Best Pokemon ROM Hacks with Mega Evolution

soupercell's Radical Red is the most played hack with Mega Evolution, and for good reason. The CFRU engine gives it Megas alongside the physical/special split and modern abilities, and its Pokedex reaches Gen 9 including the DLC species added in v4.1. Megas are not just a gift for the player: boss trainers build teams around them, so a Gym Leader's Mega is often the Pokemon you need to plan your whole fight for. On Hardcore mode that planning becomes mandatory.

Skeli's Unbound is the pick if you want Mega Evolution inside a long, original story. The Borrius region is packed with missions and side content, and the CFRU engine lets you use Megas along with other later-generation battle mechanics. Because Unbound has four difficulty settings from Vanilla to Insane, Megas can either be a fun power boost on a relaxed run or a necessary tool against the very strong boss teams on the highest settings.

Emerald Imperium is the best hack for custom Megas right now. iriv24 designed new Mega Evolutions for the Gen 4 starters and turned several Gigantamax forms into Megas, so Pokemon that never had a Mega suddenly get one. It runs on pokeemerald-expansion with Gen 1-9 Pokemon, level caps and a Minimal Grinding Mode, and boss teams in Hoenn are built with Radical Red-style care. Dawn as your rival and Sinnoh Gym Leaders add more surprises.

Buffel Saft's Inclement Emerald was one of the first big decomp hacks to add custom Megas, including Mega Milotic and Mega Flygon — two Hoenn favorites that fans had wanted for years. Megas are in, Z-Moves are not, which keeps battles focused. With Normal, Hard and Challenge modes, level caps and up to eight encounters per route, it is also a great Mega hack for Nuzlocke runs.

LCCoolJ95's Theta Emerald EX is a faithful Hoenn run with a Gen 6 upgrade. All 721 Pokemon up to Kalos are catchable, and both Mega Evolution and Primal Reversion work as they do in the official games once you have the Mega Bracelet. The big appeal for Mega fans is the updated Battle Frontier, where you can bring any Pokemon — Megas included — and Frontier trainers can use the same expanded roster against you.

Mega Power is the only hack on this list whose story is about Mega Evolution itself. You play as Neil or Tyra, the scientist who created Mewtwo and now wants it to Mega Evolve without a Mega Stone. Funding comes from Kasper, leader of the shady Team Delta. 1158's hack includes every Mega Evolution, two new regions called Ivara and Lande plus the Sevii Islands, and a selection of Gen 4-7 Pokemon.

Gaia rewards exploration with Megas. Spherical Ice's FireRed hack hides its Mega Stones around the Orbtus region, in temples, grottoes and hard-to-reach corners that need Rock Climb or diving. That makes every new area feel worth searching. Gaia also brings the Fairy type, ORAS movesets and competitive items like Assault Vest, so Megas sit inside a modern Gen 6 ruleset. It is still a beta, but v3.2 has plenty to play.

Elite Redux by Darkyy adds custom Mega Evolutions on top of its signature idea: up to three innate abilities per Pokemon. A Mega with three innates can change a battle in ways no official Mega could, which is both exciting and terrifying when the opponent has one. It also offers a permanent Mega option, a Nuzlocke captures mode and Easy, Ace and Elite difficulties. Expect a steep learning curve.

dekzeh's Run & Bun includes Mega Evolution among its Gen 8 mechanics, and you will need every advantage you can get. Nearly 500 hand-built battles, level caps tied to bosses and the removal of EVs make it one of the hardest hacks ever made. Getting a Mega online at the right moment is often what turns an impossible fight into a winnable one. Its full trainer documentation lets you plan exactly where to use it.

Emerald Rogue by Pokabbie turns Emerald into a roguelike where each run lasts a few hours. Mega Evolution, Galarian forms and rare legendaries are part of the EX build's random pools, so finding a Mega Stone mid-run can completely change your plan. It is a great option if you want Megas in short sessions: no long story, just random routes, random type-themed gym leaders and permanent upgrades in the hub between runs.

The original Dark Rising from 2012 did not have Megas, but the 2026 remake by Lord Lucario does. It reworks the Core region maps, expands the roster to more than 650 Pokemon and adds Mega Evolution and character outfits, while keeping the darker story about climate disasters and the mysterious V. If you already played the original, the remake is a good excuse to revisit it with Megas in your team.