The official Pokémon games are great, but after years of playing them over and over, maybe you’re finding them a bit stale – and it’s no secret the mainline games aren’t exactly challenging. If this sounds like you, then ROM Hacks are the answer.
However, not all ROM Hacks are created equal. In a sea of unfinished, buggy, and unbalanced games, which ones are worth your time?
ROM Hacks, or fan games, are modified versions of the official Pokémon games, adding quality of life features, brand new content, and often a whole new level of challenge. If you’re looking to Nuzlocke at the highest levels of skill and challenge, ROM Hacks are where all the high-level action is happening and where the best players flex their skills. Or, if you’re just looking for a bit of variety and a fresh experience, you can find that too!
To help you figure out where to start, I’ve identified 9 of the best, most popular ROM Hacks for players of three different skill levels.
9 Great ROM Hacks to Nuzlocke
Just-Above-Normal Difficulty
- Pokémon Unbound
- Pokémon Gaia
- Pokémon Emerald Seaglass
These ambitious ROM Hacks are primarily focused on adding a variety of new content, updated Pokémon rosters, and quality-of-life features. While they can definitely be tougher than the mainline games, crushing difficulty isn’t their goal, and so they’re a great place to start for those dipping their toes into ROM Hacks.
Both Unbound and Gaia introduce players to entirely new regions and stories, while Seaglass is a reimagining of Pokémon Emerald with Gen 2 sprites and lots of updated features. Unbound and Seaglass also have multiple difficulty modes, making them easy to customize for your skill level.
Enhanced Difficulty ROM Hacks
- Pokémon Renegade Platinum
- Pokémon Sacred Gold/Soul Silver
- Pokémon Blaze Black/Volt White
These ROM Hacks are definitely a step-up in challenge from our previous group. All three of these are created by Drayano, the most widely-known ROM Hack creator, and that’s no big surprise – his games dominate this space with their high quality, well-tuned balance, and attention to detail. Renegade Platinum in particular is perhaps the most well-known ROM Hack out there, and for good reason.
These games are tough, especially Blaze Black/Volt White – while they’re not as truly sadistic as those we’ll cover in our final group, they demand strategic play, specific, detailed planning, in-depth game knowledge, and smart encounter routing. For most ROM Hack players, these games hit the difficulty sweet spot.
Bonus: If you’re looking for an even further step-up in difficulty, try Blaze Black 2 Redux.
But perhaps you’re after the absolute toughest challenges in Nuzlocking. In that case, you’ll want to look at our final category…
“I Wanna be the Very Best” – The Hardest Games to Nuzlocke
- Pokémon Emerald Kaizo
- Pokémon Radical Red (Hardcore)
- Pokémon Run & Bun
Unrelenting, grueling, punishing – these words don’t do these ROM Hacks justice. Virtually every trainer you face in these games comes equipped with a competitive-level team, often including legendaries or Mega-Evolutions – there are no easy stretches or chances to let your guard down. Important fights like Gym Leaders or Team Bosses often contain mechanics like permanent weather or field conditions to disadvantage the player.
Nuzlocking these games requires meticulous manipulation of the game mechanics and trainer AI, extremely specific encounter routing, and a willingness to sacrifice Pokémon for the greater good. Be prepared to fail dozens or hundreds of times before reaching your goal.
Think I’m exaggerating? Twitch streamer and YouTuber Pokémon Challenges, the self-proclaimed “Best Nuzlocker in the World”, took 151 attempts to beat Emerald Kaizo, and you can watch his final run, plus his thoughts on the game, here:
Emerald Kaizo held the community crown as “Hardest Game to Nuzlocke” for a long time, but it’s now been surpassed in the eyes of most by Pokémon Run & Bun.
If you’re after the pinnacle of Pokémon achievement, look no further than these three ROM Hacks.
Thanks for reading! There are tons of great ROM Hacks out there, and we know we haven’t covered them all, so please share your favorites in the comments! And check out Nuzlocke University for articles, guides, tips, tier lists, and more great Nuzlocke content.
Happy Nuzlocking!
Nuzlocke University 