The GBA is regarded by many as the definitive best platform for Pokemon games and that has seen it produce some exceptional ROM hacks.
One of the common criticisms aimed at the Pokemon series is that it’s repetitive. While that’s not really true given how radically different the last three generations’ games have been from one another, the series hasn’t given fans reason to rethink what the franchise has to offer. Players have taken it upon themselves to fix that.
Pokemon ROM hacks give players new way to experience the series. They take different ways to achieve this, too. Here are the best ROM hacks of GBA Pokemon games and what sets them apart from the originals.
Pokemon games typically work within the framework of an established Pokemon game. Pokemon Unbound goes in a completely different direction.
Rather than offering a souped-up version of an existing Pokemon game, Pokemon Unbound creates a brand-new experience. There’s a new region with new characters that make up a new story, offering something unlike anything seen before.
Not only that, but this makes some extremely ambitious additions to the Pokemon formula for a GBA ROM hack. From the ability to change the player character’s appearance to a journal system for side quests, it’s stunning how much is added to the standard Pokemon experience.
Pokemon Yellow was made to combine the Pokemon games with the Pokemon anime. Players started with Pikachu, battle against Jessie and James, and can get all the starters.
Pokemon Ash Gray takes that to another level. Players actually step into the shoes of longtime Pokemon protagonist Ash Ketchum, and battle their way through some of the anime’s most iconic moments. This makes for a fun and more story-focused Pokemon experience.
Pokemon Radical Red looks to be the ultimate ROM hack and largely succeeds in that regard. The game has various built-in customization options that can affect the player’s experience in various ways. It also incorporates elements of other common ROM hacks, letting players increase the difficulty or randomize various elements of the game.
The biggest change, however, is the fact that it folds in gameplay elements and Pokemon through the ninth generation. All 1,025 Pokemon from the nine generations are included. So too are generational battle mechanics like mega evolution and Dynamax and Gigantamax.
All of this is folded into the familiar setting of the Kanto region, making for a familiar, but still unique experience. This makes Pokemon Radical Red not just one of the best GBA ROM hacks, but likely the best way to experience classic Pokemon.
Pokemon Elite Redux is the evolution of the popular Inclement Emerald ROM hack. The game sets itself apart from other ROM hacks by paradoxically balancing the competitive and casual facets of the series.
Is Beedrill your favorite Pokemon? Are you frustrated by how it’s too weak to last into the latter stages of the game? Pokemon Elite Redux fixes that with a large rebalancing of base stats, move sets, and abilities. This makes it so Pokemon like Beedrill, Butterfree, and Linoone can hold up until the very end.
While that’s fun for casual fans, there’s a deep competitive experience on offer, too. Players have control over everything in their Pokemon, with the option to freely adjust their Pokemon’s EVs, IVs, and move sets. This will task players with actually learning how to play Pokemon to advance.
Demakes are historically something fans laugh at; after all, they were long a hilarious method for bootlegging games. That’s not the case here, though, as this Pokemon ROM hack squishes a Nintendo Switch game into a GBA-sized cartridge.
Pokemon Sword and Shield GBA is exactly what it says on the tin; it’s the eighth-generation Pokemon game remade within Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen. It’s not just a reskinned game, though. It takes elements of Sword and Shield like Pokemon roaming around the map and incorporates them into the game. While Pokemon Sword and Shield gets an unfairly bad wrap, this is a viable alternative to the real thing.
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