The Ultimate Guide to Playing Pokemon Sacred Gold on Android
For passionate Pokemon fans, playing full fan-made ROM hacks on mobile is a dream come true. And Sacred Gold and Storm Silver for Generation IV are among the most expansive and exciting hacks out there. With tons of new content and features, these upgraded versions of HeartGold and SoulSilver push the DS Pokemon experience to its limits!
In this comprehensive guide, I‘ll cover everything you need to know to get Pokemon Sacred Gold running smoothly on your Android device so you can embark on your epic adventure.
An Introduction to Sacred Gold and Storm Silver
Created by modder Drayano, Sacred Gold and Storm Silver are considered among the best ROM hacks ever made by the Pokemon community. They add a mountain of new features on top of the already jam-packed base of HeartGold and SoulSIlver:
- Over 560 Pokemon can be obtained in order to finish the Pokedex!
- The level curve has been significantly increased, boosting all trainers and wild Pokemon.
- Gym leaders, your rival, and other bosses get powerful new teams that put up an exciting challenge.
- New events, areas, story elements, music tracks, items, moves, abilities and more await to be discovered!
It may sound daunting, but hundreds of quality-of-life tweaks make the experience smoother. With the Physical/Special split, reusable TMs, toggleable Running Shoes, guaranteed female starters, and following Pokemon activated from the beginning, you‘re in for a treat!
Emulator and ROM File Setup
To play Sacred Gold and Storm Silver (or really any Nintendo DS game) on your Android phone or tablet, you need two critical pieces of software:
The Emulator Application
An emulator is an app that mimics the hardware of a gaming system – in this case the Nintendo DS portable. It basically tricks games into thinking they are running on original DS hardware, allowing you to play them on Android!
The best Nintendo DS emulator for Android is DraStic DS Emulator. Developed specifically for mobile, it has top notch performance, control customization, and bonus features like save states. The downloadable version costs $4.99, but is well worth it!
Other options like MelonDS and DeSmuME may have issues running a massive hack ROM like Sacred Gold. I definitely recommend DraStic for the smoothest experience.
DraStic DS Emulator on Android
The ROM File
You also need the actual game data – this is contained in ROM files, either the unmodified originals ripped from DS Game Cards, or custom hacked versions modified by fans.
You will need to find a Pokemon Sacred Gold ROM file specifically online from a rom site (can‘t link directly due to legal reasons unfortunately!) This will contain all game assets and programming changes made by Drayano needed to experience his awesome difficulty improvements and new content!
Once you download the Sacred Gold ROM file in .nds format to your device storage, you simply load it up on DraStic to start playing the hack on mobile!
Playing Tips For Sacred Gold and Storm Silver
Now that you have the emulator and ROM file ready, it‘s time to jump into the exciting challenge of Sacred Gold and Storm Silver! Here are some tips to help you on your journey:
Choose Your Starter Carefully
With the Phys/Special split balancing types better and the extra challenge, your starter choice now matters more than ever! Chikorita gets boosted Defense to tank hits. Cyndaquil gets fiery Special Attack letting it blast water-types. And Totodile turns into a physical biting beast. Plan team synergy from the start!
Expect Intense Early Game Battles
The level curve ramps up much quicker – Gym Leaders can have Pokemon up to the mid 30s, Rocket Executives use 6 ‘mon teams 10 levels higher than you! Play smart with status effects, X items to buff stats, and proper type defenses. Grind levels to stay ahead.
Catch For the Upgraded Regional Dex
Now over 560 species can be caught throughout Johto and Kanto in order to fill the Pokedex! Catch all you can early on for flexibility in battles. And snag the National Dex before Kanto to catch once version exclusives from all games! With dynamic leveling, aims for 120-125 to be comfortable.
New Abilities, Items, Moves, and More
Make use of Drayano‘s programming wizardry that ports later gen features to HGSS! Wisely utilize powerful new abilities like Sheer Force and Contrary. New held items like the Eviolite greatly improve weaker ‘mon. And over 60 new Tutor moves from Gen 5 shake up battles!
Postgame and Extras Galore
I‘ve barely scratched the surface of all that Sacred Gold and Storm Silver add to these legendary Gen 4 remakes. Expect new cave systems, interesting story tweaks, Gym Leader rematches, off-continent islands, legendary encounters, and events aplenty!
With dozens of hours of content beyond even the original HGSS, it may feel endless conquering all this hack has to offer. But take your time, train your teams wisely, and relish finally playing this masterful mod on mobile with DraStic! Good luck and have fun on your Pokemon adventure!
