Pokemon Lunatic Crystal is a difficulty ROM Hack that provides not only a major challenge, but is also an attempt at making Gen 2 more balanced and enjoyable, while also retaining the charm of the original games.

Lunatic Crystal has the following features:

• Trainer parties have been massively improved. Every trainer has a more varied and stronger line-up and all of the important opponents have custom movesets, held items, better Pokemon and are at a higher level.

• Many enemy trainers have improved DV’s.

• The Rival now has 3 seperate teams depending on your starter choice.

• More opponents use healing items.

• Stat EXP and all of the badge boosts have been removed. The 25% Status miss chance that the AI had is also gone. This makes fights more challenging and sets the player on equal footing with enemy trainers. Furthermore Vitamins (with the exception of PP UP) and X items have been removed.

• The player is prohibited from using items in battle and the “SET” battle mode is enforced against important opponents.

• In an attempt to stop overleveling obedience now applies to all Pokemon and acts as a level cap that is increased with every Johto badge. The game also features a set level cap which is applied before you become the Champion for the first time. These restrictions do not apply in Kanto.

• The progression of the game is mostly unchanged, however the HM for Strength is now locked behind Jasmine, instead of Whitney and Mt. Mortar water route has been sealed off, as such the player needs to defeat Chuck (Chuck’s Gym has been redesigned so that you don’t need Strength) and Jasmine before getting access to Mahogany. Mahogany’s trainers and Pokemon have increased levels as a result. The Suicune battle in the Tin Tower that is unlocked after clearing the Radio Tower is now mandatory in order to being able to fight Clair.

• Team Rocket now features two named Executives in Archer and Ariana. All of the Team Rocket members use the Team Rocket theme and all of them have a custom “R” battle transition.

• The player has the ability to rematch all 16 Gym Leaders, the Elite Four and Champion Lance. You can battle Johto Gym Leaders again after defeating Lance for the first time and the other rematches are unlocked upon obtaining all 16 Badges.

• Battles against important Kanto characters that were not in the original GSC have been added (ex. You can now battle Lorelei in Kanto). Furthermore, a “Red-like” character in Gold is now the opponent in Virdian City’s Trainer School, with the proper theme to boot.

• Better encounter variety in Johto: you can now get every Johto Pokemon before unlocking Kanto and many Kanto Pokemon are now obtainable in Johto. The player can now also get fossils and revive them just like in Generation 1. Game Corner Pokemon have also been changed. Wild Pokemon have increased levels as well.

• Some in-game trades have been changed (for example you can now get a Rhyhorn in Violet City).

• The Celebi event has been restored and functions in the same way as the Virtual Console releases.

• Friendship and Trade evolutions have been removed, every Pokemon that evolves now does so by either level up or with the use of evolution stones. Evolution Stones are now purchasable in Goldenrod and Celadon, albeit at a higher price. Several Pokemon now also evolve at lower levels.

• Improved level-up learnsets: the vast majority of Pokemon now have much better learnsets, with all moves being learned at lower levels. All evolution stages share the levels at which they learn moves, so the player no longer needs to delay evolutions and can enjoy a power boost right away. This does not apply to most stone evolutions (the exception being for example Eevee), however.

• Improved TM/HM learnsets: Many Pokemon now have the ability to learn new TMs and HMs. TMs are now also reuseable, rather than one use. Pokemon can now freely forget HMs as well.

• The Goldenrod move tutor now appears every day.

• Many moves have changed power, accuracy and type, as well as new effects in order to make them more viable and give player more varied options (For example Strength is now a Rock Type Move and Sky Attack functions in a similar way to Brave Bird).

• Some Pokemon have increased stats and new secondary types in order to make them more viable (For example Ledian is now a Bug/Psychic type with +20 to its’ SpA).

• Many in-game rewards have been changed.

• The Cianwood Pharmacy now sells status curing Berries.

• All Pokemon now have custom Menu icons.

• Some characters such as Eusine get a new overworld sprite. Characters added to this hack also get an overworld sprite of their own.

• QoL features such as Pokemon not taking Poison damage in the overworld, the Move Relearner, Kurt instantly making Pokeballs, the TM and HM name displaying upon obtaining them and many more have been added.

• The Pokeballs that Kurt creates have been fixed to function as intended. Poison and Paralysis now also increases the catch rate.

• The EXP system has been updated to match the one found in Generation 6, all battle participants obtain an equal amount of EXP and the EXP. Share now functions the same as it does in Gen 6 and is now a key item, instead of a held item. To further help with the grind, the player now can get more Rare Candies either in the overworld, or as rewards. Lucky Egg is also obtainable in Johto. Catching Pokemon also grants EXP, just like it does in Let’s Go games for instance.

A massive thank you to everyone in the “pret” Discord, the Pokemon Crystal Dissaembly and the many tutorials you have written. This hack would not be possible without you! 🙂

Credits for one of the battle themes to Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm on Soundcloud, for the Team Rocket sprites to SirWhibbles on Deviantart, as well as LuigiTKO for the Menu Icons!