Heart Gold (NDS)
- AI-assisted: No (but translated using AI in 2026)
- Where To Download: HackDex
- Updated Story That Follows The Anime & Manga
- Adds 9 Generations & Fairy Type
- Beautifully Designed Visuals
- Mature Target Audience With Profanity
- Storyline Is One Of The Best I've Played
- It's Not A Difficult ROM Hack
- Some Areas/Challenges Confused Me & Took Longer Than I Wanted
- Some Of The English Translation Doesn't Make Sense
This is a ROM hack that was originally released in China IN 2023, then fan-translated in late 2026 due to high demand, and I am glad it was because this is one of the best Pokémon ROM hacks I have ever played, primarily because it aimed at adults who have followed not only the anime but the manga too, mixing both storylines and events into one magical video game that strikes those nostalgic memories all while adding in modern moments that catch you by surprise.
It released at a good time here in the west too, just in time to partner with the array of Android dual-screen handhelds. This ROM hack is the one to download if you've just got a new dual-screen device, as its not very power-intensive, seeing as it's a Nintendo DS ROM hack, so even sub-$100 devices can emulate it well.
Performance aside, the story quickly starts you off picking slightly different starters, and ventures you through Kanto while meeting the likes of Brock, Misty, Team Rocket, Steven, Cynthia and our darling Nurse Joy, so straight off the bat it all feels familiar and nostalgic.
The gameplay quickly picks up with impressively fun moments and storylines, with somewhat challenging puzzles to complete, and at times, I'll admit, I found myself having to turn back because I missed something our wasting a good 30 minutes trying to figure out what I needed to do, but perhaps that's just me being impatient. Though, nonetheless, a favourite of mine that gets very serious real fast and has bits of profanity and mature content in it, which adds a nice spice to it, which I can't see for all of the other ROM hacks on this list, so I wouldn't advise giving this to a younger child to play.
Pokémon Unbound
- Great story
- Wide range of Pokemon to catch
- Newer Pokémon mechanics mixed in very well
- The story can get a little convoluted at times
- Side-quests are great, but there’s a lot to of ‘back and forth’
- Release Date: 2020
- Made By: Skeli
- Base Game: Pokemon FireRed
- AI-assisted: No
- Where To Download: HackDex
- Our Full Review: Pokemon Unbound Review
- Our cheats guide: All Pokémon Unbound Cheats
Pokémon Unbound isn’t just one of the best Pokémon ROM hacks - it’s one of the best Pokemon games ever. It features an entirely new region built from the ground up, with Pokémon from across the first eight generations of the game. Its developer Skeli didn’t stop there, though, adding a full (and extremely sprawling) story to the game, dozens of post-game encounters, and a full side-quest system that can add dozens of hours to your already substantial playtime.
Oh, and there’s also every major mechanic from the first eight generations in the game. That means there are several Dynamax encounters where you can catch powerful Pokemon and also several Mega Stones that can facilitate Mega Evolutions for your team, allowing for a fairly hefty degree of strategy and diversity in your game.
The world of Borrius takes the stage in this game. I know it sounds a little like the world’s worst superhero name, but stick with me because it’s a great region! Like so many titles in this list, Unbound uses FireRed as a basis for its gameplay. You can pick from tonnes of different characters and costumes, customising your trainer to your heart’s content. There are 80 missions to complete and everything just feels fresh compared to the tried and tested formula. Even the way you collect HMs has changed, and it just works!
Pokémon Prism
- Over 250 Pokemon from four different regions
- New type ‘sound’ is a great inclusion
- New side-scrolling areas add extra depth
- The inclusion of Gold Coins is great, but we’d love to have more of them
- Release Date: 2016
- Made By: Koolboyman
- Base Game: Pokémon Crystal
- AI-assisted: No
- Our cheats guide: All Pokémon Prism Cheats
The storyline is based on a young kid playing on their uncle’s mine cart when it suddenly spins out of control and ends up in a brand new region called Naljo. This region is corrupt, and you end up finding a lost Larvitiar, which helps you bring back Naljo to its good old ways.
This region is, in fact, far bigger than Johto; it features over 250 Pokémon from four different regions and adds Fairy, Gas, and Sound types of Pokémon, which is awesome. Sound as a type is genius, and why Nintendo hasn’t thought of it is beyond me!
Throughout your journey, and like in any other ROM hack, you’ll discover puzzles, new areas, legendary Pokémon, and these things called Gold coins, which allow you to unlock some really cool stuff. There are only 80 in the whole game, so spend them wisely! If that wasn’t enough, this game adds crafting, new mini-games, and side-scrolling areas to make it completely different from other competitor ROM hacks!
Pokemon Radical Red
- Release Date: 2020
- Made By: soupercell
- Base Game: Pokemon FireRed
- Where To Download: HackDex
- Our Full Review: Pokemon Radical Red Review
- Our cheats guide: All Pokémon Radical Red Cheats
Eagle-eyed readers will already know all about Pokemon Radical Red after reading our list of the best Pokemon Radical Red cheats. I’m not saying that cheating is the only way to play this game, but it certainly makes things a lot more exciting! And, the ROM hack is a little difficult, so we’re not going to hold it against you if you do cheat!
Pokemon Radical Red is probably one of the most famous games on this list, as it’s led to a long list of copycats and games trying to mimic what it did. At its core, Radical Red is a difficulty hack: it’s all about making it so that your actions in battles actually matter rather than just being a brief hindrance if you mess up.
It also uses the Complete FireRed Upgrade engine, an engine that allows for mechanics, moves, and Pokemon going all the way up to Generation 9. This allows for an incredible amount of team diversity over time. Sure, you CAN just have a team of your favourite Pokemon, but you’re going to get your ass handed to you on a silver platter, so you absolutely have to keep in mind Hidden Abilities and Pokemon typing when you’re building your team for any given specific battle, or you’ll lose over and over again.
Like several other hacks on this list, Radical Red also features Dynamax and Mega Evolution as mechanics, which can allow for a brief detour from the overall story (which hasn’t changed much in the slightest and is almost identical to FireRed itself), and allow you to play with some of the most overpowered Pokemon ever (Mega Alakazam, I love you).
One new feature that I love in this ROM hack is the Pokenav – it’s a little device that works like your favourite Maps app on your phone and helps you find the best Pokemon for the job! For all fans of FireRed that wished it was a little harder and a little more ‘Radical’, then give this hack a go! My only issue is that this doesn't work with MyBoy! or the Delta emulators, literally the most popular in the industry, so you have to use it with something else, which has forced me to download less reliable emulators on Android.
Pokemon Glazed
- Release Date: 2015
- Made By: Redriders180
- Base Game: Pokemon Emerald
- AI-assisted: No
- Where To Download: HackDex
- Our cheats guide: All Pokémon Glazed Cheats
There’s a reason that Pokemon Silver/Gold are two of the most beloved Pokemon games ever made, and part of it is down to the fact that trainers can explore two different regions. Sixteen different Gym leaders meant dozens of hours of content, and Pokemon Glazed is a ROM hack that wants to emulate that. It features two and a half regions, allowing players to explore the brand-new Tunod region, a redesigned Johto region, and a smaller area named the Rankor Archipelago.
The game itself offers access to Pokemon from generations up to and including Generation Six, new Pokemon known as ‘Dream World’ Pokemon, five different starters, all legendaries from Generation 1 to Generation 4, along with several with Generation 5, and even the ability to travel across two different worlds. But saying any more about that last one would ruin the surprise of playing the game, so we’ll keep quiet there.
Finding Pokemon Glazed, however, will have to be up to you. The game was pulled from various sites after DMCA claims were issued against it and several other fan games. It’s still out there, especially if you know where to look, and it’s still worth playing, though.
Pokémon Monomyth
- Release Date: 2026
- Made By: thistlehare / K.Japonica
- Base Game: Pokemon Emerald
- AI assisted: No
- Where To Download: Monomyth.jp
- Incredibly Unique Storyline
- Challenging Difficulty With Survival Elements
- Includes Lots Of Unique Fakemon
- Clearly A Passion Piece That's Beautiful and Memorable
- Took Almost 7 Years To Develop (With No AI)
- Maybe Too Challenging At Times
- Doesn't Work With MyBoy! or Delta Emulators
Pokémon Monomyth took almost 7 years to develop and is based on Emerald, featuring over 70 hours of gameplay, 360 Pokemon, 200 tracks, new contests, and even link cable trading, all based in a new world called the Athanto region, taking full advantage of every MB on a GBA ROM (32MB) in order to cram this game into reality. From the get-go, you are introduced to brand new Fakemon designed by the Monomyth team, such as Marmtoo, Crackliss and Mishimizu.
When you start getting deeper into the game, you'll notice the challenges get harder, and even gameplay in general, forcing you to stock up on supplies as somewhat of a necessity to survive. You can choose between two difficulties, Monomyth and Heroic, though for me Monomyth is already at a good difficulty level for someone who grew up understanding retro Pokémon games; at times it somewhat feels like a survival game it's that challenging!
For me, this is a refreshing take on Pokémon Emerald that clearly has had a lot of passion and hard work put into it, something AI-assisted or vibe-code projects could never replicate, and mixing that with lots of new Fakemon, new designs, interesting character storylines and good difficulty, it almost feels like a brand new Pokémon game that I can't seem to put down, though I'm nowhere near completing it, because this is a longggg ROM hack, which makes it worth downloading even more.
Pokémon Special Pikachu Edition
- Released: 2009
- Made By: Miksy91
- Base Game: Pokémon Yellow
- AI-assisted: No
One of the most loved Pokémon games of all time is Pokémon Yellow, so what better ROM hack to hop into if you’re a fan than Special Pikachu Edition?
But what’s different about this ROM hack? Well, first of all, Pokémon can learn up to 3 moves at level 1, making the gameplay faster and more entertaining at lower levels; alongside that, there’s a total of 553 new moves from all generations to be learned along your adventure.
There are extra routes and paths to explore throughout Kanto, alongside more buildings to enter. Stores even have sales now, making it harder to buy items more affordably.
Gym Leaders and the Elite Four are more difficult to beat, making gamers focus on their team, their move sets, and what items to bring along with them. It’s the perfect ROM hack for retro gamers who want a challenge, Pokémon Yellow style!
Pokémon Crystal Clear
- Release Date: 2017
- Made By: Shock Slayer
- Base Game: Pokémon Crystal
- AI-assisted: No
- Our cheats guide: All Pokémon Crystal Clear Cheats
What could be more crystal clear than this? Do everything from customising your character to visiting gyms in any order and re-challenging leaders once defeated. With 16 badges to collect and the ability to start your adventure in either Johto or Kanto, there’s plenty to sink your teeth into.
Oh, and you can choose from 24 different starter Pokémon, too. Sometimes, too much choice is a bad thing, but this gives you 24 different ways to play! I’m all for it! Plus, you can spend your hard-earned cash on houses now, too. It’s Pokémon meets Monopoly!
Pokémon Dark Energy
- Release Date: 2014
- Made By: Miksy91
- AI-assisted: No
- Base Game: Pokémon Silver
Pokémon Dark Energy is a GBC ROM hack with gothic vibes and a new twist to the story. There’s no need to fight to become the champion in this game. Finally, you can take a step back and not worry about becoming the best for once.
Instead, players follow an RPG-esque storyline and must tackle side quests and take part in active battle modes. Trade evolutions happen via levelling up instead of messing around with link cables or WiFi trades, and players can make other Pokémon evolve by doing specific missions. It’s Pokémon Silver, but as you’ve never seen it before!
Pokémon Bronze
- Release Date: 2012
- Made By: Freako
- Base Game: Pokémon Gold
- AI-assisted: No
We all know about Kanto and Johto, but have you ever considered taking a holiday to Kohto? Oh yes, we’ve got a mash-up on our hands. There are 9 regions to visit in this new game, and you can head back to Kanto via a tunnel and check out the old areas instead.
Bronze usually comes before Gold and Silver in the medal rankings, but this time, Pokémon Bronze comes after the original GBC games, bringing new challenges and a harder adventure to tackle. Thwart Team Rocket in Cartridge Town, picking from Totodile, Pichu, or Charmander as your starter Pokémon!
Pokémon Perfect Crystal
- Release Date: 2019
- Made By: SuperEgz
- Base Game: Pokémon Crystal
- AI-assisted: No
This is a subtle hack, but one that makes Crystal a much better game to play. Having that run button makes things move much quicker (obviously). Glitches are gone, and all of the game’s 251 Pokémon are available to catch.
What’s more, you can now catch all three of the Johto starters early in the game and all the Kanto games by the middle of the adventure. What with that and the time of day adjustments, this makes for an interesting change that keeps fans on their toes. Like I said, we're talking about subtle differences, but a great mod that all Poke fans should check out, especially if you’re a fan of Pokemon Crystal!
Pokemon Light Platinum
- Release Date: 2012
- Made By: WesleyFG
- Base Game: Pokemon Ruby
- AI-assisted: No
- Our Cheats List: Best Pokemon Light Platinum cheats
Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire was a classic for the Game Boy Advance and sold over 16 million units, which just goes to show how good it was. If you’re looking for a game that’s based around that incredible game, then Pokemon Light Platinum is the one to go for.
This Pokemon ROM Hack allows you to travel across not one, but two regions known as Zhery and Lauren. WesleyFG, the legend behind this ROM hack, has also added new leaders, the Elite Four, rivals that you may remember, and a boatload of Pokemon from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, and Unova. That’s a lot of Pokemon!
If that wasn’t enough, this game allows you to travel across new dimensions, catch every single legendary Pokemon up to Unova, and it features a huge final event called the Pokemon World Championship. This event rounds out the game nicely and makes you feel accomplished once completed. This is one of the best Pokemon ROM Hacks for those of you who love Ruby & Sapphire!
Pokemon Gaia
- Release Date: 2018
- Made By: Spherical Ice
- Base Game: Pokemon FireRed
- AI-assisted: No
- Where To Download: HackDex
- Our Cheats List: Pokemon Gaia cheats
It seems the Pokemon community really likes FireRed hacks, and this is another one, just with a much bigger “twist” than most. The ROM hack starts with Professor Redwood noticing an increase in the region’s seismic activity and asking local Pokemon trainers to figure out why. This game introduces new Pokemon from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and even Kalos, making your team a huge mix from all generations. With that comes the ability to teach them modern-day abilities and even mega-evolve them in battle.
This ROM hack updates all of the sprites, moves, HMs, trainers, and building illustrations too, giving it a slightly different look compared to other FireRed hacks. One of my personal favourite additions is the fact that you can climb walls, and even discover underwater regions too!
