Pokemon Tourmaline

“Pokemon Tourmaline” is a GBA Rom Hack made by tdilos. Get ready to discover the brand new Issho region! Professor May will give you your first Pokemon on your birthday to start your journey.

Pokemon Tourmaline GBA ROM Hack

• Creator: tdilos
• Base ROM: Emerald
• Language: English
• Released on: June 19, 2024
• Latest Version: v0.2.1
• Last Updated on: April 22, 2025
• Status: Upto the 6th Gym! (Developing)

Also Check Out: Pokemon Peak Kanto

Description

Pokemon Tourmaline is a ROM Hack of and loose sequel to Pokemon Emerald. This game is intended to take place in an alternate timeline where the setting and events have diverged a bit from the official games. Most notably, some mechanics from later gens are absent while others have been reworked, and a number of new mechanics have been introduced.

Story

It’s been several years since the battle of Groudon and Kyogre wrought havoc on the Hoenn region. Humanity’s understanding of Pokemon has deepened as more discoveries are made about the origins of Pokemon. A recent surge of discoveries in the nearby Issho region has drawn researchers from all over the world, including May, now an assistant Pokemon professor. After receiving a Pokemon from her, the player sets out to investigate the reports coming from all over the Issho region of new species of Pokemon, new types of Pokemon, and even more strange phenomena. Meanwhile, a new threat is on the rise in Issho, a mysterious crime syndicate who use exceptionally powerful Pokemon.

Features

• New story, characters, and region
• Mixed Gen Starters
• May has a Professor will give you the starters
• Return of many old characters
• A custom regional Pokedex with 386 Pokemon
• New regional forms of Pokémon from gens 5-8
• There is no Mega Evolution, but some Megas have returned as natural evolutions
• A small number of additional fakemon, including some SpaceWorld designs
• Updated type chart including Fairy type and a new type, Echo, designed to counter Fairies and Ghosts
• 4 new status conditions
• 2 new weather types
• Over 60 new moves and over 20 new abilities
• Buffs to some old Pokemon, moves, and abilities
• Other aspects of the battle system have been updated to gen 8 standards unless otherwise noted
• A custom set of over 100 TMs and HMs
• A large number of other moves available through move tutors
• Return of old features like the day/night cycle, headbutt trees, and daily events
• Various changes to the UI to create a unique experience
• Minor QoL features including faster text, Repel prompts, increased bag size, and menu looping

Change Log

v0.2.1

• Revised difficulty + level caps system (see OP in the PokeCommunity thread)
• Increased bag space (this breaks old saves unfortunately)
• DNS color filters for morning and evening now last 2-3x longer
• Added more hidden items to maps
• Added new quests and changed a few old ones (Fists of Steel now gives out TM31)
• I-Wooloo now evolves at level 24 instead of with a Metal Coat
• The grotto in Mt Shiro can now be entered
• The Cut trees in Scarlet Woods can now be cut
• Fixed Jace encounter glitch in Pitchblak City
• Fixed some ice puzzles in MtShiro
• Fixed glitches when battling roughnecks on Route 90
• Fixed glitch causing I-Elgyem and I-Beheeyem sprites to not appear
• Fixed glitch in Mindaro Gardens that would overwrite party Pokemon
• Fixed glitch with some Isshoan forms having the wrong cry
• Fixed glitch with new healing items not working properly
• Fixed Strength battle effect glitch
• Fixed various typos and grammar mistakes
• Fixed various tile and collision errors

v0.2.0

• Added many new maps
• Added option to nickname starter in Hazel’s Lab
• Added weekday-based events
• Added an Unbound-style quest menu
• Added hidden grottos
• HM moves can now be forgotten like ordinary moves
• Pokemon caught in Dream Balls now have their hidden abilities
• Medicine items can now be used repeatedly in the party menu just like in the newer games
• Gym guides now give out fresh water and type gems
• Changes/updates to various NPC teams
• Fixed warp glitch between Meridia/Aurora temples
• Fixed other minor issues with old maps/events

v0.1.2

• Echo type now resists Flying instead of Steel. The type quiz in Xanthos Library has been updated too.
• Fixed difficulty modes not working properly. They should now work as described in the README.
• Fixed level caps not working properly. Pokemon at or above the level cap no longer gain EXP.
• Fixed issues with EXP not being distributed correctly between two or more Pokemon.
• Fixed glitch causing the player to sometimes respawn in the wrong city after whiting out.
• Added PC script to the player’s bedroom.
• First TV swarm is now randomized, previously it was always Gulpin.
• Hazel now gives the player an Exp Share instead of an Itemfinder.
• Increased wild Pokemon levels around Cobalt City.
• The gift Eevee now has its hidden ability.
• Added unique badge icons to the player’s trainer card.
• Fixed Jace/May overworld glitches.
• Fixed glitch causing the player to battle themselves in Cinerous Town
• Fixed nighttime palette glitches in Cobalt City.
• Fixed minor glitch in the May event in Cobalt City.
• Fixed the Strength puzzles in the temples, they were previously unsolvable.
• Fixed minor graphics glitch in Resound’s final turn animation.
• Fixed various typos/grammar.
• Miscellaneous fixes to overworld tile errors.
• Minor updates to trainer AI and movesets.

Known Issues v0.2.0

• EMULATOR SPEEDUP: This has a tendency to glitch the game in unpredictable ways. Use it sparingly and save often if you do.
• DOUBLE BATTLE GLITCH: After fighting a double battle trainer (e.g. Twins), during wild battles, the player will send out two Pokemon as if it were a double battle. These battles otherwise seem to behave normally. The player can even catch the wild Pokemon without issue. Fighting a single battle trainer fixes this issue. This glitch does NOT happen after fighting a double battle against two separate trainers.
• POKEDEX GLITCH: The pokedex pages for new regional forms don’t show the correct sprites. The player will see the base form instead.
• STATUS BAR GLITCH: Enemy status bars sometimes show the wrong color for status conditions. For example, the BRN symbol may be black instead of the correct red color. This is a minor graphics glitch that I haven’t found a fix for yet. It doesn’t affect anything else and it often fixes itself, so just ignore it.
• CINEROUS TOWN GLITCH: The gate at the top of the map sometimes pulls from the wrong tileset. Entering and exiting a building fixes it for now.
• WINDOWS AT NIGHT: Sometimes these will be strange colors instead of the correct yellow shade. Entering and exiting a building fixes this for now.

Game Related Stuff

Download Pokemon Tourmaline

Previous Version

Screenshots

Credits

• pokeemerald – DizzyEgg
• pokeemerald-expansion – rh-hideout
• Porymap – huderlem
• Gen 4 music – CyanSMP64
• DNS graphics – ShinyDragonHunter
• Bag sorting – ghoulslash
• Daily swarm engine – Skeli
• Scrolling multichoice menus – DizzyEgg
• Adding New Weather – Sonikku A
• Add Frostbite status (very helpful for setting up new statuses) – Bassoonian
• Playtesting – various anonymous players