![6 Best Pokemon Nintendo DS & 3DS ROM Hacks Of 2026 [All Tested]](https://www.videospokemongo.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/11/1793797889.webp "6 Best Pokemon Nintendo DS & 3DS ROM Hacks Of 2026 [All Tested]")
With the growing popularity of both Pokémon and dual-screen retro handheld devices, Pokémon ROM hacks are in full demand, with many seeking to explore the very best that developers, fans, and modders have to offer. More and more are being uploaded and published month in and month out, so I have decided it was a good idea to create the ultimate guide, showcasing some of my personal favourite dual-screen Poke ROM Hacks throughout the last year.
Some are old, some are new, some need work, some are remarkably well polished. So, grab your Nintendo DS/3DS, your dual-screen retro handheld or your favourite emulator on PC/Mac because these are the DS & 3DS Pokémon ROM hacks to take a look at!
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Disclaimer: ROM hacks exist in a complex legal grey area. While creating and using ROM hacks for personal use may be permissible if you legally own the original game, distributing ROM hacks that contain copyrighted material is illegal. Do not share, upload, or distribute ROM hack files online, as this constitutes copyright infringement. Users assume full responsibility for ensuring their ROM hack usage complies with applicable copyright laws and should consult legal counsel if uncertain about their specific circumstances.
Pokémon Origin Heart Gold
Platform: Nintendo DSRelease Date: October 2026Where To Download: HackDexDeveloped by: 雁南飞TB (Yannanfei TB)
This is by far one of the best Pokémon ROM hacks ever made, and it was originally a Chinese ROM hack of Pokémon Heart Gold that was exclusive to China; that was until someone developed an English translation patch that went live in October 2026. This patch transformed the game for Western folk to explore and is now one of the most popular DS ROM hacks on HackDex, for good reason!
This ROM hack follows the story and events from the anime Pokémon Origins and the popular Pokémon Adventure Manga, which is why you play as Ash in the game starting in Kanto’s Pallet Town; the hack even goes as far as using his own classic uniform and hat for the character sprite. Pokémon wander the world and hide in bushes, so you can target what Pokémon to catch next and also be surprised at what you come across, featuring Pokémon from all 9 generations, scattered across both regions, making it feel like an incredibly fresh yet nostalgic experience.
There are difficulty settings too if you want a serious challenge, and throughout my playthrough I’ve found even the normal difficulty to be challenging enough, with random battles and secret events happening that really spice up some of the slower parts of the original game. You’ll come across your favourite characters too, such as Misty, Jessie, James and Meowth early on the game, but mature moments happen later on that match the original manga.
I am really happy to see this slowly make its way out of China for others to explore because it’s truly impressive and takes one of my favourite games and pairs it with the anime and manga that I have consumed more times than I can count. The developer and the community have taken good care of this hack, and I think it’s going to stay high on this list for a very long time.
Platform: Nintendo DSRelease Date: October 2026Where To Download: HackDexDeveloped by: perhapz
A peculiar ROM hack, one I didn’t know I needed until I gave it a go, and that’s a DS version of Ruby, Sapphire and Emerald adding a new dual-screen mechanic that makes the game that little bit more modern in a way that your younger self would have absolutely loved if Nintendo launched it on the DS back in the day.
Technically, this is a hack of Black 2, rebuilt with its 3D art style and assets, adding a bigger post-game, seven roaming legendaries, and three different storylines depending on which game you choose; it even asks you what sprites you want to choose, music, and if you want to use a fairy type at the start of the game, really kicking it off with a unique experience.
To make things a little easier, it will show you roaming Pokémon on the map from your Pokedex, allowing you to capture the ones you love, including roaming seven legendaries, and the game offers a bigger post-game experience with Emerald’s event islands and more. It’s a refined, updated version for two screens but feels like an entirely new experience!
Pokémon Rising Ruby & Sinking Sapphire
Platform: Nintendo 3DSRelease Date: 2016Where To Download: UnknownDeveloped by: Drayano60.
We’ve got a lot to thank Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire for, not least of all the creation of Rising Ruby and Sinking Sapphire. Not only can you play through the main Omega and Alpha titles, but you can also grab and use all 721 Pokemon up to this point. The game is much more difficult too, with a Pokemon League that seriously takes some beating.
Because there are so many Pokemon in this game (721 in total across the first six generations), you can’t exactly rely on getting the same Pokemon in the same place at the same time either. It’s one for the patient explorers who have a lot of time on their hands and not the quick bathroom breakers looking to make a few shocking discoveries with Pikachu on the potty. This is known to be a very hard ROM hack.
In this ROM hack, many of the routes have been reworked, offering up to 11 species per area, which is why many nuzlocke fans love this hack, offering 581 wild Pokémon across 80 different locations, and all with slighlter higher than normal stats and subtle rebalancing to again make this a hard ROM hack to complete.
People are calling this a “Drayano” hack, which is known for harder battles and every Pokémon available without trading with friends, and buffed Pokémon with certain stats, and it’s one of the first ever “great” Nintendo 3DS Pokémon ROM hacks, so much so that we’re talking about it all these years on.
Pokémon Moon Black 2
Platform: Nintendo DSRelease Date: 2018Where To Download: UnknownDeveloped by: JrFort and Aster
Pokémon Black 2 might not be the greatest titled Pokémon game of all time, but it’s a great core for the next fan-made game in our list that takes place after Black 2. Meet Pokemon Moon Black 2, combining the thrills and spills of Sun & Moon with Pokemon Black 2 for the ultimate Unova/Alola crossover. Not only that, but Pokemon from future generations make a cameo too, as well as brand new Pokemon created for the game. Pull off new moves, fight new trainers, and stand back as your Pokemon Mega Evolve into glorious beasts.
The gym leaders and Elite Four in this ROM hack are replaced with Alolan counterparts, with new pixel art, and obviously they come with their own Alolan Form Pokémon, which can also be caught in the game, alongside many Pokémon up to and including Gen 7 Pokémon. You’ll also find Mega Evolutions, new regional forms and a new protagonist.
But like many of the Nintendo DS & 3DS Pokémon ROM hacks, this one is harder than the original games, with increased difficulty, stronger Pokémon and the requirement to use TMs and items to your advantage in order to beat the game, so make sure to bring your A-game, because this is a ROM hack only for the best Pokémon gamers.
Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers Remixed
Platform: Nintendo DSRelease Date: May 2026Where To Download: HackDexDeveloped by: gala1d
There’s a new Pokémon Mystery Dungeon ROM hack that is making waves, which is refreshing to see because most NDS ROM hacks are of the mainline games, but this one takes Explorers of Sky and alters it for a better, more modern experience. It has been in the works since 2023, and it’s finally here!
Some of the minor changes are to sprites, storyline, names, the choice of 85 starter Pokémon and the scripts, so you’ll see subtle differences in this area of the ROM hack, with a plan to rework post-game content later, if people enjoy this hack enough to download it and complete it. You’ll also find new Mega Pokémon in this hack, including Fairy-type Pokémon with 39 new moves and 22 added abilities to this type.
It’s admittedly a minor tweak to the Mystery Dungeon game, but one that adds a refreshing take on the game with more choices, slight tweaks and the addition of Fairy-type Pokémon; it’s as if the game got a new DLC update and is well worth a download if you love Explorers of Sky.
Pokémon Mythic Silver
Platform: Nintendo DSRelease Date: 2024Where To Download: UnknownDeveloped by: sauceyaTTa
This is a ROM hack that does something a little differently, and that’s the fact that it forces you to start with legendary Pokémon instead of the normal “weak” starters that have been a law for any mainline Pokémon game in the past. This is a hack of Heart Gold and picks up after Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky (or Explorers Remixed if you’ve tried the hack above this one), and sees Darkrai seeking revenge, forming multiple regions and times into one.
Arceus blesses you with the ability to meet insanely strong Pokémon from the get-go, with a goal of stopping Darkrai and beating rivals that you’ve likely seen before in other games. It’s heavily reworked Johto, with new areas, new sprites, new maps and new music, featuring Pokémon from all generations up to Gen 9. Even going as far as adding weather effects for Primal Kyogre and Primal Groudon.
There are new areas such as Warped Weald (a foggy forest), Fleur Forest (a fairy haven), Mahogany Slum and Azalea Industries. There are visual extras too, like animated lava and a camera that zooms out on bridges to really give you a sense of a refreshing adventure. The story itself is complete and about as long as a normal Pokémon game, though only 150 “Mythical” Pokemon to catch, with Team Galactic, Cyrus at Spear Pillar and a climb up Mt. Coronet!
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