If you’re tired of official Pokémon titles, community-made Pokémon games known as Pokémon ROM hacks might be what you’re looking for. They’re not licensed, sure, but these titles provide different and interesting takes on the Pokémon formula.
Here is our ranked list of the 10 best Pokémon ROM hacks based on gameplay, aesthetics, and overall community impact.
10 best Pokémon ROM hacks, ranked
10) Pokémon Flora Sky
- Generation I to V Pokémon
- New sprites for 396 Pokémon
- New characters and story
- New Items, moves, and map
This ROM hack uses Pokémon Emerald as the base, but it is so much more than that. Pokémon Flora Sky features over 360 Pokémon from Gen IV and V to complement its Hoenn creatures. Alongside these new additions, the game also has different Gym Leaders, some unique items, and a beefy post-game that involves plenty of legendary hunting.
This ROM even features entirely new events that can happen daily or at other specific times. Some of them are even Legendary Pokémon events!
This ROM doesn’t completely reinvent the established Pokémon formula, but it’s a nice beefy upgrade for anyone who thoroughly enjoys Gen III or simply wants to enjoy that era in gaming with their favorite Pokémon from Sinnoh or Unova.
9) Pokémon DarkFire
- New region
- Original music
- Generation VII battle mechanics
- Gym system reworked
- Indoor running
Pokémon DarkFire also uses Pokémon Emerald as its base game, meaning it’s already worth trying, as Generation III is widely regarded as one of the best mainline Pokémon titles in history, however, the experience is entirely unique.
This ROM hack not only has a strong lineup of Pokémon but a unique spin on the story which has its own fresh region. There are no gyms for players to conquer, but a dark and gritty mystery for players to unravel. Add on some new movement mechanics, new environments to explore, and some quality-of-life improvements over the original Gen III titles, and you’ve got a robust ROM.
While Pokémon definitely has a lot of great music, Pokémon DarkFire will treat your ears to entirely original music. Just another way it spices up the tried-and-true Pokémon formula!
Battling in this game will have you thinking Gen VII, seeing something completely original, and not thinking about the Emerald base it’s built upon at all.
8) Pokémon Dark Rising
- Pokemon from Generation I to V
- Dream World abilities
- Updates movesets
- New map, bosses, and moves
Using Pokémon FireRed as its base game, there are actually five different Pokémon Dark Rising games. Like Pokémon DarkFire, traditional gym battles aren’t the focus here. Instead, you’ll be following and unraveling some mysterious threads that include calamitous disasters and even surprising crossovers. For example, the fourth game, Pokémon Dark Rising Origins: Worlds Collide, will have you catching some Digimon. Yeah, it gets that weird.
While there’s a lot of fun to be had in Pokémon Dark Rising, keep in mind that this one requires a large amount of grinding. There are moments where you can face multiple bosses in a row, and, if your team isn’t strong enough, that can be a really rough time.
Overall, this is one of the best ROM hack series that Pokémon modders have made and even if Worlds Collide is too out there for you, we suggest giving Dark Rising II a try for something more grounded.
7) Pokémon Gaia
- Pokemon from Generation I to VI
- New moves
- Modern competitive features
- Mega Evolutions
- Fresh sprites
Another ROM that uses Pokémon FireRed this one is packed with content from the first six generations of Pokémon. With over 700 Pokémon, updated moves complete with animations, Mega Evolution, updated Pokémon and trainer sprites, a new, original region known as Orbtus, original music, and a more dramatic story. This is an absolutely jam-packed ROM.
If you’re someone who enjoys the competitive Pokémon scene, you’ll be glad to know that many of the modern competitive items appear in this ROM hack. While ROM hacks are great for seeing new ideas, the familiar can be a welcome sight as well.
If you’re an old school Pokémon fan who wants to enjoy the new school benefits of Mega Evolution and newer Pokémon from regions like Unova or Kalos, this might be the best ROM hack for you. The best part: this ROM is extremely challenging, so if you’re up for the task then give it a try.
6) Pokémon Rocket Edition
- Ability to steal Pokemon
- Side quests and a new behavior system
- New interface
Another title using Pokémon FireRed as its base game, Pokémon Rocket Edition, lets players take the role of a Team Rocket Grunt. Now, instead of being an upstanding citizen, you’ll commit crimes. Lying, cheating, being a public nuisance, and, of course, stealing Pokémon from other trainers. While it is built on FireRed, you’re going to feel things more similar to Generation VI in this ROM as it has been crafted to emulate that style of presentation.
While you may just want to jump in and start stealing Pokémon left and right, it’s important to keep in mind that Pokémon Rocket Edition has a morality system. Maybe you want to be the nicest Team Rocket member of all time, hm?
There’s plenty to do to try and prove yourself as Team Rocket’s best member. Just do your best to avoid blasting off again.
5) Pokémon SORS
- Completely original region
- Original music
- Generation VII battle mechanics
- Original battle mechanic
- Side Quests
This ROM hack features a completely original story that could easily fit into a mainline Pokémon title. In the new Hupest region, players must investigate a shadowy organization that’s attempting to recreate an ancient event known as the Great Eclipse. If they’re successful, they’ll be able to create abnormally strong Eclipse Pokémon.
Eclipsing is an entirely unique battle mechanic made for Pokémon Sors, and causing a Pokémon to Eclipse will give it unique abilities and a new appearance in battle.
Eclipsing is such a unique and in-depth mechanic, that it can actually be fairly tricky to navigate. Luckily, you can find some useful, community-made guides for Pokémon SORS online.
Add in more than 800 Pokémon to catch, side quests with an actual quest log, a custom soundtrack, and aesthetic updates, and this could easily pass for a full video game.
4) Pokémon Phoenix Rising
- Drastically new look
- Original characters
- Character customization
- Skill tree and quest system
- Multiple save files
In Pokémon Phoenix Rising, players are tasked to find and eventually resurrect the Legendary Pokémon, Ho-Oh, in the region of Hawthorne. The game leans a bit heavier into more hardcore RPG elements, as the plot’s outcome depends on player decision-making.
While this game is still being worked on, there’s a lot that’s missing. It’s important to remember that, as a ROM, it’s a labor of love from its developers and there’s a real possibility that the game will never be finished.
Brand new and original Mega Evolutions make an appearance, and the game has enjoyed several updates over the years. It’s still missing features fans would want, such as a more defined ending, but it’s arguably the prettiest ROM hack on this list.
3) Pokémon Crystal Legacy
- Trainer optimizations
- Difficulty increase
Pokémon Crystal Legacy takes the standard Crystal you know and love and turns its difficulty up a notch. This ROM hack unlike others on our list isn’t trying to reinvent the game it stems from. Instead Pokémon Crystal Legacy is looking to polish and perfect the Crystal experience, and it does this perfectly.
In this version, you’ll notice things are substantially more difficult with trainers getting completely fresh Pokemon sets that suit their styles. Trainer levels have also been increased, new Team Rocket content has been added, and there are plenty of quality-of-life fixes.
If you’re a big fan of Pokémon Crystal then this is the ROM hack for you.
If you prefer Pokémon Yellow be patient! The developers behind Pokémon Crystal Legacy are planning to release a similar ROM hack for Pokémon Yellow in the future.
2) Pokémon GS Chronicles
- Fresh storyline
- Time-based events
- New soundtrack
- Updated look
- New additions to Johto and Kanto
- Mega Evolutions
Pokémon Gold and Silver are two of the most iconic mainline games in the franchise’s history. Pokémon GS Chronicles includes all 400 plus Pokémon from Generations I to VI while keeping the stories from the original Pokémon Gold and Pokémon Silver titles. Unlike the originals, however, it includes Mega Evolutions, Z Moves, new events, new locations, a PokéRide system to replace HMs, and oodles more.
This is definitely one worth exploring if you want to play an extremely polished ROM, or like me you’re just a lover of the original Gold and Silver games.
This ROM hack even features some cheats that you can enter for things like walking through walls or unlimited Rare Candy. Luckily, community-made lists have all the cheats you could ever hope to use.
1) Pokémon Unbound
- New higher-powered game engine
- Reworked HM system
- Difficulty options
- Character customization
- Original story
The best ROM hack on our list is none other than community favorite Pokémon Unbound.
It’s a community favorite for a reason, as this ROM hack of Pokémon FireRed features a heavily beefed-up version of the original game. It has an entirely original story set in the Borrius region, with you going up against the antagonistic group known as the Shadows. This group is determined to unleash an ancient force upon the world, and naturally, you’ve got to put a stop to that.
This ROM is overflowing with content. Heaps of quality-of-life updates, a revised HM system, daily events, character customization, over 80 unique missions, minigames, more than 180 original songs, Pokémon from Generations I to VII, an extensive post-game, and even difficulty options.
One of the coolest features in Pokémon Unbound is that you can lower the difficulty if you get stuck. No additional grinding necessary!
If you’re a Pokémon fan who’s been wanting more of a challenge than the official mainline titles can offer, this is definitely the ROM for you. If you’re not looking to play a difficult Pokémon title, this is still a ROM with enough Pokémon goodness for all.
What is the ROM hack for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet?
A few options are available. If you’re fond of the Game Boy Advance, a GBA Rom for Scarlett and Violet is available. It adds new Pokémon, characters, battle sprites, a new city, a new cave, and your Pokémon will be capable of terastilization.
Additionally, there is SV+. In this ROM, players can experience a new post-game, a trainer overhaul that increases the difficulty but keeps progression intact, alternate evolutions, trade evolutions, all version-specific Pokémon, tweaks to battling including speed and blind battles, raid tweaks, improved picnics, and shiny lock removal. These rooms are built from Pokémon Leaf Green and Fire Red.
Websites where you can download Pokémon ROM hacks
Be careful about what Pokémon ROM hack you play. There is a chance some of these hacks could harm your computer. It’s also illegal to download and play ROMs without paying the developer. We are not recommending getting hacked ROMs without the permission of the developer or publisher; this is for educational purposes.
