Check out this Switch Pokemon ROM Hacks Collection featuring ROM Hacks of Pokemon Sword/Shield and Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu/Eevee. These ROM hacks add a ton of new features and experiences! All you will need to play is custom firmware on your Nintendo Switch.
Contents
What is a Rom Hack?
ROM hacking is the process of modifying or patching a ROM image (usually of a video game) to alter the game’s graphics, dialogue, levels, gameplay, and/or other elements.
Why play ROM Hacks?
There are many reasons to play ROM hacks. Some of them are:
- Fresh New Gameplay – If you love a game and wish you could experience more of it, playing a ROM hack is for you. ROM Hacks usually add new content, worlds, and features to a game.
- Translations – Many games are released in Japanese before they’re released in English or any other language. In most cases, they’re released in Japanese years before they’re localized. Sometimes they don’t get localized at all and never see the light of day outside of Japan.
- Improvements – Sometimes a game mechanic is not implemented well in a game, or the UI is not so good. ROM Hacks can help improve the games features, user interface, and more without necessarily altering the actual story or levels.
Switch Pokemon ROM Hacks Collection
Pokemon Sword/Shield ROM Hacks
Pokemon Sacred Sword and King’s Shield
Pokémon Sacred Sword and King’s Shield are ROM hacks of Pokémon Sword and Shield. This is a fully featured difficulty hack. Hundreds of Pokemon have had their Hidden Abilities made easily obtainable, stats buffed, abilities buffed, and enhanced movesets!
- All important trainers have 6 Pokemon and and are much more difficult. (Hop begins to have 6 after the 1st gym)
- Important trainers also have manually changed movesets, abilities, natures, and even IVs and EVs assigned. They also have the smartest AI assigned to them.
- Level curve expected to naturally provide you with high level Pokemon. Trainers will have Pokemon at a usually slightly higher leveled than that of your own. (GROSSLY SUBJECT TO CHANGE, PLEASE RELAY TO ME WHAT THE LEVEL CURVE IS LIKE IN YOUR EXPERIENCE. THIS SHOULD NOT REQUIRE AN INSANE AMOUNT OF GRINDING)
- Hundreds of Pokemon have had their stats buffed, hidden abilities made available, and enhanced movesets. Some even have type changes, or completely new abilities available.
- Evolution methods changed for trade Pokemon. See documentation.
- The post game is currently unedited. It likely won’t be updated until all DLC have been released.
Screenshots
How to Install
If you want to use this ROM hack, make sure you are on the base version of the game.
Video: Pokemon Sacred Sword & Kings Shield – Gym Leader Milo Battle
Pokemon Let’s Go! Pikachu/Eevee ROM Hacks
Pokemon Polished Pikachu and Enhanced Eevee
Pokémon Let’s Go! Polished Pikachu and Let’s Go! Enhanced Eevee are basic difficulty hacks made for Pokémon Let’s Go, Pikachu! and Let’s Go, Eevee! This ROM hack targets a balance closer to Game Freak’s official Black/White 2 Challenge Mode.
Challenging Trainers
This mod edits over 120 trainers. Gym Leaders, Rocket bosses, Rival battles, Gym rematches, Coach Trainers, and more have received new or edited teams to provide better challenge!
The graph above approximates the location of “hard battles” in the game, each time the blue line approaches or crosses the purple line indicates a battle that should be a solid challenge!
Reduced EXP Yield
Pokémon now only yield 75% of their normal EXP. This allows the player to counteract the effects of the always-on Experience Share and prevent overleveling!
If you’re still higher level than you’d like, you can overwrite the EXP mod with the standalone EXP Yield 60% or 35% (Co-Op) mods below.
Expanded Wild Encounters
All Version Exclusive species are available in both versions, and Gift Pokémon and Mew have been added to the world. Encounter locations can be found here (mirror). If you prefer a different encounter mod, you can overwrite Let’s Go Polished Pikachu or Enhanced Eevee’s defaults with any of these other encounter mods. If you would prefer default encounters, delete the “/bin/field” folders included in this mod.
Nerfed Partner Super Moves
This mod reduces the base power of all of the unique Partner Moves, leaving them strong but not hideously overpowered.
Evolve Without Trading
This mod allows all Trade Evolutions, as well as Meltan, to evolve via Level-up at Lv42. If you would prefer a different level, overwrite the included atmosphere folder with any Alternate Trade Evolutions mod from here.
Screenshots
How to Install
Pokemon Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee STANDALONE mods
These are single-purpose mods for Pokémon Let’s Go designed to enhance the game experience. Here is the official page and they also are conveniently listed below.
Alternate Trade Evolutions
- This mod allows all Trade Evolutions (and Meltan) to evolve via level up.
- Trade Evolutions can still evolve by being traded.
- Any Pokémon evolved with this method will appear as “hacked” until it has been traded at least once.
- There are two versions: Lv35 and Lv50. Choose according to your preference: Level 35 is approximately around the Rocket Hideout and Level 50 is approximately after you get the sixth badge.
Expanded Encounter Tables
- This mod makes changes to the Wild Encounter tables of the game. Three versions are available.
- “Version Exclusives” adds Let’s Go Pikachu’s exclusive Pokémon to Let’s Go Eevee, and vice versa. It removes Oddish/Bellsprout from Route 1 for version parity. Full encounter list here (mirror) and also included in the download.
- “Wild Gifts” includes the same changes as “Version Exclusives,” but also adds Hitmonchan, Hitmonlee, Lapras, Porygon, Omanyte, Kabuto, and Aerodactyl to the wild. Full encounter list here (mirror) and also included in the download.
- “151” includes the same changes as “Wild Gifts,” but also adds Mew as a rare encounter in Cinnabar Mansion. Full encounter list here (mirror) and also included in the download.
- Version-Exclusive Pokémon captured in the incorrect version will flag as hacked due to improper origin game.
- Gift Pokémon captured in the wild will flag as hacked.
Download! (Version Exclusives) (mirror)
Download! (Wild Gifts) (mirror)
Altered Experience Gain
- This mod globally alters the Experience yield of every species encountered throughout the game. In the base game, your team is consistently 5%-10% higher level than the opponent’s team, making most battles a cakewalk.
- Note that the self-correcting effect of the modern Experience Formula will make EXP reduction less drastic than it seems!
- 60% is the recommended version. By my projections, this should have your team consistently 2%-6% weaker than the opposing team, with absolutely no grinding. Realistically, catching Wild Pokémon will make this a smaller gap.
- 35% is a major reduction, designed to make co-op less of a curb stomp. This version is not recommended for use in a normal playthrough, but if you want to share the game with a friend without being incredibly overleveled and teaming up on the opponent, go ahead and use it! Your Pokémon should be consistently 15%-25% weaker than the opponent’s, but you get to have two out at once.
- 200% is designed to make post-game grinding a lot quicker. Note that the cap on EXP yield is a base value of 255, therefore any Pokémon with a base EXP value of 128 or higher will not be fully doubled. These Pokémon are instead set to 255 EXP yield. It is not recommended to use this patch while playing through the main story, as it will absolutely trivialize all content.
- 0% is designed for a hardcore challenge that necessitates frequent new captures and strategy to overcome a massive level disadvantage. An example of the 0% EXP challenge is here (Emerald).
Download! (35% for Co-Op) (mirror)
Download! (200% for Postgame Grinding) (mirror)
Download! (0% for a Hardcore Challenge) (mirror)
Nerfed Partner Super Moves
- This mod reduces the Base Power of all of the unique Partner Moves. These moves are still incredibly powerful thanks to their guaranteed status effects.
- Baddy Bad: Base 40 (from 90) BP, sets Reflect
- Bouncy Bubble: Base 40 (from 90) BP, heals for 50% outgoing damage
- Buzzy Buzz: Base 40 (from 90) BP, 100% paralyze chance
- Floaty Fall: Base 65 (from 90) BP, 30% flinch chance
- Freezy Frost: Base 40 (from 90) BP, sets Haze
- Glitzy Glow: Base 40 (from 90) BP, sets Light Screen
- Sappy Seed: Base 40 (from 90) BP, sets Leech Seed
- Sizzly Slide: Base 40 (from 90) BP, 100% burn chance
- Sparkly Swirl: Base 40 (from 90) BP, sets Aromatherapy
- Splishy Splash: Base 40 (from 90) BP, 100% paralyze chance
- Zippy Zap: Base 22 (from 50) BP, 100% crit chance, +2 priority
Hope you enjoyed this Switch Pokemon Rom Hacks Collection! I will continue to update this post as new ROM hacks get released. Let me know what your favorite is in the comment section below!