Pokémon DiamondDust (GBA) – Sinnoh Premake Project [ARCHIVED / ABANDONED]
This project has not been updated since 2009 and is no longer in active development. This page exists to record the concept, goals, and development history of Pokémon DiamondDust rather than to recommend it as a playable ROM hack.
Game Information
Table Of Contents
About This ROM Hack
Pokémon DiamondDust is a fan-made ROM hack of Pokémon Ruby that aimed to recreate the Pokémon Diamond & Pearl experience on the Game Boy Advance. Originally started on FireRed using a ROM base, the project was later restarted from scratch on Ruby without a base.
The hack was developed during a time when tooling was limited, and much of the work relied on manual mapping, scripting, and tile insertion. As such, DiamondDust represents an early-stage Sinnoh premake concept rather than a complete or playable game.
Story Overview
The story follows the opening events of Pokémon Diamond, adapted for the GBA engine.
You begin in Twinleaf Town in the Sinnoh region, watching a news report about the sighting of a red Gyarados. After speaking with your mother, you learn your best friend has been looking for you and head out to find him. Despite warnings to avoid tall grass, the two of you venture toward Lake Verity, where events quickly spiral out of control as you are attacked by wild Pokémon without having one of your own.
The narrative closely mirrors the early moments of Diamond & Pearl, serving as a foundation for a full Sinnoh remake that was never completed.
Key Features
- Sinnoh storyline adapted to the GBA engine
- Premake of Pokémon Diamond using Pokémon Ruby as a base
- Planned use of Diamond/Pearl and Platinum tilesets
- New events intended as easter eggs and optional discoveries
- Manual mapping and scripting are typical of pre-decomp hacks
Known Bugs & Issues
- Hack is in very early development
- Core gameplay systems incomplete
- There is barely any game content
Screenshots
Download Links
Developer Information
Developer / Team: .com
Credits:
- .com – Creator, Main Mapper, Tiler, Basic Scripting, Some Spriting, Banners
- Surf – Main Scripter
- NTA – Sprite Indexing / Inserting
- Kat (demonparia) – Tester, Part-Time Scripter, Ideas
- Faint Brushfire – Mapper, Basic Scripting
- Weeble – Alpha & Beta Tester
- KOMARU – Alpha Tester
- Ian758 – Beta Tester
- Mages4ever – Beta Tester
- pokemon luver – Beta Tester
- goz – Beta Tester
- PokemonCrazy – Beta Tester
- Sailor Venus – Beta Tester
- Step.One.Step.Closer.To.Me – Beta Tester
- sasuke1498 – Beta Tester
- @13x – Beta Tester
- bobthebutler – Beta Tester
Source & References
Official Thread / Website: pokecommunity
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is Pokémon DiamondDust?
A: Pokémon DiamondDust is an abandoned fan-made ROM hack of Pokémon Ruby that aimed to recreate Pokémon Diamond & Pearl (Sinnoh) on the Game Boy Advance. It was developed in the late 2000s as a premake project.
Q: Can I download and play Pokémon DiamondDust?
A: Yes, but the content is very limited.
Q: Why is this hack being archived?
A: The hack is preserved to document early Pokémon ROM hacking efforts, particularly attempts to recreate Sinnoh on the GBA before modern tools and decomp-based engines existed.
Q: How accurate is the information presented here?
A: All information reflects the project’s state during development and is based on the creator’s original documentation and forum posts from the time.
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