The 10 Best Pokémon Nintendo DS ROM Hacks

This is the complete collection of GameShark codes for Pokémon Nintendo DS hacks.

Classic Pokémon games are timeless, and there is something incredibly nostalgic about playing them.

However, while you may have played all of the official Pokémon Nintendo DS games, we bet you haven’t played all of these incredible DS hacks!

Although many Pokémon ROM hacks are available, we’ve rounded up the best ones based on classic Pokémon DS games.

The 10 Best Pokémon Nintendo DS Hacks

All of these Pokémon Nintendo DS hacks have been gathered from reputable sources across the web and tested to ensure they’re the best.

This way, you can ensure you’re going to be playing a game that is truly worth your time and effort!

Here’s our list of the 10 best Pokémon Nintendo DS Hacks:

10. Pokémon Bloody Platinum

Pokémon Bloody Platinum brings a whole new twist to the Sinnoh region of Pokémon Diamond and Pearl.

While the story remains largely the same, significant changes have made it feel like a whole new game.

For example, all of the trainers have new Pokémon, there is a new rival to compete against, and some of the Pokémon only come out when your DS clock reads a certain time.

Due to these changes, you will have to play at different times of the day if you want to catch all of the 142 Pokémon in the game!

All of the updates give Pokémon Bloody Platinum the upgrade it needs to feel new but nostalgic at the same time.

It is definitely an all-around solid game that is difficult to put down once you start playing, especially if you’re a fan of the original games it is based on.

In fact, we’d argue that it actually manages to surpass the original, which is saying something, since Diamond and Pearl were some of the best Pokémon games.

9. Pokémon Volt White

Next, we have Pokémon Volt White, which is a ROM hack of Pokémon White.

This game features all 649 Pokémon to collect, meaning you can catch all of the best dog Pokémon for your team if you’re dedicated enough to search for them all.

Volt White also features improved difficulty, trainers, and Pokémon, meaning you’re guaranteed to experience something new, even if you have played the original White before.

In addition to this, evolutions and item placement have also been edited, allowing you to find evolution items, TMs, and fossils in the world before the post-league.

Some attacks have also been changed to make them more useful, so you’ll need to experiment and play around to learn how to make your Pokémon more effective.

Thanks to changes like this, you can’t just rely on your knowledge of combat from previous games and instead can look forward to something a bit different.

If you loved Pokémon White but want to replay it with a twist, Volt White is a ROM hack you should definitely check out.

8. Pokémon Silver Yellow

Pokémon Silver Yellow is an interesting ROM hack that is based on Silver Blue but has influences from Pokémon Yellow, as well.

This game takes players back to the Kanto region, but with a new area of God’s Garden available to explore.

The original Pokémon in this region have also been redesigned, and all of the original starter Pokémon are now capable of mega evolutions, making them something to invest in.

Due to this change, you can now take advantage of mega Blastoise, Charizard, Venusaur, and Pikachu, which is incredibly fun.

Additionally, Pokémon that needed to be traded in order to evolve have been changed so that they can do so at level 36 or with a special required item.

Like Volt White, some attacks have also been changed, so you will need to play around to learn which moves are now more effective in order to build a solid team.

Silver Yellow goes above and beyond with its design and is a fantastic combination of two of the best original Pokémon games.

7. Pokémon Moon Black 2

Pokémon Moon Black 2 combines Sun and Moon with Pokémon Black for a unique and entertaining experience.

It features 100 new Pokémon from the Alola and Kalos regions, and some have never been seen before!

There are also brand new gym leaders and a new elite four that are well-balanced by some familiar faces.

Along with this, some other new additions include a new rival, new events, new moves, and a new world tournament.

A harder difficulty has even been added if you want to really challenge your trainer skills!

The graphics in Moon Black 2 are also superb, with crisp details that really make the characters stand out, and the battles look incredible.

The mega-evolutions are likewise extremely satisfying and make the battles a lot more intense when they are used.

There’s something particularly awesome about seeing the best dragon Pokémon take on huge forms and decimate the competition!

6. Pokémon Renegade Platinum

If you enjoyed Pokémon Platinum but wished it was more challenging, Renegade Platinum is the game for you.

Although the game itself isn’t very different from the original game, the difficulty is through the roof and sure to give even veteran Pokémon fans a tough time!

Created by the same person who made Volt White, there are 493 Pokémon to catch, revamped trainers, no trade evolutions, and improvements to weaker Pokémon that make them better suited for the harsher gameplay.

You can also expect all boss fights to be extremely difficult, so you can’t just throw the best bat Pokémon at them and hope for the best.

This is one game you certainly can’t brute force your way through!

Additionally, fairy-type Pokémon from Gen VI have been added, and several TMs have been replaced with entirely new moves.

Renegade Platinum is like a Pokémon Platinum remake, and it is so good you’d think that it was an official title!

5. Pokémon Sacred Gold

Pokémon Sacred Gold is a phenomenal ROM hack of HeartGold, and it is one you shouldn’t pass up if you enjoyed the original game.

Even if you know everything about Pokémon and have played every official game, there is a load of new stuff in Sacred Gold to experience.

There are 493 Pokémon to catch, and you don’t have to trade with anyone to complete your Pokédex as you would have in HeartGold.

Like many other ROM hacks on our list, Sacred Gold has had its difficulty upped as well, and players will be in for a challenge that makes the classic Pokémon games seem very easy.

All trainers and bosses will have six Pokémon to use during battles, meaning you have to build a large team quickly to keep up.

However, Pokémon also have access to extra level-up moves, and some TMs and Pokémon types have even been changed to keep you on your toes.

You can definitely tell that a lot of effort went into making this incredibly fun ROM hack.

4. Pokémon Omega Paradox

Pokémon Omega Paradox is arguably one of the best Pokémon ROM hacks of all time, and it is certainly one of the most creative.

This game takes players back to the region of Unova, where Team Aqua has started creating chaos with the game’s big bad, the Masked Man.

The story is incredibly compelling, and from the moment you choose your starter Pokémon, you’re in a race to stop the Masked Man at any cost.

What makes the game even better is that there are brand-new rivals and gym leaders to compete against, as well as 40 new Pokémon to encounter out in the world.

There are also omega evolutions that you can use on some Pokémon, as well as mega evolutions that can be used on Slowbro and Camerupt outside of battle.

Between the exciting story and the interesting new gameplay elements, there is a lot to love in Pokémon Omega Paradox, especially if you want a unique Pokémon experience.

3. Pokémon Moon Silver

Pokémon Moon Silver can be considered an add-on to Sacred Gold as it improves upon what the previous ROM hack set up.

The main goal of this ROM hack was to bring out the potential in every Pokémon so that even a Wooloo could compete with some of the best bird Pokémon in a battle.

This means that weaker Pokémon get a much-needed power boost, with some even receiving new abilities that make them worth playing with.

Even the starter Pokémon are much more competent, so you’ll be more likely to invest in them than throw them out the first chance you get.

Additionally, 157 moves have been changed to some extent in this ROM hack, giving you new things to learn while playing.

While it maintains most of the scripts from Sacred Gold, Moon Silver certainly delivers a unique experience of its own, and it is worth picking up if you enjoyed the original hack.

However, this ROM hack doesn’t necessarily have to be played after Sacred Gold, and if you want to just jump into it, you definitely can!

2. Pokémon Mind Crystal

Pokémon Crystal was the third and final game released in the Gen II core series for the Game Boy Color, and it was a solitary version of Gold and Silver.

However, despite being a milestone game, it was never really remade for another system, which is where Mind Crystal comes in.

While the story is largely the same, some parts have been edited, so the experience is slightly different.

The battle mechanics have also been slightly changed, as have some moves, and more trainers have been added.

Fairy-type Pokémon have also been added, along with new items and TMs that you can use.

Similarly, the gender ratio of Pokémon has been updated so that it is now roughly 50/50, and all Pokémon can evolve without the need to trade them.

Despite not having an original story like Omega Paradox, the updates to the gameplay definitely make it worth playing, especially since it is such a needed update to a Pokémon classic.

If you’re a fan of the classic Pokémon games, this is one of the best Pokémon Nintendo DS ROM hacks you can download right now.

1. Pokémon Phoenix Rising

One of the best Pokémon fan games ever made, Pokémon Phoenix Rising, takes our number one spot, and it is possibly the most well-known ROM hack you can download.

This game uses the Pokémon Essentials engine and takes players to the brand-new region of Hawthorne.

Phoenix Rising has many more RPG elements than previous games, and your decisions during quests will always result in unique outcomes.

It also boasts a great character customization system that allows you to change your character’s skin color, hair, and outfits to better express their individuality.

New mega evolution forms have also been added, as well as a let’s play mode, which gives you the ability to play with your whole computer screen.

In this mode, you can view your current Pokémon team, your current quests, last-used items, and mini-map on the sides of your screen while seamlessly playing the game.

The game also introduces new and interesting characters that are very well-designed and well-written.

While only one episode is currently playable with four to six hours of gameplay, the developer is looking to create at least three more episodes in the future.

It may be short right now, but the gameplay and story are the best you can find in a fan-made ROM hack.

Summary

There are many ROM hacks based on the original Pokémon games for the Nintendo DS, but not all of them have been able to knock it out of the park.

However, these 10 stand out from the rest thanks to their engaging gameplay and overall improvements that make them hard to put down.

Better yet, they can all be downloaded and played right on your computer, so you can jump in and start playing right now!

So, if you’re a fan of the classics but want to experience them in a fresh new way, these are the ROM hacks for you.

What do you think of the best Pokémon Nintendo DS Hacks? Leave a comment below.