Pokemon as a media franchise is in the middle of its off-season. However, fans are not out of luck for a supply of new Pokemon fixes. Fans are coming up with ROM hacks and fan games all the time. Some of them are even touted as being better than the actual games. This article will consist of a list of the best Pokemon ROM hacks and fan games.
Here, readers will find 3 ROM hacks and 2 fan-made games.
Many fans probably remember getting into Pokemon through the anime and wondering if Ash and Red were the same characters. It was only through learning about the concept of canon that fans learned that Ash does not exist in the canon of the games. However, that’s where the power of fan creativity comes in.
Pokemon Ash Gray is a ROM hack of FireRed that allows players to live through Ash’s journey in the anime version of Kanto. The game goes all the way from the first anime episode to the first Pokemon movie. However, the best part of this ROM hack is definitely the freedom of choice. Players can choose how faithful they want to be to the anime or if they want to make this their own canon of Ash’s adventures. Players are even allowed to evolve Ash’s Pikachu. Just be warned, players might get more satisfaction and rewards by being faithful to the show than not.
Reddit users, thesuzerain, and Sir Willis CMS, made two fan games to appeal to the most dedicated Pokemon fans. These games take place in the Vesryn Region and feature 3 areas: the Mainland, the Chrome Circle, and the Vesryn Spear. Players will journey to beat the Champion and Elite Four of this fan region and stop one of two teams: Asgard (Zeta) or Olympus (Omicron). Their goal is to use the powers of Jirachi and Victini to become gods. Once players finish the main plot, they can visit a new region for the post-game plot. Not only does this game feature hours of story content, but gameplay that will cause the most dedicated fans to chef kiss.
Zeta and Omicron include over 650 Pokemon from at least 6 gens, mega evolution and Shadow Pokemon from Colesseum and XD. They also include items such as boats to replace HM moves. The dark and gritty plot aspects also allow this game to be a breath of fresh air when it needs to be.
The Pokemon Adventures manga, also known as Pokemon Special, is an alternate adventure focused around the protagonist of the Pokemon games. The Pokemon Adventures Red Chapter story gets darker than the games and anime at certain points. Satoshi Tajiri has lauded it as being the closest to his original vision of any adaptation. Lucky enough for fans, there’s a ROM hack of Red’s portion that players can download.
Not only does the game follow the manga, but also features 7 gens of Pokemon, including Shadow Pokemon, Zombie Pokemon, Pokemon Fusion, Fakemons and more. The developer also added game exclusive plots for players to follow, including the appearance of Ash Ketchum.
This game is on the list for the fact that as a critically acclaimed Pokemon tale, more people should experience it. Not everyone reads manga. So, adapting this adventure into a game is the best way to get fans familiar with a story that even the franchise creator says is one of the best.
FireRed is already one of the best remakes of the Kanto games and a must-play for any Gen 1 Pokemon fan. This ROM Hack upgrades it even further to make it the ultimate Kanto Pokemon challenge. This game features almost every gen of Pokemon, mega evolutions, new challenges, and an expanded roster of Mythicals, Legendaries, and even Ultra Beasts to catch. Radical Red is basically Soulsborne FireRed. This calls for players to fall back upon strategy and near borderline competitive knowledge to survive the difficulty spike. This is the ROM Hack for people the Let’s GO games disappointed.
NOTE: RR comes with a built-in randomizer and nuzlocke mode, players should finish the first playthrough before doing them. The difficulty spike could overwhelm players, making a nuzlocke soul-crushingly hard without prior knowledge of the game.
Lastly, players should absolutely check out Pokemon Insurgence. Taking place in the Torren Region, players escape the headquarters of the Cult of Darkrai with Mew’s help and go on an adventure to bring down multiple cults, regain their memories, and save the day. This game includes Gens 1-6, game exclusive Delta Species Pokemon, Armored Pokemon, Mega Evolution, secret bases, and character customization.
This game also does away with HMs and delivers an extensive endgame with side quests. Insurgence is a must for anyone looking for a gritty adventure with plenty of challenges.
It’s absolutely incredible to see what dedicated fans can come up with. With this list of the best Pokemon ROM Hacks and fan games, fans will have no shortage of adventures to go on while waiting for Scarlet and Violet to come out. Whether it is a fan-made game or an upgraded ROM to an official game, players should go out there and show each other who is the master in their friends’ regions.
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