It’s time to make a journey down reminiscence lane – albeit one that can take some sudden turns – as we try the very best Pokemon Crystal ROM hacks!

Pokemon Crystal – which constructed on the stable foundations of Pokemon Gold and Silver – accomplished the second era of Pokemon video games (and whilst you’re right here, why not try our listing of the finest Pokemon Crystal cheats?).

Generation two stays one of many strongest and most uncommon generations in your complete mainline collection of Pokemon video games, because of mechanics corresponding to the usage of an inside clock (which impacts what Pokemon can be found at totally different days and occasions) and the introduction of the Pokegear and Pokemon breeding.

Given that Pokemon Crystal is such a beloved entry within the general collection (try the place it seems on our listing of the very best Game Boy Color Pokemon video games!), it’s naturally ripe for intelligent builders to create ROM hacks of the sport. 

There’s loads of Pokemon Crystal ROM hacks accessible, however that are the very best?

Let’s discover out, as we try the very best Pokemon Crystal ROM hacks! 

5. Pokemon Orange

The Orange Islands are a sequence of islands that don’t really seem in any Pokemon recreation; as a substitute, they solely characteristic within the Pokemon anime collection.

Well, that’s except you don’t know concerning the Pokemon Crystal hack, Pokemon Orange!

That’s proper: Pokemon Orange, by Pia Carrot, offers Trainers the chance to lastly play via a marketing campaign set in a beloved, well-known archipelago that doesn’t formally characteristic in any Pokemon recreation.

The anime-based story and setting isn’t the one factor that’s distinctive about Pokemon Orange, nevertheless. 

There’s base stats for Pokemon, derived from Gen 7 updates; OI and Alolan variants of Pokemon and Reusable TMs too.

Lots of different options have been added in to make this a whole, effectively rounded expertise.

Given the stunning, tropical local weather and completely new recreation setting, it’s nice to lastly have the chance to go to the Orange Islands – so this Pokemon Crystal ROM hack simply makes it to the highest 5 of the Retro Dodo finest Pokemon Crystal ROM hacks listing!

4. Pokemon Crystal Kaizo

Imagine having a ROM hack that’s so effectively obtained that it receives a sequel – effectively, that’s simply what occurred with a primary era Pokemon hack: Pokemon Blue Kaizo.

Pokemon Crystal Kaizo is that very sequel – and amongst different options, has a secret Pokemon (albeit simply the one from the 252 on supply), the removing of the necessity to commerce sure Pokemon for them to be developed and even an merchandise referred to as The Odd Egg – which ensures a Shiny Pokemon!

Evolution Stones could be bought – and all Eevee types could be accessed utilizing these stones too. 

Oh – and we should additionally warn you that the issue has been dialled up too, making Pokemon Crystal Kaizo fairly a stiff problem. Revives can’t even be utilized in battle right here, so tread very, very fastidiously!

3. Pokemon Crystal Clear

The dream of an open world Pokemon journey was one which gamers had been harbouring for a few years – solely lately did it come to fruition in the primary Pokemon video games.

Yet the open world Pokemon dream was realised sooner than that – in an unofficial manner in fact! 

Pokemon Crystal Clear removes railroads and nearly all of the obstacles within the recreation to make your complete world free to discover. 

Gym leaders could be tackled and badges collected in any order, with scaled problem relying on the Trainer’s stage once they arrive.

Trainers can now be massively customised; gender and pores and skin tone choices, together with Trainer courses and clothes color decisions, could be chosen at the beginning of the sport too.

There’s additionally no rivalry and no villainous organisation to face off in opposition to, which really makes the sport really feel open, non-linear and way more enjoyable to discover!

It’s a massively spectacular hack; regardless of being such an bold endeavor – there’s many extra enhancements and additions than I’ve been capable of cowl right here – all of it works brilliantly.

It makes you surprise why it took the official collection a long time to shift to open world; if a ROM hacker might accomplish this, why couldn’t the official builders?

2. Pokemon Prism

Untethered from the necessity to match inside present guidelines or the balancing of an ever increasing Pokedex, ROM hacks can go as wild and loopy as they need with Pokemon.

Which is what Pokemon Prism – by Coolboyman – does, including the eclectic number of Wood, Gas, Wind, Abnormal, and Sound varieties of Pokemon to these already on supply.

Not solely that, however Pokemon Prism does this by taking gamers on an journey to the totally new area of Naljo – and even provides in 5 new Legendary Pokemon too!

Also: regardless of Sylveon debuting in era six (Pokemon X & Y), you’ll additionally be capable to evolve your Eevee into Sylveon in Pokemon Prism too!

There’s aspect scrolling areas, new mini video games and a brand new clock system – the primary quest in Pokemon Prism even seems like a full, new expertise, given that you simply’re tasked with gathering eight new badges within the Naljo area!

All in all, Pokemon Prism is undoubtedly top-of-the-line Pokemon Crystal ROM hacks – and is nice for gamers who need a wholly totally different, totally featured recreation utilizing Pokemon Crystal as its foundation.

1. Pokemon Polished Crystal

The underlying thought course of behind Pokemon Polished Crystal appears to be: if it ain’t broke, don’t repair it.

After all, Pokemon Crystal is without doubt one of the finest Pokemon video games of all time to at the present time.

So what Pokemon Polished Crystal does is – because the title implies – provides refinements simply to make the sport sparkle much more.

For one factor, your complete Pokedex of 253 creatures (oh how big that sounded again within the day – now we’re creeping as much as 1000 Pokemon within the general Pokedex!) could be caught in only one recreation, which is a wonderful enchancment.

However, it doesn’t cease there – removed from it.

The listing of enhancements is large – a number of bug fixes, refined battle mechanics, improved overworld mechanics (together with the choice to at all times use the trainers), higher city maps, areas restored from Heart Gold and Soul Silver…and lots of, many extra. Far too many to listing right here, the truth is!

This hack is an absolute labour of affection that doesn’t drastically alter Pokemon Crystal, however makes it into maybe essentially the most refined and satisfying of the early Pokemon video games.

It simply goes to indicate that ROM hacks don’t have to completely remodel an expertise – however they’ll make a recreation a lot better; even an already beloved one!

Jason – who lives within the UK – has had a lifelong curiosity in video video games, which all began when he found Space Invaders within the early 80s. The first recreation he ever accomplished was Wonder Boy in Monster Land on the Sega Master System – which stays certainly one of his proudest gaming achievements. Jason is a passionate author – and has been writing about gaming for the reason that late 90s. He presently runs popular culture weblog midlifegamergeek.com, which he updates each day (and has written greater than 700 articles on the weblog alone!).

Outside of video video games, Jason is a eager tabletop gamer, movie buff and comedian guide fan.