Pokémon Emerald is the go-to title for ROM hacking in the Pokémon series. With the exception of Pokémon FireRed, it makes up the base for most of the ROM hacks I talk about here on Retro Dodo. And while I'm usually not into ROM hacks that just 'add a new element' to the base game and prefer something with more oomph like a new storyline or a completely different region, Pokémon Emerald EX feels like the kind of post-game expansion that I would have loved back in the day.
The hack by pokemonamethystteam aims to make the game feel larger, with more areas to explore and a fair difficulty throughout, giving fans a chance to relive the game with a bit of a kick. They have added in new routes, new towns to visit, and new special areas to uncover. The existing routes and towns have all been expanded, as has the Pokédex, which has now been boosted up to 479 Pokémon.
There are 8 new Gyms to tackle, and all of the trainers have new teams different from the original game. So in essence, it's like a DLC that changes the entirety of Pokémon Emerald, or like how Tears of the Kingdom feels like a new version of Breath of the Wild.
Pokemonamethystteam has added a vanilla difficulty too for newcomers to Pokémon Emerald. You'll need a legally acquired version of Pokémon Emerald to patch Pokémon Emerald EX onto, and then you can jump into a new and improved Hoenn adventure! Head to Hackdex for more info!
