It's always exciting coming back to your first article after the Christmas break, and I'm kicking things off with the brand new ROM Pokémon Emerald ROM hack 'Pokémon Phantom Order'. It's no secret that we love ROM hacks here at Dodo HQ, and with the current wave of Pokémon games that we're getting, which frankly feel a little unimaginative to me if I'm being honest, I love going seeing GBA-esque titles with a difference that give me that same Pokémon playing feeling that I had back when I was a kid.
Phantom Order comes to us from Star Dragon 707. It's their first ROM hack and an ambitious one to boot, but one that brings some great new features and turns Pokémon Emerald into a harder game with a new storyline.
Let's start with the Pokémon (they're the main reason you play Pokémon games, after all). There are a total of 255 critters in the main Pokedex, with new evolution lines and Mega Pokémon, as well as additional unseen Pokémon in the National Pokédex. There are changes to battles too with increased chances of attacking first depending on base total stats, and new gyms called The Kroza.
The game is being released in beta phases, with three gyms currently available to play now and another release coming on January 20th. There's also a feature called Beta Land that has a sort of 'challenge road' feel about it that you can use to test your skills on while you're waiting for the next release to emerge.
New maps and a new storyline are one thing, but having new regional forms is even better. You'll see newer versions of beloved Pokémon as you traverse through the game and come up against new bosses too. As I said earlier, for Star Dragon's first ROM hack, it's all pretty impressive!
Head to the projects page on Poké Community for more information! And don't forget to check out our list of the best Pokémon ROM hacks while you're here!
