Pokemon Modern Emerald

Pokemon Modern Emerald is a GBA Rom Hack by resetes12 based on Pokemon Emerald in English. And it is now available to download. It was last updated on June 1, 2023.

Download Pre-Patched Pokemon Modern Emerald GBA ROM Hack

• Creator: resetes12
• Version: v1.3.3
• Hack of: Emerald
• Updated: June 1, 2023

Also check out Pokemon Xenoverse Latest Version.

Description

Simply put, Pokémon Modern Emerald is a modernization of the original Pokémon Emerald game. This game includes all of the QOL features and improvements I’ve wished for since I first played the original game in 2005. Consider this a 2.0 update of the original game. This is not a “difficulty hack rom” and never will be. There are already plenty of good hack roms out there if you want a super hard version of Pokémon Emerald. The idea behind this game is to play it instead of the original “Pokémon Emerald”, especially for those who want a vanilla experience with more features like easy difficulty modes, turn splits, QOL features, new Pokemon, new areas, new rematches… and an extensive list of others want.

This hack is a “3rd generation hack” which means that it doesn’t try to imitate later generations, and while some features and improvements are included from later generations, this hack is essentially a 3rd generation game. Don’t expect that you can catch 900 different Pokémon or learn all the new moves of the later generations. This hack doesn’t include the “battle engine upgrade” or anything like that, but it does include some of its mechanics (such as the OPTIONAL split between body and special that appeared in Generation IV, or the fairy type).

There are 423 Pokémon in total, two from Generation 8 and three from Generation 9. At the start of the game, you can choose between two modes on the challenge screen. If you don’t touch anything, the same Pokémon will spawn as in the original Emerald, minus the exclusive versions. All 423 are available when Modern Spawns is enabled. The game also includes day/night spawns for both modes (although without Modern Spawns the difference is minimal and is mostly a rate change for certain species).

WONDER-TRADES are also available to complete your national Pokédex (all Pokémon except Legendaries are available for Wonder-Trade, and you are limited to 3 Wonder-Trades per day).

The hack has all of its features and will only be updated with bug fixes, if any. HOWEVER, update 1.3 has been released due to the encouragement and suggestions from the community. So I’m always open to new ideas. The game has been thoroughly tested again and most bugs have been fixed.

The source code is available on Github and bugs can be reported there or in this thread. The game is playable on any emulator (tested on: MGBA, DSTwo GBA Emulator) as well as on real hardware (tested on: EZ Flash Omega). Also check out Pokemon Emerald cheats.

Let’s call it my “Dream Emerald” version, but it just got even better!

Features

Story related:

• Gym rematches are easier to trigger. After 10 wild battles won, or 5 trainer battles won, there is a 50% chance of getting a rematch.
• The Elite Four can be rematched after battling with Steven, and they are double battles.
• After completing the Elite Four Rematch, a rematch with Steven will be available. You will get a unique, special prize.
• The Sealed Chambers puzzles have changed slightly. Learn braille and find out what changed!
• Also, there are 6 Regis. Try to discover where are the new 3!
• All the trainer rematches scale up a lot more than in the original game, and their parties have been changed.
• All the trainers in the Battle Frontier have new Pokémon in their teams and have been buffed or modified.
• All the gym leaders, Elite Four, the 2 champions, Wally, Magma / Aqua leaders, and Red and Leaf will appear during the Battle Frontier challenges.

Pokémon related:

• Following Pokémon (Optional, with a second option to enable or not Big Followers like Rayquaza).
• 40 new Pokémon species, mostly from Gen. IV and 3 from Gen 9 (Annihilape, Dudunsparce, Farigiraf).
• Night encounters. Certain species will have a higher rate during night and others will only be available during night (only with Modern Spawns).
• Modern Spawns! Optionally, you can now capture the 423 new Pokémon available. Only changes wild Pokémon, not trainers. Modern Spawns have also a Night encounter version for each route, making certain Pokémon night exclusive.
• Optional Shiny chance: 8192 (Emerald default) – 4096 (Gen VI+) – 2048 – 1024 – 512.
• All the buffs from later generations are in.
• Extra buffs for other Pokémon are in. Includes stats, abilities and/or typings. (Ex. Arbok is now POISON / DARK and Meganium is now GRASS / FAIRY). You can have a look at them in my personal document, on the “4. Pokémon changes” tab.
• All the move buffs AND nerfs from later generations are in, with small changes to make them work in a 3rd gen game.
• All Egg moves and tutor moves have been improved with data from later generations.
• New evolution methods.
• Optional Item Drop when defeating a Pokémon. Forget about catching it or using Thief!
• Pokémon inherit 5 IV’s from their parents, no item needed.
• Everstone works on male or female Pokémon and guarantees nature.
• Gen. VIII Synchronize.
• Kanto fossils are available in 3 different caves.
• Shuckle can make berry juice just like in Gen. II!! Yay?
• Nature Mints are available to buy in the Flower Shop after the 5th Gym.
• Deoxys forms can be changed.

Battle related:

• Modern Battle Frontier, Battle Tents and Trainer Hill. Your Pokémon will be limited to level 50 when playing in those battle facilities, even if your level is 100.
• 9 new moves from Gen IV to buff typings that didn’t have a certain Physical / Special move. (Ex. Dark Pulse, as Dark type didn’t have a Special Dark type move).
• Fairy type introduced. Hyper-voice (Special) and covet (Physical) are now Fairy type since this typing didn’t have any attacking moves.
• HM01 Cut is now Grass type.
• EV Training available in Lilycove.
• IV Maximizer available in Lylicove, after beating the game. Needs a lvl.100 Pokémon.
• Hidden power is now 60 always, and shows the type in the summary screen and in battle.
• A nurse NPC is available after beating the game to farm EXP in Lilycove.
• Faster battle intros. Enable “Fast Intros” option in the options menu.
• Faster-paced battles. Enable “Fast Battles” option in the options menu.
• No low-health beeping.
• Press START while selecting a move to open a new Submenu with information about the selected move.
• Trainer class-based Pokéballs.
• Catching EXP.
• Gen. VI EXP. SHARE.
• Macho Brace multiplies EV gain * 5.
• Gen. IV Sitrus Berry.

UI related:

• New Pokédex! You can now see important information on the new “Stats” page. It’s very, VERY useful and it’s like having the game documentation in-game.
• Hold L+R, then A when entering a Wild Battle to instantly run.
• You can now register 2 key items: Pressing (as usual) and holding SELECT!
• Swap Pokémon pressing SELECT.
• Colored Stats (red = good, blue = bad).
• Pressing L in the stats section of a Pokémon will bring the EVs, pressing R will bring the IVs, and pressing START will bring the default stats.
• HM moves don’t need to be taught anymore. If you have a Pokémon that can use a certain HM, if you have the correct HM in the bag, and if you have the required badge, you will be able to perform an HM move.
• HM moves can be deleted since they are not that important anymore.
• TM cannot be sold, are infinite, and had their price changed.
• When the bag is full, items go to the PC.
• You can change the ball your Pokémon is in using a different ball from the bag.
• Reusable repel prompt.
• The time on the clock can be changed.
• Two pages with additional options in the options menu.

Gameplay related:

• 3 difficulty modes (EASY, NORMAL and HARD). Selected at the start of the game, can be changed anytime from the options menu.

EASY mode: Makes the game quite a lot easier by scaling levels down, and obtaining more EXP (+20%).

• -Trainer Pokémon and Wild Pokémon scale down to 10 levels compared to the original game. More badges, less level.
• -There are no restrictions on the Battle Frontier.

NORMAL mode: Vanilla.

• No changes, except rematches and small things (also on EASY mode).

HARD mode: Makes the game a bit more difficult by scaling levels up, and obtaining less EXP (-35%). This mode does not intent do be a “super difficult” hack-rom. It only tries to be a bit more difficult than vanilla.

• Trainer Pokémon and Wild Pokémon scale up to 10 levels compared to the original game. More badges, more level.
• Certain ace Pokémon have had their abilities or items changed to make everything a bit more difficult. This mode does not change anything else in trainer parties, or their strategies.
• SET MODE is automatically selected and can’t be disabled if you lock the difficulty.
• There are more restrictions on the Battle Frontier.
• (OPTIONAL but recommended) Use in combination with scaling IV/EV trainers from the Challenge Menu at the start of the game for an interesting challenge. You can also lock the difficulty in the Challenges menu at the start of the game.

• Optional PHYSICAL / SPECIAL MOVE split from Gen. IV. Selected in the options menu, second page.
• New Challenge Menu at the start of the game. You probably have seen it in other hacks. Includes new options.
• Bag capacity increased to 90, and item capacity to x999.
• Day / Night System with Day / Night encounters. Now Daytime is from 6AM to 20PM. Night-time is from 20PM to 6AM. For (2 new) evolutions, Morning is from 6AM to 9AM. Also includes cool lighting at night!
• Run everywhere.
• Autorun (in the options menu).
• HM moves text and interaction is way faster.
• Link with Fire Red / Leaf Green available from the start.
• One-time tutors are infinite, but you have to pay now.
• Trainer HIll prizes are the berries that were not available in the GBA games.
• Match and Acro Bike are now one. Change between them by pressing “R”.
• Chain fishing has been added.
• Easier fishing has been added to the options menu (FR/LG fishing).
• All tickets are available to buy, together with its events.
• Faster nurse Joy healing.
• Daily money event with Meowth (post-game).
• You can check the Soot Sack to know how much ash you have.
• Interacting with berry trees is faster, berry trees that are in rainy routes don’t need to be watered, and berry trees don’t decay.
• New Self-trader to force trade evolutions (trading with another game still works).
• PokéMarts items change with every badge.
• AI improvements.
• Amulet coin works always, doesn’t matter who has it.

Map related:

• Altering cave is now an Unown cave.
• A few new maps to introduce the new Regis.
• Mirage Island can be forced with a certain Pokémon in the party, apart from its unusual rate.

Known Bugs

• When not using Modern Spawns, certain Pokémon (especially from Gen 2) will show that they are available in a location they are not. Remember that if you are not playing with Modern Spawns set to on, wild encounters are from Emerald.
• Deoxys forms have 000 as their Dex number, or something else.