Summary
ThePokemonjourney is one that fans look forward to whenever a new game is announced, even if recent titles have not always garnered widespread acclaim. While the games have strayed in recent years with new titles and mechanics,Pokemongames are ultimately comfort food that many people look forward to consuming every few years. That said, the main projects do not always succeed in impressing everyone who has been along for the ride since the late 1990s; consequently, some fans have come forward to create their own games.
Although Nintendo has, on several occasions, unplugged and halted the production of several projects, many contain new and exciting features and mechanics that completely change thePokemongame experience. As such, let’s highlight some of the coolestPokemonROM hacks.
This article highlights impressive works that showcase their creators' love forPokemon, so it is not a conventional recommendation list and the rankings are relatively arbitrary. Also, no links.
Updated July 07, 2025 by Mark Sammut:Thebest Pokemon ROM hackslist is always expanding, and a fairly highly-anticipated project recently made its full debut. While I haven’t finished it yet, the game deserves a shout-out. Click below to jump directly to this newcomer.
Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu GBA Version
Modern Update On A Classic Formula
The Nintendo Switch’sLet’s Go Eevee&Pikachumight not be considered thebestPokemongamesof all time, but they are pleasant throwbacks to the classic Kanto-era games. Fittingly enough, a ROM hack is available that returns these titles to their roots; well, to be exact,Pokemon FireRed.
The biggest changes come in the form of modernPokemon,improved gameplay, and some quality of life changes.Pokemon Let’s Go Eevee/Pikachu GBA Versionis not ultimately anything too original and, for the most part, will probably only be loved by those who are already infatuated with the Switch games.
Pokemon Nameless
A Dark Change Of Pace
Although most projects are presented as stand-alone, some creators have crafted a series of games that loosely connect.Pokemon Namelessis, technically, the third game in a trilogy, withResoluteandMega Powercoming out before it. However, the story is set in-between those two titles, so it is not the final chapter in the saga. More importantly, players can just opt to try this game and mostly ignore the other two, which are decent but have quite a few quirks that can make them frustrating to sit through at times.
“Dark"PokemonROMs are not all that uncommon, and plenty of fans have put together stories that are tailor-made for older players. Considering many creators likely fell in love with the franchise when they were kids, the yearning for a more mature version that matches their current ages makes sense. That said, just because something is dark does not automatically make it good.Namelessis not perfect by any means, but it offers a relatively refreshing attempt to shake up the formula by moving away from the road to the Pokemon League structure. Instead, the story follows a girl who is trying to escape from an empire, and things get heavy and intense very quickly. The campaign even goes through a time-skip.
Dragon Ball Z: Team Training
A Super Saiyan Twist
Now for something slightly different,Dragon Ball Z: Team TrainingtakesPokemon Fire Redand gives it a Saiyan-themed makeover. Combining two of the most popular Japanese anime properties of all time,Team Trainingdrops players into a world filled with wild Nappas and Krillins; in fact, the game has over 170 Fighters that are just waiting to be caught. While the game largely plays out like a standardPokemontitle, it is exciting to head into a Gym and find Bulma armed with a Super Saiyan 2 Gohan.
Unlike many of the bestPokemonROM hacks that are meant specifically for die-hard fans of Game Freak’s franchise,Team Trainingis one of those rare cases of a project that can mainly be recommended to people who love a completely different IP. ConsideringgreatDragon BallRPGsare not plentiful, this hack might be one of the better options out there for people craving something that is not a fighting game. That said,Team Trainingdoes not change all that much beyond throwing inDBcharacters and moves. Otherwise, this is a pretty standardPokemonexperience, including a mostly unchanged Kanto map and a storyline that does not take full advantage of its chosen franchise. Still, as someone who lovesDragon Ballas much asPokemon, this is a combo made in heaven.
Pokemon Adventures Red Chapter
Adapting The Pokemon Adventures Manga
Although nowhere near as mainstream as the games or the anime,Pokemon Adventuresis generally regarded as one of the franchise’s better media. The manga tries to adapt the games fairly accurately, rather than using them as a launching pad to tell Ash’s story. Each arc is named after one of the main titles and features different protagonists. If somebody is a fairly big fan of Game Freak’s projects, they should try out the manga.
Due to the manga covering the games, a ROM that adapts the former might seem redundant on paper; however,Pokemon Adventureshas a unique identitythat sets it apart from its inspiration. Consequently,Pokemon Adventures Red Chapteris a different beast than the original games, and it is one of the more ambitious fan games on the market. It is considerably darker than the standard entry in the franchise, reflecting the manga’s mature tone. To be fair, the game does have its share of juvenile humor, but a lot of it is pulled from the source material.
Pokemon Adventures Red Chaptertells a pretty long story that includes two regions, along with introducing fake Pokemon during the post-game. While largely sticking to the manga, the game also includes some original content, mostly in the form of side quests. The latter elements are quite divisive, though. The combat is not that far removed from the baseFireRed, but it is mostly serviceable.
Pokemon Light Platinum
A Typical Pokemon Adventure (& That Is A Good Thing)
Although the name suggests the game is set in Sinnoh,Pokemon Light Platinumtakes place in an entirely new region, Zhery. Boasting vibrant graphics, every Pokemon from Generation 1 to 4,and new Gym Leaders and rivals to fight, the creation is a traditional take on aPokemongame. It provides an evil team, a League to conquer, and a Pokedex to complete — all while being a standalone experience.
The game is a re-skin ofPokemon Rubybut takes elements from later Generations, such as the Distortion World and the Pokemon World Championship. It’s an easy-to-play, visually stimulating experience that fans unfamiliar with ROM hacks or fan games should begin with.
Pokemon One Piece
Catch All The Pirates & Marines
Similar toDragon Ball Z: Team Training,Pokemon One Piece’s appeal lies in the unexpected mash-up of two major anime/manga franchises. The changes in this game do not go too far beyond the addition ofOne Piececharacters, although the story does throw out a few curveballs along the way.
So, if anyone ever wishes to travel through Kanto with the Straw Hats,Pokemon One Piecewill scratch that itch. It is also a pretty challenging game, so players will have to earn the right to call themselves a Pokemon Master (or Pirate King). Similar to theDBZhack, this offering is just for fans of Eiichiro Oda’s manga, with the main change being primarily the character swaps. The hack is entertaining, as long as somebody can tell their Zoros from their Sanjis. And, there are way fewergreatOne Piecegamesthan there areDBZtitles, so this ROM has arguably more value.
Pokemon Ash Gray
Ash’s Original Adventure
Game Freak’sPokemonRPG series is not the only part of the franchise that holds a special place in the hearts of millions of people; the anime is also huge. In the late ’90s, Ash’s adventures helped introduce many children to Japanese animation, and the original series is still highly regarded today.
While thegames and anime share plenty of things in common, Ash is not one of them, at least when it comes to official releases.Ash Grayrectifies this by turningFireRedinto an adaptation of the anime’s first season. ThePokemonROM hackgives players the freedom to decide how faithful their adventure is to the anime, althoughAsh Graydoes reward those who willingly walk in Ketchum’s shoes.
Unfortunately,Ash Graywas never completed, so it just kind of ends during the Orange Islands arc.
Pokemon Orange Islands
Adapting The Anime’s Second Season
SinceAsh Graydoes not fully cover the anime’s second season, fans might want to turn toPokemon Orange Islandsto get something akin to an unofficial continuation. As suggested by its title, this game coversAdventures in the Orange Islands, the 36-episode sequel that follows Ash as he goes through the Orange Archipelago. This project prioritizes providing an authentic adaptation of the source material, and it is very much driven by its story rather than combat.
Although someone’s mileage will likely come down to their love of the anime,Orange Islandsis a well-done love letter that provides a fairly one-of-a-kind experience, at least when it comes toPokemongames.
Pokemon CAWPS
A More Adult Pokemon Adventure
The second entry in Crizzle’sPokemontrilogy,CAWPScontinues down the road starter byOutlaw. ThisPokemonROM hackis solely for adults, as its unique story contains plenty of mature content and humor that will likely be divisive with most people.
InCAWPS, players take on the role of a police officer in Hoenn. Starting at the Police Academy and eventually making it onto the streets, this hack does away with standardPokemonconventions such as Gym Badges, opting to deliver an experience that is quite unlike any other in the fan game scene.
Pokemon Emerald Kaizo
Do You Want To Fight For Every Victory? An Extremely Hard Pokemon ROM
A common criticism ofPokemonis, well, the games' lack of difficulty. While this was not always the case, thelast few generationshave seemingly gone out of their way to provide as little challenge as possible, at least during the main campaign. The post-game content is sometimes a bit better in this area, but that spike usually feels like it comes way too late.
So, unsurprisingly, a subcategory ofPokemonROM hacksrevolves entirely around boosting the basic challenge level provided by the core games. Some titles try to shake up the formula considerably, incorporating new mechanics or changing the story’s progression. However,Emerald Kaizomostly sticks to the vanilla route, instead opting to just ramp up the difficulty in a way that is exhausting but defeatable. You will need to approach each battle with proper tactics and a strong, well-rounded team, as anything less will see you fail. Just to give you an idea of how hard this ROM is, I nearly lost the very first fight after I picked up my starter. Once you figure out the best approach and overcome a battle, the victory will be really satisfying; that said, getting there can be gruelling.
