ROM Hacks that genuinely improve the base game?

[Tonberry]

I’ve been playing Pokémon Perfect Crystal and FireRed Essence, and I think this topic applies to them.

Basically what they do is make it so that every Pokémon from the respective two versions are available in the same game, along with special event Pokémon that are otherwise unobtainable but part of the files, so you are able to complete the Pokédex without trading. They’re basically vanilla+ versions of the games and don’t add anything too out there. Also some quality of life features but the above things are the main features.

 

[Lidell]

Hey all, scott here.
like the title says, are there any Hacks that you've played that are better than the original expirience? whether through adding some quality of life features or rebalancing gameplay ect. ect.

View attachment 3655
Thank you :>>

Well from the moment I must say Kamen rider Super climax Scramble, they change the base characters for the new heisei era characters like Zio, gaim, drive etc....they also enable the hard dificult for the story mod as the base set
So yeah, its the most complete experience to play kamen rider on the psp

 

[fishboneKiller]

the only one i can think of is one for Shin Megami Tensei on SFC. it's a romhack that makes one simple change: it lets you open the map with the shoulder buttons, instead of requiring you to go into the menu. i know this sounds like a super menial change, but whenever i'm playing a first person dungeon crawler like SMT, i'm practically glued to my map the entire time. i'm checking it every couple of steps, because i have a tendency to get lost super easily. having to open up a menu, select comp, scroll down to auto map, and wait for it to open each time i want to get my bearings straight drives me nuts, so i think this is an absolutely necessary change, at least for someone like me.

 

[χKai]

I think it bears worth mentioning the J2E translation of Final Fantasy IV. It opened the gates to international releases and ROM translations to a lot of us who, prior to discovering it, might never have found out there were regional differences at all.

It certainly blew my mind as a child, just going into my teenage years, when there was ⅓ of a game's worth of content we didn't see before in America. I'm also sure it's popularity helped to open Squaresoft's eyes a little to the premise of having avid American fans of RPGs who wanted a more in-depth, mature game to delve into rather than the trimmed-down child's play that they gutted the original and came out with.

I just wanted to post this as kind of an appreciation to the J2E translation for paving the way for not only other fan translations, but further re-releases of these classic jRPGs to the rest of the world, and it sure impacted me as a kid!

~ Thanks

 

[LightningmanEXE]

Already mentioned:
X3 Zero project
Starforce DX
DS castlvania patches

I am surprised no one mentioned the X5 and X6 tweaks yet. honestly makes both games so much more enjoyable I refuse to play vanilla X6 anymore. I think they absolutely stand up with the rest of the series with these patched. the N's Edition Megaman X7 is also an improvement, but let's be honest... no patch is truly saving that game.

I also need to mention the Final fantasy 5 patch that let's you remove attack and items to allow you to set up to 3 unique skills (4 on mime and freelancer)
considering how many skills you get on jobs that are sort of pointless one offs (like the dragoons lancet, a skill I honestly really like) it's a super fun mod just for seeing what silly stuff you can come up with.

 

[χKai]

Already mentioned:
X3 Zero project
Starforce DX
DS castlvania patches

I am surprised no one mentioned the X5 and X6 tweaks yet. honestly makes both games so much more enjoyable I refuse to play vanilla X6 anymore. I think they absolutely stand up with the rest of the series with these patched. the N's Edition Megaman X7 is also an improvement, but let's be honest... no patch is truly saving that game.

I also need to mention the Final fantasy 5 patch that let's you remove attack and items to allow you to set up to 3 unique skills (4 on mime and freelancer)
considering how many skills you get on jobs that are sort of pointless one offs (like the dragoons lancet, a skill I honestly really like) it's a super fun mod just for seeing what silly stuff you can come up with.

I love every one of those.

Except Star Force.

And Castlevania but if I liked Castlevania after the GBAs, I would probably use the Portait of Ruin patch that doesn't change the portraits.

Don't want 'em ruined. ?


I guess everybody but you spaced on the Megaman X5 and X6 improvement & tweaks patches. Personally, I use my own X6 from the Tweaks Patcher, 'cause I don't like what they changed Rainy Turtloid's weapon for Zero to, something like triangle in the air? Pfft, stupid. I wanna use it on the ground and spam it over and over!
I also like choosing each updated portait for every character, trying to make it as close to canon as possible. ?

The Three Slots patch for FFV is a necessity, it makes the game so much less bland when you have options that actually let you combine multiple class skills. I have my own version of FFV with multiple patches such as Three Slots, and some other, small QoL patches for preference/balance; for example, I never liked the patches that let you always see hidden passages, or always be able to sprint, because it makes Thief practically irrelevant, and at that point you may as well make a custom class to replace it altogether. Also I prefer the original translation, not the official one but the one off RHDN. ?

Hold onto your BUTZ

 

[Escaeva]

Thank you both for the kind words. I also made a similar project with others, like Flame Purge, for FFIV. Namingway Edition.

I don't know if the Lion Armlet patch works as some things are shifted in the ROM to expand things like item descriptions. It would have to be tested out.

I'm a big fan of your work, I also consider the Namingway Edition of FFIV the definitive way to play the SNES version.

Thanks so much for your hard work!

 

[RanmyakuIchi's iconRanmyakuIchi]

The Megaman X 5 and 6 Tweaks hacks come to mind. The X6 one in particular is pretty appreciated as someone who's been gaslighting themselves into liking X6 for 22 years.

 

[Lee__Kanker]

https://www.romhacking.net/hacks/7287/

Finally

 

[MrBird]

Pokemon Crystal Clear and Sonic 3D Blast: Director's Cut have already been mentioned, so I'd like to bring up Mega Man 3: Revamped, which I describe as "Mega Man 3, but the devs were given the extra time they desperately needed".

 

[Bakuma1997]

Pokemon Crystal Clear and Sonic 3D Blast: Director's Cut have already been mentioned, so I'd like to bring up Mega Man 3: Revamped, which I describe as "Mega Man 3, but the devs were given the extra time they desperately needed".

Played it and second it

 

[RageBurner]

Pokemon Crystal Clear and Sonic 3D Blast: Director's Cut have already been mentioned, so I'd like to bring up Mega Man 3: Revamped, which I describe as "Mega Man 3, but the devs were given the extra time they desperately needed".

Speaking of hacks based on Crystal, Prism is pretty neat, too.

 

[Metro City]

I will wait patiently for someone to improve Altered Beast Megadrive like the arcade one.

 

[CG4R12I4N]

I make a note to never play any modded games unless they actually restored lost content from the original (like Xenogears patch) or adding things that are locked normally due to needing game sharing (Pokemon linking feature garbages).

 

[Ikagura]

I will wait patiently for someone to improve Altered Beast Megadrive like the arcade one.

There's a nice palette hack I liked.

 

[Natsuyasumi]

I really appreciated the simple retranslation and QoL improvements in FF6 R.O.S.E.
The "Redux" hacks are typically well done (Zelda games, Super Metroid, Etc.)
Super Mario Brothers Resprited is a fresh coat of paint without changing the base game.
Pokemon PureRed is another great way to play a classic.

Post automatically merged: Apr 19, 2025

I like those especially when they also undo arbitrary difficulty changes as well.

Yes! I like difficult games, but you can tell when they upped it out the wazoo just to pad play time.

 

[NatalieZaki]

the text speed up romhack for 999 is a necessity if it didn't exist i wouldn't even be able to play the game

 

[Cantarella]

Oh man, I love hacks. I could go on for hours, but I'll just list some of my favorites.

Final Fantasy VII - New Threat
This is for the PC release of FFVII. I honestly can't play the base game again after using this mod. It's a pretty huge overhaul to basically everything in the game. I would recommend scrolling down to "Feature List" to learn more about it. The only caveats are that it works best without other mods, cracked copies will not work and unless you want to have a bad time, the Steam release is the absolutely best way to play it.

This for me, with the ninostyle chibi models, is the definitive way to play FF7 if you're looking for an experience beyond plain vanillia. Sega Chief's gameplay additions are fun and he does good work in giving each character their own identity, but maybe more importantly, he is legitimately so good at writing the FF7 characters. Every piece of additional content seems completely natural and he managed to put in some very touching and very hilarious moments that would not have seemed out of place in the base game.

Ninostyle chibis are necessary though. So good at capturing the nomura art.

 

[Ikagura]

the text speed up romhack for 999 is a necessity if it didn't exist i wouldn't even be able to play the game

Speed up as in being able to skip text like in NG+ or just faster speed?

 

[NatalieZaki]

Speed up as in being able to skip text like in NG+ or just faster speed?

faster text speed. the base game text speed is unbearable, considering you have to play it multiple times

 

[Ikagura]

Faster text speed. the base game text speed is unbearable, considering you have to play it multiple times.

Well, I've played the DS game (with a guide to know where to go and which answers to give) as well as playing it via The Nonary game but I actually didn't mind the text speed as I was really into the game's story. I think the remaster made the text faster but I cannot properly remember.

If I ever got to replay the game I would use that hack indeed.

 

[sadasa]

road rash 1+2+3 improvements and all dx romhacks on gameboy

 

[Bakuma1997]

Lufia Restored, even if we don't compared Lufia 1 to Lufia 2, the game is kind of Mid, Restored isn't exactly a Redux patch, but the bare things it does make the game more fun for a while, also it unlocks its New Game Plus without beating it with an extra patch, doesn't change a thing except you get X4 on EXP and Gold, shaving greatly grinding

 

[Ikagura]

Well, I now consider that this hack

Alien Soldier: 6-Button Controller Support (Hack) SEGA Genesis ROM Download – RGT Repository

Download Alien Soldier: 6-Button Controller Support (Hack) SEGA Genesis ROM/ROM. A Hack, Run and gun game released on 1995 by SEGA, Treasure. Download at RGT Repository

retrogametalk.com

Already replaces the vanilla game.

 

[Bakuma1997]

While i will always welcome the changes made to the FF II part on Dawn of Souls, i think they went overboard with the FF I part, Vancian Magic replaced with MP without balancing the magic, level cap going overboard, and excessive buff of party members and nerfing of mobs made so eventually you can simply mash A your way into Chaos, and even he falls easly

Maeson Final Fantasy DoS makes the version feel like a proper remake, or a hard mode if they wanted to keep the vanilla difficulty, for starters you get back the uses-per-day magic, enemies are harder (But gives more money and EXP) the Null spells not only get some use, but also protect of a stat, useless spells are axed or beefed and even more, the game is now harder without bein hair-pullingly unfair