Pokemon Hodgepodge Platoon (GBA) - A Battle Factory Style Mini-Hack
Game Information
Table Of Contents
About This ROM Hack
Pokémon Hodgepodge Platoon is not a traditional story-driven Pokémon adventure. Instead, it is a tightly designed battle facility experience built around decision-making, adaptation, and mastery of complex mechanics.
The hack refines Pokémon Emerald’s Battle Factory rental-and-swap ruleset into a fully fleshed-out standalone experience. All Pokémon, moves, abilities, and items are meticulously curated, rebalanced, and documented in-game, allowing players to engage deeply with mechanics without relying on external resources.
This is a game about learning systems, not grinding levels—the difficulty never scales, but the player’s understanding does.
Story Overview
While Pokémon Hodgepodge Platoon is primarily mechanics-focused, it includes a light narrative throughline. The player takes on the role of Tawila, completing the facility’s expansive Pokédex while gradually forming a camaraderie with Lanette, the owner and overseer of the battle facility.
The story unfolds subtly through Pokédex entries, dialogue, and progression milestones rather than traditional plot beats. Lore is present for every Pokémon thanks to extended Pokédex text limits, rewarding curious and attentive players.
Key Features
- Battle Factory Redefined: A refined rental-and-swap battle system inspired by Emerald’s Battle Factory, emphasizing planning, adaptability, and informed decision-making.
- Fakemon-Centric Roster: Over 80 usable Fakemon from more than 20 different artists, with an additional 60+ Fakemon unlockable exclusively through the Pokédex.
- Cross-Generation Mechanics: Moves, abilities, and items from every Pokémon generation, alongside entirely new mechanics crafted specifically for this hack.
- Enhanced Battle AI: Smarter opponent behavior that reacts meaningfully to player choices instead of relying on raw stat advantages.
- Fully In-Game Documentation: Extended descriptions for moves, abilities, items, and Pokémon, eliminating the need for external documentation.
- Expanded Pokédex Lore: Extended text limits allow for in-depth lore entries for every Pokémon.
- Dynamic Damage Preview: Press L during move selection to view dynamically updating power and accuracy values.
- Normal: Retains 1.5× STAB despite global STAB reduction
- Flying: No longer resists Grass
- Grass: No longer resisted by Steel or Flying
- Water: Resisted by Ice
- Steel: Takes neutral damage from Grass, Psychic, and Ice; immune to hazards
- Psychic: No longer resisted by Steel; immune to Hypnosis
- Bug: No longer resisted by Fairy; ignores Protect, Substitute, Screens, Safeguard, Mist, and Lucky Chant
- Dragon: Resisted by Fairy instead of being immune; immune to Intimidate and Disturb
- Ice: Resists Water; no longer resisted by Steel; Defense boosted during Hail
- Fairy: No longer immune to Dragon, only resists it; no longer resists Bug
- Frostbite: Functions as in Pokémon Legends: Arceus
- Freeze: Lasts 2–3 turns, halves Defense, broken by physical or Fire-type moves
- Sleep: Lasts 2–3 turns; any hit is always a critical hit and wakes the Pokémon
- Rest: Uses the original Sleep status exclusively
- Palpitations (Ability): Granted by the move Heart Attack; deals damage based on stat boosts
- Mist: Prevents stat drops and secondary effects
- Lucky Chant: Prevents critical hits and weakens super-effective damage
- Safeguard: Prevents major and minor status conditions, including Taunt
Tips & Tricks:
Success in Pokémon Hodgepodge Platoon relies on knowledge over brute force.
- Read everything: move effects, abilities, and item descriptions are often modified.
- Build teams with synergy—avoid overlapping weaknesses, conflicting status strategies, or redundant roles.
- Risk can be a weapon; when cornered, bold strategies may be your best option.
- STAB and super-effective damage are intentionally de-emphasized—buffs, field control, and status matter more.
- Switching is often safe; the AI rarely predicts swaps unless forced.
- Every Pokémon uses a single universal set—mastery comes from memory and experience, not grinding.
Known Bugs & Issues
- All natures are meant to be Quirky but sometimes others will appear, however all natures have been changes to be neutral.
- Shinies may appear but are a bit finicky.
- MyBoy will make the game crash after selecting your initial 3 Pokemon.
- Squares in the bag pocket may disappear.
- The Bag Sort Function does not work.
- Versions 1.4 and up are not compatively with saves from 1.3 and below.
- Sometimes the Pokedex will have an extra slot at the end that will crash the game if clicked on.
Screenshots
Download Links
Developer Information
Developer / Team: Chairry, Livra, Sadfish
Credits:
- Chairry, Livra & Sadfish - Project Leads
- Livra, Ogwon, SharkGuy, Yondi/FBI, Bepis, Lichen, Dahlia, EeVeeEe, Ty_Sprites, Dillsacke, BigBoiPablo, Enwaitea, Val, PurrfectDoodle, Plasto, Memelord, DahViper, GaboSwampert, BonzosBunker, Celadonk, Clove, Cuprite, Savannah, TardySoap - Art and Sprite Design
- Sadfish, Ghoulslash, Wiz1989, Shuckle Lord Mixone, SparkleButt/mcnomnom, BSBob, Mudskipper13 - Coding
- Chairry - Map Design and Scripting
- TrainerX493 - Extensive Tester
- Pret, RHH, and Pokemon Emerald Expansion - Decompilation & Code Base
Source & References
Community Link: https://pebblerplatoon.miraheze.org/wiki/Hodgepodge_Platoon
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who is this hack for?
A: Players who enjoy deep mechanics, competitive thinking, and learning complex systems rather than story-heavy adventures.
Q: Is this a full Pokémon adventure with gyms and a league?
A: No. The game is entirely focused on a Battle Factory–style facility.
Q: Are Fakemon mandatory to use?
A: Yes. Fakemon are a core part of the experience.
Q: Does difficulty scale over time?
A: No. The facility remains static, while the player improves instead.
Q: Do I need external documentation?
A: No. All relevant information is available in-game.
Q: Is this intended to be a “modern Emerald”?
A: No. It is a standalone competitive experience built on Emerald’s engine.
Q: Can luck decide battles?
A: Yes—but smart players can also weaponize it.
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