List of recommended ROM hacks
List of recommended ROM hacks/en
This page lists ROM hacks that are recommended for the enhancement or improvement of several games. As this page only links to downloads of ROM hack patches and not unpatched or pre-patched ROMs, users must first have their ROM backup of the game to be patched saved to their computer. Once this is done, the file can be patched with the Floating IPS application if using Windows or Linux, or MultiPatch if using MacOS. To use Floating IPS, begin by launching the application and selecting Apply Patch. After selecting your matching IPS and ROM files, the application will apply the modifications to the ROM file and finish with a The file was successfully patched! message. The game can then be put into the folder of its respective console on the FunKey S. Note that while ROM hack patches are entirely legal and may be freely distributed (as they must be applied to the associated game's ROM file to serve their purpose), the distribution of pre-patched ROMs, as with regular unpatched ROMs, is considered to be piracy.
List criteria
For a ROM hack to be listed on this page, it must:
- Be applicable to a ROM supplied by the user, rather than a pre-patched ROM.
- Include one or more substantial improvements (not just additions) if listed in the improvement hacks section. As the definition of an improvement can often be subjective, ROM hacks listed in this section should generally only include quality of life improvements that do not alter core gameplay.
- Apply to all content within a game if listed in the desaturation hacks section.
- Include a complete and accurate English translation if listed in the translation hacks section.
- Modify the story and/or world of a game substantially if listed in the complete hacks section.
Reimplementation hacks
This section lists game patches that restore game functionality originally implemented via unemulated system or game add-on hardware. Games that require the patch to be fully-compatible with the FunKey S are highlighted in green. As the patches for Boktai 2 and Boktai 3 implement button combinations that interfere with FunKey S system shortcuts, they also require adapted controls to be fully-compatible. Should your backup of either of the first two Boktai games not be the retail North American versions, patch files for other variants of those games are available here. Should the WarioWare: Twisted! patch not function properly with your backup of the game, ensure that your game's CRC32 checksum value matches the one listed here. Lastly, while the patches for the Game Boy Color games below make the respective games believe they are being emulated on a Game Boy Advance to enable additional features, as they are still Game Boy Color games, they should be placed into the Game Boy Color folder of the FunKey S.
| Game | System | Description | Source | Patch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boktai: The Sun Is in Your Hand | GBA | Adds in-game replacement for the solar-sensor | Link | Download |
| Boktai 2: Solar Boy Django | Download | |||
| Boktai 3: Sabata's Counterattack | Download | |||
| Koro Koro Puzzle - Happy Panechu! | Adds in-game replacement for the accelerometer | Link | Download | |
| Mario & Wario | SNES | Remaps Super Famicom Mouse inputs to controller | Link | Download |
| Shantae | GBC | Sets game to GBA Mode to enable additional transformation and brighten color palette | Link | Download |
| The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Ages | Sets game to GBA Mode to enable Advance Shop and brighten color palette | Link | Download | |
| The Legend of Zelda: Oracle of Seasons | Link | Download | ||
| WarioWare: Twisted! | GBA | Adds in-game replacement for the accelerometer | Link | Download |
| Wendy: Every Witch Way | GBC | Sets game to GBA Mode to enable Advance World and brighten color palette | Link | Download |
| Yoshi Topsy-Turvy | GBA | Adds in-game replacement for the accelerometer | Link | Download |
Improvement hacks
This section lists game patches that modify a game to improve a certain aspect of it. For games with multiple patch variants, select the patch that you prefer, as they are otherwise equivalent. The following are notes for several of the games listed below:
- The Breath of Fire and Breath of Fire II improvement patches are compatible with the North American desaturation patches for those games listed below.
- As Faceball 2000 is incompatible with the default Game Boy emulator, the ROM hack for it is as well. Of the two variants of this hack, both run slower than normal in the third-party mGBA emulator, while the GDMA variant has moderate graphical glitches in the Gambatte emulator.
- The patches for Final Fantasy VI Advance are compatible with their regional counterpart desaturation patches listed below. As noted on the wiki's compatibility issue list, however, the North American version of the game cannot be saved via any method with the default Game Boy Advance emulator of the FunKey S. It is therefore recommended that either that version be played in one of the alternative third-party emulators or that the European version of the game be played instead.
- Should you wish to use more than one of the listed patches with The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX, apply them in the order listed.
| Game | System | Description | Source | Patch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Variant | ||||
| Breath of Fire | EU | GBA | Improved audio quality | Link | Download |
| JP | Download | ||||
| US | Download | ||||
| Breath of Fire II | EU | Link | Download | ||
| JP | Download | ||||
| US | Download | ||||
| Donkey Kong Land | GB | Full colorization Time Attack mode Additional options menu Reimplemented unused music |
Link | Download | |
| Dr. Mario | Full colorization | Link | Download | ||
| Faceball 2000 | No GDMA | Link | Download | ||
| GDMA | Full colorization Sped up 3D rendering |
Download | |||
| Final Fantasy IV Advance | EU | GBA | Improved audio quality | Link | Download |
| Final Fantasy V Advance | Improved audio quality Fewer frame drops |
Link | Download | ||
| EU (Orchestral introduction music implemented) | Download | ||||
| JP | Download | ||||
| US | Download | ||||
| Final Fantasy VI Advance | EU | Link | Download | ||
| EU (Opera music implemented) | Download | ||||
| JP | Download | ||||
| US | Download | ||||
| Kirby's Dream Land | More saturation | GB | Full colorization | Link | Download |
| Less saturation | Download | ||||
| Kirby's Pinball Land | Link | Download | |||
| Metroid | NES | SRAM saving Scrollable map on pause menu Ability to combine wave and ice beams |
Link | Download | |
| Metroid II: Return of Samus | GB | Full colorization | Link | Download | |
| Pokémon Blue | Reg. sprites and battle HUD | Link | Download | ||
| Johto sprites and battle HUD | Download | ||||
| Pokémon Gold | GBC | Enables RTC time adjustment via the Pokégear (UP to move time forward, DOWN to move time backward, and A to do either more quickly) | Link | Download | |
| Pokémon Red | Reg. sprites and battle HUD | GB | Full colorization | Link | Download |
| Johto sprites and battle HUD | Download | ||||
| Pokémon Yellow | Johto sprites | Link | Download | ||
| Super Mario Land | Full colorization Modernized graphics |
Link | Download | ||
| Super Mario Land 2 | JP | Full colorization Adds Luigi as an alternative playable character |
Link | Download | |
| US | Download | ||||
| Tetris | Rev. A | Modernized gameplay QOL improvements |
Link | Download | |
| The Legend of Zelda | NES | Modernized graphics Map fills in as it is explored |
Link | Download | |
| The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX | GBC | Less interrupting text No low-health beeping |
Link | Download | |
| Name stays the same after stealing from shop | Link | Download | |||
| Non-italic font | Link | Download | |||
Desaturation hacks
This section lists Game Boy Advance game patches that adjust color palettes to accommodate devices that display Game Boy Advance games in a backlit manner, such as the FunKey S. As initial Game Boy Advance games were developed with the original, non-backlit Game Boy Advance in mind, many of them had their colors oversaturated to improve visibility. With visibility not an issue for the backlit Game Boy Advance SP, game palettes were now brighter than intended, a difference particularly noticeable when comparing games ported from prior systems, such as Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2.
The following are notes for several of the games listed below:
- The Breath of Fire and Breath of Fire II desaturation patches are compatible with the North American improvement patches for those games listed above.
- For Final Fantasy VI Advance:
- An additional patch can be subsequently applied to change the color of the title screen lightning bolt from purple to yellow to match the game's SNES (rather than Super Famicom) color palette.
- As the IPS patch format is incompatible with games with file sizes above 16 megabytes, such as the European release of Final Fantasy VI Advance, the BPS patch format had to be used instead. Both Floating IPS and MultiPatch are compatible with this patch file format as well.
- Also note that the game's desaturation patches are compatible with their regional counterpart improvement patches listed above.
- As noted on the wiki's compatibility issue list, the North American version of the game cannot be saved via any method with the default Game Boy Advance emulator of the FunKey S. It is therefore recommended that either that version be played in one of the alternative third-party emulators or that the European version of the game be played instead.
- The desaturation patch for the North American version of Super Street Fighter II Turbo Revival was modified to include the changes made by a compatible bug fix patch. The Japanese version of the patch remains unmodified as the bug fix patch is not available for that version of the game.
| Game | Source | Patch | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blackthorne | EU | Link | Download |
| Breath of Fire | US | Link | Download |
| Breath of Fire II | Link | Download | |
| Castlevania: Harmony of Dissonance | Link | Download | |
| Donkey Kong Country | EU | Link | Download |
| Final Fantasy VI Advance | Link | Download | |
| JP | Download | ||
| US | Download | ||
| Mario Kart: Super Circuit | Link | Download | |
| Rock and Roll Racing | Link | Download | |
| Sega Smash Pack | Link | Download | |
| Super Mario Advance 4: Super Mario Bros. 3 | JP | Link | Download |
| US | Download | ||
| EU | Download | ||
| Super Mario World: Super Mario Advance 2 | US | Link | Download |
| EU | Download | ||
| Super Street Fighter II X - Revival | JP | Link | Download |
| US | Link Link |
Download | |
| The Lost Vikings | EU | Link | Download |
| Yoshi's Island: Super Mario Advance 3 | US | Link | Download |
| EU | Download | ||
Translation hacks
This section lists game patches that translate games without English translations into English for improved gameplay accessibility. As this section is only intended to include the most notable of translation patches, users searching for ones not listed here should check the romhacking.net translation index. As many games on this list are for the SNES, a column listing whether or not each patch is intended for use with a headered ROM has been included. Should your game backup have or not have a header when the opposite is required, this online patching tool can be used instead of Floating IPS or MultiPatch to both fix the header issue and apply the patch.
The following are notes for several of the games listed below:
- While Breath of Fire II is unusual in that its translation replaces an existing English translation, this is due to that translation having been below the standard of most Japanese to English game localizations.
- While an English translation of Donkey Kong Land III exists for the game's release on the Game Boy, the patch listed below translates the Japan-exclusive Game Boy Color version.
- Should you wish to add running functionality to Final Fantasy II, apply this patch after the translation patch.
- While Final Fantasy VI had an English translation in the form of Final Fantasy III, the patch listed below attempts to translate the game in a manner more faithful to its original Japanese script.
- Should you wish to add unit ordering functionality to Fire Emblem: Thracia 776, apply this patch after the translation patch.
- The translation patch for Streets of Rage 3 is compatible with the SRAM patch listed for the game below.
| Game | System | Header | Base language | Source | Patch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breath of Fire II | SNES | No | English | Link | Download | |
| Donkey Kong Land III | GBC | N/A | Japanese | Link | Download | |
| Dragon Quest V | SNES | Yes | Link | Download | ||
| Dragon Quest VI | Link | Download | ||||
| Famicom Wars | Rev 0B | NES | N/A | Link | Download | |
| Final Fantasy II | Link | Download | ||||
| Final Fantasy III | Link | Download | ||||
| Final Fantasy V | SNES | Yes | Link | Download | ||
| Final Fantasy VI | Link | Download | ||||
| Fire Emblem Gaiden | NES | N/A | Link | Download | ||
| Fire Emblem: Mystery of the Emblem | V1.0 | SNES | Yes | Link | Download | |
| V1.1 | Download | |||||
| Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon and the Blade of Light | NES | N/A | Link | Download | ||
| Fire Emblem: Thracia 776 | SNES | No | Link | Download | ||
| Mario's Super Picross | Link | Download | ||||
| Marvelous: Another Treasure Island | Link | Download | ||||
| Mega Man & Bass | Yes | Link | Download | |||
| Mega Man & Bass: Challenger from the Future | WS | N/A | Link | Download | ||
| Mega Man Battle Network WonderSwan | WSC | Link | Download | |||
| Mickey & Donald: Magical Quest 3 | SNES | No | Link | Download | ||
| Napoleon: Eagle of War | GBA | N/A | French | Link | Download | |
| Phoenix Wright: Trials and Tribulations | Japanese | Link | Download | |||
| Picross 2 | GB | Link | Download | |||
| Pokémon Picross | GBC | Link | Download | |||
| Pokémon Trading Card Game 2: Here Comes Team GR! | Link | Download | ||||
| Shin Megami Tensei | SNES | No | Link | Download | ||
| Shin Megami Tensei II | Link | Download | ||||
| Shin Megami Tensei if... | Link | Download | ||||
| Star Wars | NES | N/A | Link | Download | ||
| Streets of Rage 3 (Bare Knuckle III) | Genesis | Link | Download | |||
| Super Famicom Wars | SNES | No | Link | Download | ||
| Tales of Phantasia | Lowercase Text | Yes | Link | Download | ||
| Uppercase Text | Download | |||||
| Trials of Mana | Link | Download | ||||
SRAM hacks
This section lists game patches that implement in-game saving into games without the feature to allow for the transfer of save data from the FunKey S to a wider variety of third-party emulators. Due to the patched-in nature of these in-game save implementations, however, methods of saving and loading, as listed below, are often unconventional, and may have varying compatibility between emulators. To avoid overwriting save data in case pre-existing save data is accidentally not loaded by the user, several of the autosave implementations do not begin to save gameplay progress until a game's second level. Games highlighted in yellow use SRAM to save high scores, rather than gameplay progress, while games highlighted in orange are for the Master System, whose emulation on the FunKey S currently does not support battery-based saving.
The following are notes for several of the games listed below:
- The SRAM patch for Metroid also includes several quality of life improvements, as listed above.
- The SRAM patch for Streets of Rage 3 is compatible with the translation patch listed for the game above.
- The SRAM patch for Tetris is incompatible with the Tetris improvement patch listed above.
| Game | System | Save instructions | Load instructions | Source | Patch | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alien 3 | Genesis | Finish level | Press A, B, Y, and Start in sequence while the game is paused | Link | Download | |
| Batman: Revenge of the Joker | Select New Game after pressing Up at the Main Menu | Link | Download | |||
| Batman Returns | Press Start + Right while Options is highlighted at the Main Menu, then press Start to load game | Link | Download | |||
| Beavis and Butt-Head | Lose a life | Start game after pressing Right with Music highlighted | Link | Download | ||
| Bram Stoker's Dracula | Finish level | Unpause after pausing and pressing Up in-game | Link | Download | ||
| Bubba 'N' Stix | Press Start in the Load menu (formerly the password menu) | Link | Download | |||
| Castlevania II: Simon's Quest | US | NES | Select SAVE on the Game Over screen | Select LOAD at the Main Menu | Link | Download |
| EU | Download | |||||
| Clu Clu Land D | Automatic; adapted to not use the Famicom Disk System | Link | Download | |||
| Columns | Genesis | Automatic | Link | Download | ||
| Comix Zone | Finish level | After selecting Load and pressing A in the Options menu, return to the Main Menu and start game | Link | Download | ||
| Contra: Hard Corps | Select Continue | After pressing Up in the Options menu, return to the Main Menu and start game | Link | Download | ||
| Desert Strike: Return to the Gulf | Start level | Press Start in the Options menu | Link | Download | ||
| Devil World | NES | Automatic | Link | Download | ||
| Dick Tracy | Genesis | Lose a life | Exit the Options menu after pressing Up | Link | Download | |
| Donald in Maui Mallard | Finish level | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | ||
| Donkey Kong | NES | Automatic | Link | Download | ||
| Donkey Kong: Original Edition | Download | |||||
| Donkey Kong Jr. | Download | |||||
| Donkey Kong 3 | Download | |||||
| Double Dragon 3: The Arcade Game | Genesis | Finish level | After highlighting Load and pressing Right in the Options menu, return to the Main Menu and start game | Link | Download | |
| Ecco the Dolphin | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | |||
| Excitebike | NES | One save slot for custom tracks | Link | Download | ||
| F-1 Sensation | Re-enables unused battery save feature | Link | Download | |||
| Garfield: Caught in the Act | Genesis | After Game Over | Set Music to 15 in the Options menu and press A on the subsequent password menu | Link | Download | |
| Gargoyles | Finish level | Exit the Game Options menu after setting Sound Test to 010 | Link | Download | ||
| Gauntlet IV | Upon returning to main hub | Go to the Options menu of Quest Mode, press Right twice with Language highlighted, and press Start + A after selecting Continue | Link | Download | ||
| Golvellius: Valley of Doom | Master System | Enter a "Password House | Select LAST GAME CONTINUE at the Main Menu | Link | Download | |
| Guardian Legend | NES | Press A in Blue Lander room without sub-weapon selected | Press A to select END in the password menu | Link | Download | |
| Hoshi Wo Miru Hito | Three save slots | Link | Download | |||
| Ice Climber | Automatic | Link | Download | |||
| Jewel Master | Genesis | Finish level | After pressing Up in the Options menu, return to the Main Menu and start game | Link | Download | |
| Jungle Strike | Start level | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | ||
| Kid Chameleon | Finish level | Pause and restart level (no life penalty incurred) | Link | Download | ||
| Kung Fu | EU | NES | Automatic | Link | Download | |
| M.U.S.H.A. | Genesis | Finish level | After pressing Up in the Options menu, return to the Main Menu and start game | Link | Download | |
| Majou Densetsu II: Daimashikyou Galious | NES | Receive password from Goddess | Select Continue at the Main Menu | Link | Download | |
| Mario Bros. | US | Automatic | Link | Download | ||
| EU | Download | |||||
| Mega Bomberman | Genesis | Defeat boss | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | |
| Metroid | NES | Three save slots | Link | Download | ||
| Ninja Gaiden | Finish level | Press Select at the Main Menu | Link | Download | ||
| Popeye | JP | Automatic | Link | Download | ||
| Road Rash | Genesis | Finish level | Press Start + A at the Main Menu | Link | Download | |
| Road Rash 2 | Select Set Password in the Game Options menu and press any button | Link | Download | |||
| RoboCop versus The Terminator | After pressing Up in the Options menu, return to the Main Menu and start game | Link | Download | |||
| Rocket Knight Adventures | Lose a life | Link | Download | |||
| Rolling Thunder 3 | Finish round | Enter AAAAA in the password menu | Link | Download | ||
| Shinobi III | Finish level | Unpause after pausing and pressing A on Stage 1 | Link | Download | ||
| Spellcaster | Master System | Use the Passwords spell | Select Continue at the Main Menu | Link | Download | |
| Splatterhouse 3 | Genesis | Finish level | Press A six times in the password menu | Link | Download | |
| Street Fighter II': Special Champion Edition | Automatic | Link | Download | |||
| Streets of Rage | Link | Download | ||||
| Streets of Rage 2 | Link | Download | ||||
| Streets of Rage 3 (Bare Knuckle III) | Link | Download | ||||
| Super Street Fighter II | Link | Download | ||||
| Tetris | Rev. A | GB | Automatic; use of specific SAV file required | Link | Download | |
| The Goonies II | NES | Press Select on the Continue screen | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | |
| The Revenge of Shinobi | Genesis | Lose a life | Start game after setting shuriken count to 90 in the Options menu | Link | Download | |
| Tiny Toon Adventures: Buster's Hidden Treasure | Start level | Exit the Options menu after pressing Up | Link | Download | ||
| Track & Field | US | NES | Automatic | Link | Download | |
| EU | Download | |||||
| Urban Strike | Genesis | Start level | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | |
| Vectorman | Lose a life | Press Right while Restore Game is highlighted in the Options menu | Link | Download | ||
| Willow | NES | Press Select + A + B; KEY file required | Select Continue at the Main Menu | Link | Download | |
| Wonder Boy III: The Dragon's Trap | Master System | Enter a Password House | Link | Download | ||
| Wonder Boy in Monster World | Link | Download | ||||
| X-Men | Genesis | Start level | Crouch and jump while standing on black panels of character select screen | Link | Download | |
| X-Men 2: Clone Wars | Left + A while game is paused (also used for character selection) | Right + A while game is paused | Link | Download | ||
| Xexyz | NES | Press Select on the Game Over screen | Press Start in the password menu | Link | Download | |
| Zombies Ate My Neighbors | Genesis | When going from one numbered level to the next | Link | Download | ||
Complete hacks
This section lists game patches that modify a game to an extent that essentially turns it into an entirely new game.
| New game | Base ROM | System | Description | Patch |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pokémon Bronze | Pokémon Gold | GB | - New region and story | Link |
| Pokémon Bronze 2 | Pokémon Crystal | GBC | - New regions and story | Link |
| Pokémon Brown | Pokémon Red | GB | - New region and story - New types - Implementation of evolved Pokémon forms from later generations |
Link |
| Pokémon Gaia | Pokémon FireRed | GBA | - New region and story - Implementation of Pokémon from later generations |
Link |
| Pokémon Glazed | Pokémon Emerald | - New regions and story - Implementation of Pokémon from later generations |
Link | |
| Pokémon Grape | Pokémon Red | GB | - New regions and story - New types - Several Fakemon - Implementation of Pokémon from later generations |
Link |
| Pokémon Sors | Pokémon FireRed | GBA | - New region and story - Implementation of Pokémon from later generations |
Link |
| Pokémon Unbound | Link |
