Pokemon Crystal Advance Redux GBA ROM – Detailed Hack Overview
Game Information
Hack Name: Pokemon Crystal Advance Redux
Original Game (ROM Base): Pokémon FireRed v1.0
Hack Status: Ongoing / Actively Updated, 2025.11 version
Language: English
Release Type: Fan-made ROM Hack
Related Content: Pokémon Liquid Crystal, Pokémon Crystal Advance
Table Of Contents
About This ROM Hack
Pokémon Crystal Advance Redux is a continuation and enhancement of Pokémon Crystal Advance, itself derived from the legendary Pokémon Liquid Crystal project. Built as a binary hack of Pokémon FireRed, this version modernizes the Johto and Kanto experience while preserving the visual identity and feel of a faithful GBA-era Pokémon game.
Rather than being a strict remake of Pokémon Crystal, Crystal Advance Redux acts as a HGSS-style demake, combining Generation II content with mechanics, Pokémon, and quality-of-life features from later generations. The game is fully playable from start to finish and is under active development, with frequent updates distributed via Discord.
Story Overview
The core narrative follows Pokémon Crystal closely. You begin your journey in Johto, challenge Gyms, confront Team Rocket, explore Kanto after becoming Champion, and ultimately face Red at Mt. Silver.
While most story beats remain familiar, Crystal Advance Redux introduces new areas, altered placements, callbacks to Pokémon Liquid Crystal, and mechanical changes that refresh progression without compromising the spirit of Generation II.
Key Features
- Complete Playable Experience: The game is fully playable from start to finish, including the Red battle, with additional features still being expanded.
- Extensive Character Selection: Choose from nine playable protagonists, including male and female characters from Generations 1–4, plus Ash Ketchum.
- Real Hardware Compatibility: Regularly tested on original GBA hardware to ensure authentic performance.
- Day, Night & Seasonal System: Time of day and real-world month affect lighting, visuals, and environments, including a fully implemented night lighting system.
- High-Quality Battle Arenas: Unique and dynamic battle backgrounds, including special legendary encounter arenas and time-based outdoor backgrounds.
- Battle Speed Improvements: Faster dialogue, reduced delays, and removed scroll-in animations for smoother battles, even on real hardware.
- Expanded Type Chart: Fairy-type is fully implemented, including Fairy moves, Sylveon, and a dual Normal/Fairy Goldenrod Gym.
- Massive Pokémon Roster: 553 Pokémon visible in the Pokédex, including Pokémon from Generations 1–4, regional variants, and newer evolutions.
- Enhanced Movesets: Pokémon learn improved and creative movesets inspired by later games and Drayano-style balancing.
- Improved Item Availability: Evolution items, PP items, Vitamins, and Poké Balls are more accessible; EXP All (Gen 6 style) is a toggleable key item.
- Reworked Stat EXP System: EVs function like Gen 1/2 Stat EXP, allowing max investment in all stats.
- Restored & New Areas: Locations from Pokémon Liquid Crystal return, with additional new areas planned (Orange Islands removed).
- Updated TMs & Tutors: New TMs such as Play Rough, Drain Punch, and Dive, plus Gym-based tutor moves.
- Modern Items Added: Portable PC, Nature Mints, Ability Pills, IV/EV maxing items, HM-less travel items, and more.
- Higher Difficulty Curve: Stronger trainers, expanded teams, rebalanced Kanto, and higher level scaling throughout the game.
- Double Battle Focus: Many trainers now use double battles, including all Gym Leaders.
- Evolution Method Changes: Trade evolutions now occur via held items; Eevee evolves exclusively via stones.
- Enhanced Audio: Pokémon cries recreated from Pokémon Stadium 2 and later-generation sources with higher-quality samples.
- Increased Shiny Odds: Shiny rate boosted to 1/256, with a special Shiny encounter machine in Celadon Game Corner.
- Fully Implemented Dive: Dive is completely scripted and functional without external ASM injection.
- Fully Functional GB Player: Remastered GB audio tracks with near-complete coverage across the soundtrack.
- Following Pokémon System: Every Pokémon can follow the player with custom animated overworld sprites and interactions.
- Bedroom Decoration System: Fully recreated Gen 2 bedroom customization with unlockable decorations.
- Hidden Grottos: Gen 5-style Hidden Grottos implemented.
- Optional Challenge Settings: Level caps, soft Nuzlocke rules, and a no-EXP mode for added difficulty.
Known Bugs & Issues
- Some features are still work-in-progress
- Night lighting may cause unavoidable flickering during map transitions
- Surfboard positioning issues with large follower Pokémon
- Nicknaming Pokémon while Surfing or Underwater may not work correctly
- Visual glitch when evolving multiple stone-evolution Pokémon consecutively (fixed as of 4/10/25)
Screenshots
Download Links
Download: Mediafire
Developer Information
Developer / Team: Arnie
Credits:
- Linkandzelda's_mum – Thinking of the name Liquid Crystal and for supporting the project.
- foullump – For helping me start to script.
- zel – For helping me script and letting me use his hero back sprites from the old SG. World map tiles, frontier brains music & various sprites.
- thethethethe – General help with problems.
- JVG – Fixing the title screen fantasticly. (even though we have a new one for the next release.)
- shadowboy166 – Fixing the male, female sprites in oak intro. (We have new ones now though.)
- Ssyn, kid nino, megiddo and Black Charizard, Wataru-Kun, .com – Beta testing.
- Keyrin – Battle Sprites.
- Marnaic – OW Boy Sprite.
- Spriters resource – Some More Tiles.
- CloneX- Music.
- Bombah!/Ryu – Some OW Sprites.
- AmineX – Doing some remixes for me.
- megiddo – Help with music remixing and looping some music.
- gridiron – Bag.
- PHO/Alistair – Lighthouse Tile and other tiles.
- Magnius: Using some of his excellent remixes and beta testing.
- ~Teh Panda~: Some maps for the Orange Islands.
- Hackmew: For making excellent tools and helping, overcoming some limits and help with general situations.
- Pokepal17: outdoor gym building, general help and solutions, Inserting the new worldmap and tiles, some johto remaps. Cheers dude .
- Sergio: Orange islands first gym leader sprite.
- Lucifer the king of hell: Sprites.
- Dirk123: For his amazing Walthrough and locations FAQ.
- Mitchel1: Mapping out an awesome Goldenrod map.
- Ray Maverick – Mapping some excellent Johto remakes.
- Plat – Some excellent map remakes!!
- ZodiacDaGreat/Kawai & Interpdth – RTC + Day/night system for FireRed.
- Blues003 – Pokemon lineups for Gym Leader rematches, Zane and Axel.
- JorgeZero – Testing, music and battle backgrounds.
- Darthron – Animated titlescreen.
- Jambo51 – Responsible for pretty much all of the newest and greatest additions to LC 3.1.
- ShinyDragonHunter – Beta testing.
- Horus/Seth – Beta testing and support.
- Magnius – Latest orange islands original mixes & beta testing.
- Diegoisawesome – general support, asm fixes and additions.
- Algratue – A lot of the music included in beta 3.1 & OW sprites.
Source & References
Official Thread / Website: pokecommunity
Community Link: https://discord.com/invite/MGrwDmuc52
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Is this a faithful remake of Pokémon Crystal?A: Mostly, but not entirely. While most events are 1:1, the game includes new areas, mechanics, and modern features.
Q: Is the game fully playable?
A: Yes. You can complete the entire story, including Kanto and Red.
Q: How many Pokémon are available?
A: 553 Pokémon are visible in the Pokédex, with additional forms obtainable.
Q: Can I play this on real GBA hardware?
A: Yes. The game is actively tested on real GBA systems.
Q: Are trade evolutions removed?
A: Yes. Trade evolutions now occur via held items and leveling up.
Q: How often is the game updated?
A: Very frequently. Updates are posted directly to the Discord server.
How to Play
Requirements-
A Game Boy Advance emulator
- Pokémon FireRed v1.0 ROM
- Patch file from the Discord server
-
Obtain a clean Pokémon FireRed v1.0 ROM
- Download the latest patch from Discord
- Apply the patch using recommended tools
- Load the game in a GBA emulator or on real hardware
- Start a new save file
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