ROM hack: Difference between revisions

Early Pokémon ROM hacks date back to the late 1990s with modified editions of {{game3|Red and Blue|Pokémon Red|s}}. These were often relatively minor adjustments such as sprite or dialogue changes, and would generally follow the flow of the original game. These early ROM hacks were infamous for being particularly crude in nature, ranging from swapping Pokémon and human sprites around to replacing the dialogue with obscene text.

This trend continued until the release of Pokémon Brown by user Koolboyman in the early 2000s, one of the most notable Pokémon hacks in history. This was the first hack to completely re-invent the game, with a brand new region and completely new plot. Later editions included an expanded [[Pokédex]] (including Pokémon from Generations II, III, and IV), additional dungeons and additional plot tweaks. It is one of the few completed hack games and was successful enough to warrant a sequel (Pokémon Prism, a {{game|Crystal}}-based hack) and a Generation III version (Pokémon rijonAdventures) based on {{game3|FireRed and LeafGreen|Pokémon FireRed|s}}.

Since Brown, Pokémon hacking’s notoriety has expanded exponentially, with developers creating many software tools for desktop operating systems to help create maps, edit sprites, graphics and even developing scripting languages specifically for the Pokémon game engine. It has also inspired many hackers to learn how to edit the games' assembly code directly (known as ASM hacking). Numerous hacks have been released, often using FireRed as a base, such as Pokémon ShinyGold, Pokémon Naranja and the Pokémon Ruby Destiny series, just to name a few.

[[File:Pokémon Blaze Black 2.png|thumb|An NPC that gives a {{OBP|season|mechanic}}-dependent starter Pokémon in Pokémon Blaze Black 2, a popular 649 hack. He can only give one starter per game, and the evolved forms of the rest are to be caught in [[Hidden Grotto]]es.]]

These hacks are designed to make all Pokémon available in-game, including {{pkmn2|starter}}s, [[event Pokémon]], [[version-exclusive Pokémon]], and Pokémon that can only be obtained or {{DL|Methods of evolution|Evolution via trading|evolved}} through [[trade|trading]], thus allowing the [[Pokédex]] to be fully completed in a single playthrough of the game. More advanced hacks will include Pokémon from later generations, often also adding the {{type|Fairy}}, newer moves and abilities, and other quality of life features to older games as well. They are often, though not always, named by simply appending the size of the National Pokédex (depending on the [[generation]]) to the end of the base game's name, as in "Pokémon Red 151" or "Pokémon Emerald 386". Such hacks will often not deviate too far from the official game story, and are often used in [[Nuzlocke Challenge|Nuzlocke]] runs and, more notably, for several runs in [[Twitch Plays Pokémon]].

''Pokémon Quartz'', created by Baro, is considered one of the first complete overhauled ROM Hacks. Though its story is very similar to the original Pokémon Ruby's story, it does have its own original story, locations, and characters. It was also one of the first to include custom tilesets, as well as a completely custom Pokédex of 368 {{pkmn2|fake|Fakemon}} (though they often reused canonical Pokémon's stats).  

''Pokémon ShinyGold'' was a [[Generation III]] [[remake]] of {{game|Gold and Silver|s}} using the {{game3|FireRed and LeafGreen|Pokémon FireRed|s}} engine, echoing how FireRed is a remake of {{game3|Red and Blue|Pokémon Red|s}}. Whilst not the first of its kind, it is amongst the most well-known Generation III hacks, despite it never leaving the beta stage. It is also one of the most illegally sold ROM hacks, with many bootleg versions of ShinyGold available as pre-patched ROMs or flashed game paks. ShinyGold's creator, username Zel, included a warning in later editions warning users about this problem and to demand their money back if they had paid for it.

''Pokémon Ruby Destiny'' is a popular series of games based on the {{game|Ruby and Sapphire|s|Pokémon Ruby}} engine created by [[PokéCommunity]] user destinedJaGold. The series consists of three completed games: Reign of Legends, Rescue Rangers, and Life of Guardians. This series is of particular note, as it is one of the longest running completed hack series available, particularly for its in-depth gameplay and plot. It, like other popular hacks, has even drawn interest from Let's Play creators. The series is also known for incorporating the {{t|Fairy}} type into the Generation III game engine, as well as a user-created "Chaos type", alongside several user-created Pokémon (known as "Fakémon" among fans).

[[File:Starter Moemon.png|thumb|The Kanto Starters, represented by Moemon]]

''Moemon'' (short for "{{wp|Moe (slang)|Moekko}} Monsters", 萌え擬人化 ) is a prominent hack of {{game|FireRed and LeafGreen|s|Pokémon FireRed}} that changes all Pokémon into {{wp|Moe anthropomorphism|gijinka}}. It is a simple change of FireRed, but with additions such as the ability to catch the three {{pkmn2|starter}}s, {{p|Eevee}}, and a mix of both LeafGreen and FireRed Pokémon (thus making it simpler to obtain all Pokémon). The game still receives a fair amount of attention, as a patch was released solely for the FireRed hack that updated both the sprites of the Pokémon as well as their menu sprites, functioning like DLC would for any game.

''Pokémon Naranja'' is a {{wp|Spanish}} hack of {{game|Ruby and Sapphire|s|Pokémon Ruby}} in which the {{player}} plays as either {{Ash}} or {{an||Misty}} and travels around the [[Orange Archipelago]]. Naranja is a Spanish word which means "orange". {{p|Celebi}} appears as this game's [[Game mascot|mascot]]. This game is based on the [[S02|Orange Saga]] in the {{pkmn|anime}}. The game starts after the player had won the [[Indigo League]]. Despite this fact, the player starts with only a Lv. 5 {{p|Pikachu}}. Many characters, plots and events in the Orange Saga are included in the game, such as the [[GS Ball]], [[Ash's Lapras]], the [[Orange League|Orange Crew]], the [[Crystal Onix]], the {{p|Golduck}} from ''[[EP091|Bye Bye Psyduck]]'', and [[Ash's Snorlax]]. This game is particularly well-polished and features a completely overhauled graphical system, and well as many hours of playtime.  Other anime-based hacks include the popular Pokémon AshGray, a FireRed-based game depicting Ash's journey through the [[Kanto]] region in the [[original series]].

''Pokémon TPP Version'' is a hack of {{game|Red and Blue|s|Red}} created for the [[Twitch Plays Pokémon#Season 2|Season 2]] opening run of [[Twitch Plays Pokémon]] and developed by users pigdevil2010 and EliteAnax17. The hack was based on an earlier [[ROM_hacks#Dex_hacks|Dex hack]] named "Pokémon Red 151" by PokéCommunity user Blue, which featured significant [[level]] increases across the game as well as making all 151 Pokémon catchable in the wild. On top of the previous changes, Pokémon TPP Version includes additional challenges and features, such as [[legendary Pokémon]] respawns, [[Gym Leader]] and [[Elite Four]] rematches with higher-level teams, and level 100 event battles with [[Professor Oak]] and the original {{ga|Red}} from the first Twitch Plays Pokémon episode. It also includes the Battle Tent, a [[Battle Tower]]-like facility intended for players to earn money without having to repeatedly rebattle the Pokémon League.

''Pokémon Prism'' was a hack of {{game|Crystal}}, created by a team led by Adam "Koolboyman" Vierra over the course of eight years. It is particularly notable for being one of the only Pokémon ROM Hacks Nintendo has issued a DMCA takedown against, merely days before its actual release. <ref>[https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/12/nintendo-sends-cease-and-desist-notice-to-pokemon-rom-hacker/]</ref> This DMCA notice caused the hack infamy, leading to the hack's being released by pirates.<ref>[https://kotaku.com/pirates-leak-pokemon-prism-after-nintendo-shuts-it-down-1790598623]</ref>

[[File:Pokemon Jade 2 title screen.png‎|thumb|left|Title screen of Pokémon Jade 2]]