Pokemon Thief Sapphire GBA ROM – Detailed Hack Overview
Game Information
Table Of Contents
About This ROM Hack
Thief Ruby/Sapphire is a unique and challenge‑oriented ROM hack of Pokémon Ruby and Sapphire created by ShantyTown. Instead of capturing wild Pokémon, the core mechanic of this hack revolves around stealing Pokémon from trainers using modified Poké Balls. This twist transforms the familiar Hoenn adventure into a stealth‑like challenge where trainers’ teams are your only source of new Pokémon, and your own Pokémon will never gain experience, forcing players to rely on clever captures and strategy.
Story Overview
Key Features
- Thief Balls: Standard Poké Balls, Great Balls, and Ultra Balls are renamed to Thief Balls, Robber Balls, and Burglar Balls — these are used to capture trainers’ Pokémon instead of wild ones.
- Capture Trainers’ Pokémon: Instead of catching wild Pokémon, you can use your special balls to steal Pokémon from opposing trainers in battle (excluding Double Battles).
- No Wild Pokémon Capture: Wild Pokémon cannot be caught at all; their HP and battle mechanics function normally, but you have no access to them as party members.
- No Experience Gain: Your Pokémon do not gain experience points, meaning they will never level up — progression depends entirely on the strength of stolen Pokémon.
- Strategic Challenge: Because stolen Pokémon count as if traded to your party, they may disobey if they are above certain level thresholds early in the game, adding to the challenge.
Known Bugs & Issues
- Trainer Pokémon Obedience: Stolen Pokémon may not obey early badges due to trade status behavior, making early game progression tricky.
- Difficulty Imbalance: The game starts very difficult and may plateau later as stolen Pokémon grow more powerful.
- Limited Mechanic Scope: Core mechanics like wild Pokémon capture and Pokémon experience gain are disabled by design, which can feel repetitive over the full playthrough.
Screenshots
Download Links
Download: MediafireDeveloper Information
Developer / Team: ShantyTown
Source & References
Official Thread / Website: https://www.pokecommunity.com/showthread.php?t=411370
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is the main twist in Thief Ruby/Sapphire?
A: You steal Pokémon from opposing trainers using Thief‑type balls instead of catching wild Pokémon.
Q: Can I capture wild Pokémon in this hack?
A: No — wild Pokémon cannot be captured at all. All party members must be obtained from trainer theft.
Q: Do stolen Pokémon gain experience?
A: No — Pokémon in your party never gain experience in this hack.
Q: Can I steal in Double Battles?
A: No — the hack disables theft during Double Battles for balance.
Q: Are Thief Balls different?
A: Yes — Poké Balls, Great Balls, and Ultra Balls are renamed Thief Balls, Robber Balls, and Burglar Balls to reflect the theft system.
Q: Do stolen Pokémon obey me?
A: Since stolen Pokémon count as traded for obedience rules, they may disobey if their level exceeds what your badges allow early on.
Q: Is the Hoenn story changed?
A: No — the core storyline and maps from Pokémon Ruby/Sapphire remain the same.
How to Play
Requirements
- A Game Boy Advance emulator
- A compatible ROM base
- Patch file (IPS / UPS / BPS)
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