"Travel back to the world of Johto as the Gold & Silver series continues with brand-new features! Whether you're reading the fresh descriptions in your Pokédex, using the unique sort function to organize your Pokémon in new ways, watching the all-new battle animations, or discovering another way to capture Suicune, you'll need all your Poké-skills to master Pokémon Crystal on your Game Boy Color!" - Game Freak
In this special "251 Version," You'll be able to complete your Pokédex without the need to connect with other games via the game-link cable (though you totally still can). Most of the game is left as "vanilla" as possible to remain as faithful to the original release as you remember it, though some text has been modified to no longer reference "real world" locations. However, this edition does not change difficulty, sprite-work, music, evolution methods, trainer parties, running speed, rebalance moves, modify typing or introduce anything new which might "modernize" or "fix problems" with the original release!
- The mysterious GS Ball has been properly restored.
- Wild Pokémon which were once exclusive to Gold & Silver can now be found in their corresponding areas.
- Wild Pokémon which were once exclusive to Red & Blue have been worked into their appropriate areas in Kanto.
- All Legendary Pokémon from generation 1 have a static encounter.
- HO-OH and LUGIA both have their signature attacks from Gold and Silver.
- Four special "event" Pokémon have been added to replicate the special Pokémon originally obtained via Pokémon Stadium 1 and 2.
- In-game trades have been modified to offer various rare Pokémon.
Several areas have been developed, based on beta or cut content, to provide additional locations for wild rare Pokémon and new static encounters.- All Room Decorations, Mystery Gift and Time Capsule items are now available in-game.
- Talking to NPCs will help reveal clues or nudge players to added or changed content - talk to everyone!
The ROM-hack file in the download section cannot be played by itself! It must be applied to an original, legit copy of this exact .gba rom: Pokemon - Crystal Version (USA, Europe) (Rev 1) - I cannot tell you where or how to find that exact titled rom (it must be "Rev 1," and cannot be in any other language, etc.), but if you have a rom like this, check it using this link https://www.romhacking.net/hash, and compare the information it gives you to this info, here:
Database match: Pokemon - Crystal Version (USA, Europe) (Rev 1)
Database: No-Intro: Game Boy/Color (v. 20210227-015730)
File/ROM SHA-1: F2F52230B536214EF7C9924F483392993E226CFB
File/ROM CRC32: 3358E30A
If the information matches, then you can make the Crystal 251 ROM:
- Unzip the .zip file to get to the .ips file.
- Put the Pokémon Crystal 251.ips file and your copy of the Pokémon Crystal .gba in a folder.
- Apply the patch (.ips file) to the game (.gba file) using only ONE of these two options:
- Online Patcher: https://www.romhacking.net/patch/
- Offline Patcher: https://www.romhacking.net/utilities/240
The file created by the patcher is the full Pokémon Crystal 251 patched game, and can now be played on your favorite GBC emulator or flashed to a cart! To be sure that the patch is applied correctly, look for a patch of flowers outside Prof. Elm's laboratory. Your exact current version number can be checked on one of the computers in Game Freak's offices in Celadon City.
- 2.3: Kanto badges added to Trainer ID Card. "Booster-Pack" side-mission added. Moved Totodile's wild location. Modified a trainer's team.
- 2.2: Added missing "Brick Piece" item. Certain "Leaf" and "Mushroom" item-pickups can now regenerate. Repositioned "stewardess" NPC and updated her dialogue. Hint for Squirtle's location added.
- 2.1: The Poké-Gear Map now properly shows Viridian Forest, Cerulean Cave and Safari Zone. Viridian Forest has special shading and restricts the use of FLY. Fixed a rare graphical glitch. Improved a specific tile graphic.
- 2.0: Added ALL missing room decoration items. Added ALL remaining time-capsule items. Moved Bulbasaur's wild location. Four special "Pokémon Stadium" event Pokémon added. The "Ghost House" now appears only at night. Cerulean Cave fully expanded. Safari Zone fully expanded. Celadon City reverted to vanilla layout. Viridian Forest added. Electric Porygon TV Game Shop and Secret Base shops added. A few new NPCs added to help give new items and hints. New NPC-trainers added to the new Viridian Forest. Various, previously-unused, GBC Mobile music now plays in the radio tower buildings and new shops. Power-plant door placement shifted.
- 1.0: Crystal 251 released.
