The best Pokemon ROM hacks of Nintendo DS games

Steven Rondina Published 15/02/2025

There are many impressive Pokemon ROM hacks, but the Nintendo DS offers some of the most interesting and ambitious.

The Game Boy Advance is home to many of the best Pokemon ROM hacks. Pokemon Emerald, FireRed, and LeafGreen are some of the most beloved Pokemon games, and serve as a great canvas for some creative ideas. But when it comes to the “best Pokemon games,” many fans will point to Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver, Black 2 and White 2, and Pokemon Platinum.

So how do Pokemon fans expand upon what many regard as the best Pokemon games ever? These ROM hacks answer that question.

Pokemon Garbage Gold

Don’t let the name fool you on this one. Pokemon Garbage Gold is one of the best Pokemon ROM hacks for the Nintendo DS.

When Pokemon ROM hacks look to make the game harder, it’s usually by giving NPCs stronger Pokemon with optimized stats. Pokemon Garbage Gold is different; it makes it so the player only has access to either weak Pokemon or ones that aren’t fully evolved. Players will have to make their way through eight gyms and the Elite Four using a hodgepodge party of Pokemon like Minun, Gothorita, and Linoone.

It’s not just “Pokemon HeartGold, but without as many Pokemon,” though. There’s a new story that brings together familiar characters and numerous balance tweaks to moves and stats. It also adds Pokemon from future generations to give players as many options as possible. This makes it a brand-new way to tackle old-school Pokemon.

pokemon blaze black 2 volt white 2

Pokemon Blaze Black 2 and Volt White 2 Redux

Pokemon Black 2 and White 2 are regarded by many as the best Pokemon games ever. Pokemon Blaze Black 2 Redux and Volt White 2 Redux don’t try to reinvent the wheel, and instead just let the base game carry it to being one of the best DS ROM hacks.

Many Pokemon games actively try to make the game harder. That’s not really the case here.

Pokemon Blaze Black 2 Redux instead rescales the game to make more Pokemon viable in the long haul. It also makes it easier to have a fully realized lineup, making it so a Pokemon like Hydreigon doesn’t take until the post-game to evolve.

Pokemon Renegade Platinum

While Pokemon Blaze Black 2 and Volt White 2 offer a more comprehensive experience for a classic game, Pokemon Renegade Platinum goes in a different direction. It wants to beat the hell out of the player.

Making things harder is a common approach to Pokemon ROM hacks, and Renegade Platinum takes this to the extreme. The game is a common option for hardcore Nuzlocke players, thanks to its brutal difficulty.

It isn’t just a difficulty upgrade, though. It introduces a number of changes that streamline the standard Pokemon experience and set it apart from the original.

Pokemon: Shadows of Time

Pokemon ROM hackers have really made the GBA their home. Because of that, ROM hacks that have completely original maps and stories are relatively few. Pokemon: Shadows of Time is one of the key releases that is changing that.

The game has a new story and new region, with “dark world” alternate timeline that players need to jump from. This gives it a feel that combines The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past and Pokemon Legends: Arceus, but within the framework of Pokemon HeartGold and SoulSilver. This helps Pokemon: Shadows of Time stand as one of the best DS ROM hacks, and it may go down as one of the most influential.

Pokemon MindCrystal

The second Pokemon generation is regarded as the best by many, and the sheer quality of Crystal is a big part of that. That makes it a bit of a shame that it was left in the past while Gold and Silver got highly popular remakes in HeartGold and SoulSilver.

Pokemon MindCrystal rights that mistake, somewhat. The DS ROM hack brings all the extra elements of Crystal onto the Nintendo DS, alongside modern Pokemon and later mechanics, including mega evolution.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile