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On the back of seeing a thread about Pokemon Lazarus, I figured I'd start assembling something of a resource for people looking to get into the various Gen 3 ROM hacks out there. There's a lot to keep up with, so you can think of this thread as something of a personal list for me that I'll try to keep up to date as interesting projects come up. Note each section is sorted in alphabetical order, as opposed to any kind of preference. Where new games are added, I'll also add a new post in the thread to act as a notification of such.
The hacks in this section are those that I've had some time playing. It's worth noting that I might not have completed a lot of them, but if they're here it will usually mean I enjoyed what time I did spend, and intend to return to finish the game at some point (if I haven't already!).
Pokemon All In Version
Gambling-oriented Pokemon Emerald rework.
If you cast your mind back to April of this year, you might remember a smaller hack for Pokemon Emerald that completely revamped the Game Corner experience. Though the changes were limited to Mauville City, the hack creator went to great lengths, adding a pretty wide variety of new games and ways to gamble. What was the next logical step? To make a game that revolves around these mechanics! All In Version takes the base Pokemon Emerald experience and makes everything a gamble. Want new Pokemon? Get on the gacha machine. Need coins for that machine? Step into the casinos that have taken Hoenn by storm, completely replacing the Poke Mart infrastructure. It's a completely unique way to play that is worth looking at.
Info
Download
Pokemon Elite Redux
Competitive-focussed Pokemon Emerald expansion.
This might be my most played ROM hack of any series, and is a competitive player's dream. Pretty much every Pokemon has seen some kind of rework to have a semblance of viability, but that's really only the start of it. On top of small changes to base stats and movesets being tweaked, every single Pokemon now has three innate abilities, on top of their standard ability. And on top of that, there is everything you would need to build and edit your team to beat what are some very challenging trainers. It's difficult to compress everything that makes Elite Redux great into one short paragraph, but if you like a challenge and enjoy taking the time to craft the perfect team, this is a hack you cannot miss.
Discord
Download
Pokemon Emerald Rogue
A unique roguelike spin on Gen 3 Pokemon.
Emerald Rogue is a game I confess I haven't played nearly enough. As the name suggests it takes a standard Pokemon adventure of beating eight gym leaders, and then the Pokemon League, and splits it across random bite-sized maps. On these maps you might be able to catch new Pokemon, or take part in one of a decent number of events. You're left constantly trying to make the most of the six slots in your team to prepare for any of the series' gym leaders that might show up at the end of a given section. Add to this some town building and interesting meta-progression, and you've got a game I can see people sinking hundreds of hours into if it clicks right.
Info & Download
Pokemon Evolved
An almost vanilla Leaf Green experience with each Pokemon getting up to three new evolutions.
Pokemon Evolved is a lot simpler than most of the hacks here. Not trying to overcomplicate things, it gives you a basically-vanilla Leaf Green experience, with all the good and bad that comes with it. What sets it apart however is the expanded Pokedex, adding a huge number of custom evolutions to the base Pokedex. You do also get some modern niceties, including the Exp All, and the physical/special split from future generations. There's really not much to say here, but if you're fancying a play-through of Kanto anyway, this might be a great way to mix things up without adding too much chocolate to your otherwise-vanilla experience.
Info & Download
Pokemon Heart and Soul
The best way to experience Johto in a Gen 3 ROM hack.
I've played a lot of Johto hacks in my time. Going all the way back to Shiny Gold, that apparently released in 2006(!!!), I've dipped in and out of various developments and new hacks. Heart and Soul take the cake, at least as it stands today. We have a fairly standard Johto experience that I would consider accessible to any Pokemon fan. For those that enjoy mixing things up and adding challenge though, there are randomisation and nuzlocke options built right in, including optional level caps. I started a randomised nuzlocke just last week and have been having an absolute blast with it.
Info
Download
Super Mariomon
A Mario-themed hack with Pokemon being replaced by Mario enemies, and a whole new region to explore.
What if Pokemon, but Mario? Super Mariomon feels less like a Pokemon ROM hack and more like a completely new game. With some gorgeous tilesets, an entirely new Pokedex based on Mario enemies, and a fresh new region to explore, the amount of effort that's been poured into this project is plain to see. If you enjoy Pokemon battles and both the Mario aesthetic and characters, this is a hack you cannot skip.
Info & Download
The Pit
Another roguelike take on Pokemon, this time taking inspiration from TTYD's Pit of 100 Trials.
I'm a sucker for a roguelike, and The Pit takes things in a completely different direction to Emerald Rogue. Here, you'll pick a few Pokemon to start with, and descend into a gauntlet of 100 floors. On each floor you'll need to beat a certain number of trainers, and steadily build your team to keep up with the ever-growing challenge. I'm yet to beat it myself, but I do enjoy picking it up once in a while to give it a fresh shot.
Info
Download
The rest of this post is dedicated to hacks I've seen floating around and have ready to play. With how accessible Pokemon ROM hacking is nowadays, I can only expect this list to grow, and at a rate I imagine I'll struggle to actually keep up with! Note for the time being that these are just headers, but I do plan to fill them in as above with information and links. It should happen over this weekend, so check back in!
Pokemon Adventure Red Chapter
Pokemon Emerald Seaglass
Pokemon Gaia
Pokemon Lazarus
Pokemon Odyssey
Pokemon Orange Islands
Pokemon Pisces
Pokemon Radical Red
Pokemon Recharged Yellow
Pokemon Rocket Edition
Pokemon Run and Bun
Pokemon Scorched Silver
Pokemon Sword and Shield Ultimate Plus
Pokemon Unbound
Hacks I've Played
The hacks in this section are those that I've had some time playing. It's worth noting that I might not have completed a lot of them, but if they're here it will usually mean I enjoyed what time I did spend, and intend to return to finish the game at some point (if I haven't already!).
Pokemon All In Version
Gambling-oriented Pokemon Emerald rework.
If you cast your mind back to April of this year, you might remember a smaller hack for Pokemon Emerald that completely revamped the Game Corner experience. Though the changes were limited to Mauville City, the hack creator went to great lengths, adding a pretty wide variety of new games and ways to gamble. What was the next logical step? To make a game that revolves around these mechanics! All In Version takes the base Pokemon Emerald experience and makes everything a gamble. Want new Pokemon? Get on the gacha machine. Need coins for that machine? Step into the casinos that have taken Hoenn by storm, completely replacing the Poke Mart infrastructure. It's a completely unique way to play that is worth looking at.
Info DownloadPokemon Elite Redux
Competitive-focussed Pokemon Emerald expansion.
This might be my most played ROM hack of any series, and is a competitive player's dream. Pretty much every Pokemon has seen some kind of rework to have a semblance of viability, but that's really only the start of it. On top of small changes to base stats and movesets being tweaked, every single Pokemon now has three innate abilities, on top of their standard ability. And on top of that, there is everything you would need to build and edit your team to beat what are some very challenging trainers. It's difficult to compress everything that makes Elite Redux great into one short paragraph, but if you like a challenge and enjoy taking the time to craft the perfect team, this is a hack you cannot miss.
Discord DownloadPokemon Emerald Rogue
A unique roguelike spin on Gen 3 Pokemon.
Emerald Rogue is a game I confess I haven't played nearly enough. As the name suggests it takes a standard Pokemon adventure of beating eight gym leaders, and then the Pokemon League, and splits it across random bite-sized maps. On these maps you might be able to catch new Pokemon, or take part in one of a decent number of events. You're left constantly trying to make the most of the six slots in your team to prepare for any of the series' gym leaders that might show up at the end of a given section. Add to this some town building and interesting meta-progression, and you've got a game I can see people sinking hundreds of hours into if it clicks right.
Info & DownloadPokemon Evolved
An almost vanilla Leaf Green experience with each Pokemon getting up to three new evolutions.
Pokemon Evolved is a lot simpler than most of the hacks here. Not trying to overcomplicate things, it gives you a basically-vanilla Leaf Green experience, with all the good and bad that comes with it. What sets it apart however is the expanded Pokedex, adding a huge number of custom evolutions to the base Pokedex. You do also get some modern niceties, including the Exp All, and the physical/special split from future generations. There's really not much to say here, but if you're fancying a play-through of Kanto anyway, this might be a great way to mix things up without adding too much chocolate to your otherwise-vanilla experience.
Info & DownloadPokemon Heart and Soul
The best way to experience Johto in a Gen 3 ROM hack.
I've played a lot of Johto hacks in my time. Going all the way back to Shiny Gold, that apparently released in 2006(!!!), I've dipped in and out of various developments and new hacks. Heart and Soul take the cake, at least as it stands today. We have a fairly standard Johto experience that I would consider accessible to any Pokemon fan. For those that enjoy mixing things up and adding challenge though, there are randomisation and nuzlocke options built right in, including optional level caps. I started a randomised nuzlocke just last week and have been having an absolute blast with it.
Info DownloadSuper Mariomon
A Mario-themed hack with Pokemon being replaced by Mario enemies, and a whole new region to explore.
What if Pokemon, but Mario? Super Mariomon feels less like a Pokemon ROM hack and more like a completely new game. With some gorgeous tilesets, an entirely new Pokedex based on Mario enemies, and a fresh new region to explore, the amount of effort that's been poured into this project is plain to see. If you enjoy Pokemon battles and both the Mario aesthetic and characters, this is a hack you cannot skip.
Info & DownloadThe Pit
Another roguelike take on Pokemon, this time taking inspiration from TTYD's Pit of 100 Trials.
I'm a sucker for a roguelike, and The Pit takes things in a completely different direction to Emerald Rogue. Here, you'll pick a few Pokemon to start with, and descend into a gauntlet of 100 floors. On each floor you'll need to beat a certain number of trainers, and steadily build your team to keep up with the ever-growing challenge. I'm yet to beat it myself, but I do enjoy picking it up once in a while to give it a fresh shot.
Info DownloadMy To-Play List
The rest of this post is dedicated to hacks I've seen floating around and have ready to play. With how accessible Pokemon ROM hacking is nowadays, I can only expect this list to grow, and at a rate I imagine I'll struggle to actually keep up with! Note for the time being that these are just headers, but I do plan to fill them in as above with information and links. It should happen over this weekend, so check back in!
Pokemon Adventure Red Chapter
Pokemon Emerald Seaglass
Pokemon Gaia
Pokemon Lazarus
Pokemon Odyssey
Pokemon Orange Islands
Pokemon Pisces
Pokemon Radical Red
Pokemon Recharged Yellow
Pokemon Rocket Edition
Pokemon Run and Bun
Pokemon Scorched Silver
Pokemon Sword and Shield Ultimate Plus
Pokemon Unbound
