Pokemon Gold & Silver 97: Reforged

In 2018 a build of Pokemon Gold and Silver shown at Nintendo Spaceworld in 1997 leaked online. It revealed a very different Gen 2: a region modelled closely on Japan, dozens of Pokemon that never made the final cut and a story still in rough shape. Pokemon Gold 97 Reforged takes that unfinished demo and turns it into a game you can actually complete.

The project started from lvl3's original Gold 97 hack, with SourApple credited for the main hacking, Cam for additional work and Rool leading the remaster and much of the sprite work alongside a team of artists. Instead of the demo's barebones engine, it runs on Pokemon Crystal, so everything looks and plays like a polished GBC game — the overworld is in full colour and the battle sprites have been redrawn or edited to match Crystal's style.

You explore the Nihon region with a new story and a cast of beta Pokemon, set as an alternate sequel to Red and Blue. Every Spaceworld sprite was either created from scratch or adapted from the demo, the final games or the 1999 builds, giving the beta designs a consistent finished look.

Like the real Gen 2, Reforged comes as two versions. Gold and Silver have different sprites and different encounter rates, and Lugia was added back for Silver. The female player option from Crystal has been restored, and the Spaceworld '97 title screen has been recreated.

The version most widely mirrored is v6.1c, updated in January 2024; players report a later 6.1e build as well. Look for the newest release in the team's official channels before patching.

• Complete game built from the 1997 Spaceworld demo of Gold and Silver
• The Nihon region with a new story and a cast of beta Pokemon
• Separate Gold and Silver versions with different sprites and encounters
• Lugia added back for Silver
• Full-colour overworld and redrawn sprites in Crystal's GBC style
• Recreated Spaceworld '97 title screen
• Rebalanced movesets and trainer rosters
• Extra trainers to smooth out Gen 2's level curve
• Spaceworld maps reworked, Kanto in particular
• Female player option restored

Reforged is not a difficulty hack. The extra trainers and reworked teams make the level curve smoother than vanilla Gen 2, but the challenge sits close to a normal Pokemon game. The fun comes from discovery: you do not know these Pokemon, their types or their evolutions, so even familiar battle tactics feel new.

It is perfect for fans of Pokemon history, anyone who followed the Spaceworld leak, and players who want a Gen 2 adventure that feels like an alternate timeline. If you want modern mechanics such as abilities or the Fairy type, a hack like Polished Crystal fits better.

Because it is a GBC game, it runs on almost anything — low-end phones, handhelds and even real hardware through a flash cart.

• Decide between Gold and Silver first: encounter tables differ, and only Silver has Lugia.
• Play on a Game Boy Color emulator (Gambatte, SameBoy, mGBA or Pizza Boy). The hack is built for GBC and will not start in original Game Boy mode.
• Keep notes on the beta Pokemon you meet; type matchups are not always what the designs suggest.
• Save in-game often. Players have reported freezes in specific events, so a few backup saves are worth keeping.
• If you hit a bug, check whether you are on the latest 6.1 build before reporting it.

The 6.1 releases brought the biggest visual overhaul: every Spaceworld sprite was redone to match Crystal's style, the overworld became fully coloured, and the title screen was recreated from the 1997 demo. The same release line restored the female character, added Lugia back to Silver, reworked movesets and trainers, and remade parts of the Spaceworld maps, especially Kanto.

Later 6.1 builds such as 6.1c are bug-fix updates. They do not change the core content, so the newest build is always the one to grab.