Pokémon is one of the biggest franchises on the planet. With nine generations, spin-offs and DLCs, there’s more than enough to keep you busy when it comes to officially licensed merchandise. However, there are areas that The Pokémon Company hasn’t visited or doesn’t want to explore. That’s why we’ve compiled this list of the best Pokemon fan games worth your time, ones that creatively expand the Pokemon universe without feeling like they’re breaking tradition or going completely bonkers.
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10 of the Best Pokemon Fan Games Worth Playing
We’ve listed each of the Pokemon fan games that we think are worth playing next, in no particular order. They all have their merits, so read through them and decide which one you’d like to play first.
PokéMMO
Image via Pokemon
As you would expect with a name like PokeMMO, this game is an MMO. It contains four generations of Pokémon content to explore with other players. However, what makes this game interesting is its community. Players will be happy to help you on your journey, work with you along the way to achieve your goals, and engage in all sorts of mischief together. The developers are still working on the game and it hasn’t been shut down yet, so it will likely continue to run for the foreseeable future. Enter the world of Pokémon online and download now.
ash gray pokemon
Image via Know Your Meme
If you like Pokemon anime more than games then this is the fan game for you. This is a cheat ROM based on Pokémon FireRed and follows the events of the Pokémon anime rather than the original games. You get the enhanced visuals of the base game along with the story that started the Pokémon franchise in the first place. You play as Ash as he explores the vast world of Pokemon and becomes the best. You can download the game from its official source.
icy blazing pokemon
Image via PIRO4D from Pixabay
Pokémon Blazed Glazed is a Hack ROM that expands on Pokémon Glazed, another Hack ROM. This is a neater version of the original that already includes a lot. You get all three regions of the first generation of Pokemon, six generations of Pokemon to catch and train, and three Championship Battles to compete in. There’s a lot of depth to this game, which means you’ll easily be able to play for 50 hours without completing anything that needs to be done. Play via official source.
Pokemon Dark Rising Trilogy
Image via Romspure
Pokémon Dark Rising was already a colossal project, bringing together the first five regions of the main Pokémon games, plus 386 Pokémon to find there. However, the game was so popular that it spawned two sequels, making it a trilogy of titles that you can explore for around 100 hours. If you like old Pokémon games on Game Boy and DS, these three are the ones we recommend if you’re looking for something new but don’t want to play Pokémon Scarlet and Violet. Try them through the official source.
Pokemon Gaia
Image via Pokemon Fandom
Pokemon Gaia is another Pokemon FireRed ROM cheat, and it’s huge. It takes place in the region of Orbtus and immerses you in a new story with each of the Pokémon from the first six generations of official Pokémon games. The game includes new types, moves, an unknown evil organization and much more. What we like the most about this game is that it pays more attention to the Regi subspecies of legendaries like Regigas. Get it from the official source now.
Pokémon Infinite Fusion
Picture via Reddit
If you’re looking for something very different from the usual Pokemon experience, Pokemon Infinite Fusion is what you’re looking for. The game is set in the Kanto and Johto regions, but the real appeal is in the Pokemon fusions. While you could use a website to see what Pokemon would look like if they were combined by nature’s mistake, this game takes that concept and brings it to the forefront of your story. You can create 176,400 different Pokémon combinations, all of which offer something different. For example, merge a Ghost type with a Normal type, and you have a powerful Pokémon that can only be hit by a few select Pokémon in the game.
The community is constantly updating title sprites, which means you’ll always have a high-quality finish for whatever Pokémon you’re playing with. This game has the potential for dozens of courses and challenges. Try it yourself via the official source.
pokemon uprising
Image via Pokémon Insurgency
Another RPGMaker title, Pokémon Insurgence is one of the most popular fan-made Pokémon games. It adds a new region, includes a large roster of Pokemon, and has an incredible plot you won’t want to put down. However, the real draw of this game is Delta Pokemon. These are official Pokemon that have received new types, a new look, and changed the formula so much that it feels like you’re playing a totally different style of play. You can also expect to see new mega evolutions like Delta Venusaur and Delta Charizard. There are even armored Pokemon to deal with, giving you more than enough to sink your teeth into. Get it now through the official source.
light platinum pokemon
Image via Pokémon Platinum Light
Pokémon Light Platinum was one of the first big hits in the Pokémon ROM Hack boom. While it’s not as unique as some of the other fan-made games on this list, it offers something different from mainstream games that will keep you hooked long after you thought you were done. The new story is set in the Zhery region and brings Pokémon from all games up to Pokémon Black and White into the fray for you to master. The visuals have been improved enough for you to notice, and that’s a good thing because you’ll see a lot of this game with its amazing endgame content set in a whole new region. Try it yourself by downloading it now.
Pokemon Phoenix Rising
Image via Pokemon Phoenix Rising
By far the most ambitious fan-made Pokémon game, Pokémon Phoenix Rising completely revamps the core experience you get in these games. In addition to what you would normally get from a Pokemon title, there are skill trees, an XP system, quests, and a decision-based plot that you can tweak to suit your choices. New forms of Pokémon are also included, but the scale of the project means it’s still a non-profit work in progress. It will be released in episodes and you can play the most updated version through the official source.
Pokemon Urano
Image via Pokémon Uranium
Developed with RPGMaker, Pokémon Uranium is often touted as one of the best fan-made Pokémon games. Takes players to the new region of Tandor. This area is filled with all kinds of new Pokémon to discover, battle, and catch. It also adds a new type to the universe, Nuclear. These Pokémon deal double damage but also take double damage. Throughout the story, you will uncover a sinister mystery that connects the past and present events of the protagonist. With so much creativity and passion in this project, it’s hard not to completely immerse yourself in it.
At some point, Pokémon Uranium was banned and the original developers abandoned the project. However, fans got support and development, and you can get it right now through the game’s official website.
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