15 Hardest Pokémon ROM Hacks & Fan Games To Up The Difficulty –
One of the most popular ways to bring you back to the old Pokémon games is to increase the difficulty.
More violent games, devastating opposing coaching teams, and unwieldy workout gloves are just some of the ways the pressure can be applied.
Some people never tire of passing the gym or losing their favorite Pokémon in a grueling Nuzlocke race.
And if it’s you, you’ll love our ranking of the toughest Pokémon ROM pirates of all time. Take a look.
15. Toohoun Global Communications
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Let’s start the list with an unorthodox choice.
Replacing Pokémon with pretty cartoon girls is just the next logical step after discovering the ROM hack.
And Touhoumon World Link was one of the first products that allowed Pokémon Emerald
‘s creatures to be replaced by girls from the Touhou franchise, which is known for its wide range of friendly female characters and also has a dedicated fanbase – as you can learn on Touhoumon.it.
It’s not the main attraction, but it’s a hard game. The contour is crazy at times, and some of the custom muns in the game are just too OP.
Prepare for OCO regularly.
14. Pokémon Snakewood
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Pirate ROM fans will long remember Pokémon Snakewood from 2007.
It is one of the most quoted games when people are looking for the toughest Pokémon ROM hacks others have played.
This Pokémon Ruby hack for Game Boy Advance shows a Poké-Lipsis zombie destroying the Hoenn area.
Your path to survival will also be littered with occult villains such as demons and witches.
In this game, the enemy AI is aggressive and won’t let you go if it can help it. You have a unique Facemon with absurd stats that are hard to overcome.
The riddles are also some of the dumbest I’ve ever tried to solve. And I’ve played some really weird games.
13. Pokémon Riot
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Pokémon Insurgency is one of the most entertaining Pokémon fan games ever. And it will be a challenge for the coaches who are willing to test their mettle.
The game challenges you to solve the problem of survival by placing a Pokémon level limit on all major battles as you explore the Torren region.
You have to think strategically and take full advantage of all the tools the game gives you to make Pokémon stronger than just a leveler.
Playing with the MM in general as well. This allows your group to focus 100% on battle strategy.
In addition to the high difficulty, the game also features a customizable main character, the new Pokémon Delta, and the new Mega Evolutions.
12. Pokémon Blue Kaizo
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If you like Gen 1 classics, Pokémon Blue will give Kaizo a tougher challenge in this semi-final.
This hack not only makes some coaches stronger during your adventure.
All the roads and dungeons now have some of the most brutal map layouts I’ve ever seen.
All practice leaders have full control and their AI is incredibly good at predicting your movements.
Crossing the path to victory in this game is simply a titanic challenge. Anyone who succeeds in hacking Nuzlocke will earn their place in the Pantheon.
11. Pokémon FireRed Omega
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Pokémon Fire Red Omega is the first in a long list of stunning hacks from creator Drayano.
This hack has inspired many fans to make their own ROM hacks, and it has become something of a standard against which Pokémon ROM hacks and fan games are measured.
This FireRed hack retains the same history and look as the original. But he takes on Trainers and challenges even the best Pokémon Trainers.
Each trainer has the best Pokémon, skilled cameramen, and some unique creatures that will suddenly wipe the floor with you.
10. Pokémon Crystal Kaizo
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I only know a few people who can claim to have beaten Pokémon Crystal Kaizo, let alone something as ridiculous as the Nuzlocke race.
This game is brutal from start to finish.
Roads have been modified to be relentless, enemy bosses have incredible cinematics and ultra-precise AI, and some even have brilliant Pokémon – because demoralizing your opponent is half the battle.
But it’s not so bad.
The game allows you to catch and evolve all Pokémon from the first two generations. So you can create any competitive team – if you’re willing to put in the effort.
9. Pokémon Sacred Gold / Storm Silver
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Another difficult ROM hack takes place in Johto:
Pokémon Holy Gold & Storm Silver from Drayano.
Like most Drayano hackers, SG/SS increases the difficulty by changing the layout of the maps, making some puzzles more difficult and generally turning opposing coaches from casuals into competitive professionals.
Many SG/SS Pokémon have been modified to make them more useful in battle. Competitive trainers take full advantage of this and use unique strategies that you won’t see. You’d better find something for yourself.
8. Pokémon Blaze black / volt white 1 and 2
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The Pokémon Black and White hack also comes from Drayano with a lot of things that make his other hacks so good.
A fair but steep difficulty curve, ruthless AI and the composition of opposing teams are worthy of a truly competitive game.
In total, there are 649 Pokémon that you can catch and fight anywhere in the game, and you’ll have access to most of them before Elite IV.
You are expected to be the best team possible.
If you’re looking for some extra action, the challenge mode is also fantastic.
7. Pokémon Reborn
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Some people like games they can get lost in for weeks.
If you’re like that, you might enjoy Pokémon reborn.
There are 807 animals to catch, 18 different gyms and a huge world to explore – but you’ll face some opposition along the way.
The game has a level limit for many key battles to prevent you from just bypassing the game’s problems.
This will force you to plan and think differently. You get a lot out of the usually overlooked Pokémon by trying different strategies.
The story can get too abrupt, but that’s part of the challenge.
6. Pokémon Rejuvenation
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If you love Reborn but feel it still lacks challenges, consider its spiritual successor Pokémon Rejuvenation.
The game is based on Pokémon Emerald, but it’s a fan game that runs on a different engine.
You can choose between three levels of difficulty, including the intensive level – the one that earned him a place in the rankings.
You’ll fight Pokémon in cold blood much more often, and they’ll show up when you least expect it. They will also have much better coverage, which will keep coaches on their toes.
5. Pokémon Dark Rising
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Pokémon Dark Rising has been giving people nightmares since it came out.
The game is very difficult and often unfair to the player.
The only way out of this is to make every effort. And even then, you’re never completely safe.
This hack of the Pokémon FireRed ROM includes the Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinno, and Unova.
You’ll have plenty of opportunities to try new Pokémon, as even Sister Joy will challenge you to battle Pokémon. But seriously.
Although the game is poorly made in some ways, it is very well known and has a fairly large number of fans.
4. Pokémon Emerald Kaizo
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One of the ROM’s classic hacks is the Pokémon Emerald Kaizo, which leaves the plot and progression of the base game untouched, but greatly increases the difficulty.
Not only will they have to fight more often, but they will be much harder.
The coaching teams have been reorganized and their location has become more problematic.
Even in doubles, you find reliable and thoughtful matches when you least expect it.
Fighting isn’t the only thing different about this hack. Puzzles on the ice are even harder, and a cave at the bottom of the ocean can be demoralizing.
Keep trying and you’ll earn some serious bragging rights.
3. Pokémon Radical Red
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One of the new releases that caught my attention while putting together this ranking is Pokémon Radical Red, a Pokémon FireRed hack that includes Pokémon up to and including Gen VIII – and even some moves from the Isle of Armor DLC for Pokémon Sword & Shield.
It also includes some much needed quality of life improvements, a new Raid Battle, and an expanded list of TMs.
Still, Pokémon Radical Red remains a challenge.
The compositions of the opposing teams make excellent use of every Pokémon in the hack, making them somewhat unpredictable and difficult to reliably counter.
Of course, it doesn’t help that you can’t even use items when fighting gym bosses and other enemy bosses. So yeah, this one’s tough.
2. Pokémon Renegade Platinum
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The new hack from prolific creator Dryano is also one of the greatest – and it’s just as difficult as his other versions.
It’s a Platinum Pokémon ROM hack that keeps the same story, but reworks all the trainers, makes boss battles harder, and makes all 493 Pokémon available in one game – most of them before you get to Elite IV.
While Draiano usually modifies the map design to make the routes more treacherous, here it’s modified so that only combat against MHs like Surf and Rock Smash are needed to travel the world.
Not only does it have a good mix of difficulties, but the gameplay is really fun and forced. Yet it is considerably more complex than the original Platinum.
1. Pokémon Vega
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The most ambitious Pokémon ROM hack has to be Pokémon Vega, an ambitious Pokémon FireRed hack made by a Japanese team and translated into English by a group of fans.
This hack gives opposing Trainers the ability to refine their AI, allowing their Pokémon to use powerful items to hold them down, and allowing them to use items to often heal their Pokémon completely.
They also have a great team composition, and the Gym Leaders will have unconventional Pokémon wildcards to catch you off guard.
If you enjoy a good OST for a hack, and if knowing the Tohoak region sounds like fun, you can’t miss Pokémon Vega.
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