Shin (真) – The kanji for “true”. Used in Japanese media to denote a remastering, updated retelling , or a “true form” of something.

Started in 2018 by a secret cabal of ancient Pokemon nerds, Shin Pokemon is an enhancement ROM hack of Pokemon Red & Blue that aims to be the ultimate remaster fans never got. It is a mostly-vanilla hack that focuses on fixing game engine bugs and oversights from the original game. Additionally, trainer AI routines are improved and multiple quality-of-life enhancements have been added. It also acts as a kind of research-informed speculative work that interprets what the 2016 Nintendo Virtual Console re-release of Gen-1 Pokemon could have been. It is the image of a glitch-free experience with player-friendly goodies and enhancements common to other modern remasterings.

#Summary

Lite features for a cleaned-up purist experience

Over 200 bugs, glitches, oversights, and text errors of all sorts have been fixed!
There are too many to enumerate in a simple summary, and some of them are very obscure or previously undiscovered.

Includes english builds of Green and Red-JP.
It swaps the graphics, Cerulean Cave layout, and a few lines of text to replicate the original japanese releases.
The original release pokedex entries have been adapted from the Fire Red translations.
It also has all the pokedex data in metric.

Includes an english build of Blue-JP version.
It swaps prizes, trades, wild encounter data, and some text to replicate the original japanese release.
It also has all the pokedex data in metric.

Engine features from USA Yellow version have been backported.
No more duochrome! Yellow’s color scheme gets converted to display on the Gameboy Color.
Or play with further enhanced colorization for the overworld.
Attack animations are colored according to type during Gameboy Color play.
Yellow’s audio engine is backported for stereo sound support.
Game Boy Printer functionality has been added.

New options that can be toggled! Hit SELECT on the options screen to see an extra options menu.
– Cycle through audio types.
– Playing in GBC mode on a backlit LCD screen?
– Press SELECT at the copyright screen to activate color correction.
– Or activate it in the extra menu
– Experimental 60FPS Mode
– Zero-Delay Text
– Hard Mode
– AI Trainer Switching
– Enhanced colorization for GBC

The hard mode option increases difficulty by making the stats of trainer pokemon more on your level.
It also doubles the effect of the X-stat items that AI trainers are fond of.
And it disallows the use of Revive items in battle.
Non-link battles will use the Stadium 1 critical hit chance formulas.
Finally, it makes catching a wild Mewtwo more challenging.

Trainer AI has been improved and greatly expanded.
Some trainers will even try to switch pokemon intelligently if you haven’t disabled it in the extra options menu.

You get notified when a box is filled (either via catching or depositing a pokemon).

Switching out of a trapping move wastes the trapper’s turn as per Pokemon Stadium.
This prevents unbeatable AI scenarios as well as a PP underflow glitch.

Rage is limited to 2-3 turns but attack boosts are kept.
This is primarily to prevent infinite battle loops.

Sleep does not prevent choosing a move, and the move is used upon waking up.
To maintain sleep move accuracy, sleep starts with a counter of at least 2.
And Rest now sets the sleep counter to 3.

Master features that go beyond engine modifications and fixes

All 151 pkmn are available in one version including trade evolutions (rarities may vary per version).

You can play as a boy or a girl.

There’s an EXP bar in battle.

You can hunt for shiny pokemon, and they are valid with Gen 2 games.

No more grinding wild pokemon. Nearly all trainers can be rematched just by talking to them once or twice.

You can choose RUN while holding SELECT in trainer battles to forfeit the match and black yourself out.

There is a built-in nuzlocke mode that can be toggled from the extra options menu.

The girl in Oak’s lab toggles wild pokemon randomization.
If activated early enough in the game, your starter pokemon choices are randomized as well.

The AREA function of the PokeDex now takes the Super Rod into account.
It will also notify you if the Pokemon you are referencing is available in the immediate vicinity.
It even works with the randomizer active.

One of the aides in Oak’s lab toggles scaling of trainer rosters to your level (evolving them if applicable).

As an alternative to trainer scaling, there is now an obedience level-cap that can be toggled in the extra options menu.
While active, the current maximum obedience level will display in the extra options menu.
All pokemon, not just trades, will start to disobey if over the displayed level cap.

The other aide in Oak’s lab toggles a pokeball-caught symbol in battle after obtaining the pokedex.
To help with Gen 2 interaction, this also applies a gender symbol to species that can be male or female.

Another aide npc is in the Viridian pokemon center. He will toggle on/off randomization of non-special trainers.

An aide is in the Celadon Diner. He will toggle on/off a catch-up EXP boost function for under-leveled pokemon.

Item, Sleep, Freeze, Trapping, and Hyper Beam clauses can each be toggled by the Clause Brothers in Viridian City.

The bag now supports an additional item list for an extra 20 slots of space!
Press START on the bag menu to hot-swap the item list that populates the active bag.
The game’s systems will generally detect items in the non-active bag space.
Unique systems, such as Pokemon Stadium, will only recognize the active bag’s item list.

Hold SELECT and press START while on the bag menu or PC item box menu to auto-sort your items.

The itemfinder now points you in the right direction.
You can always hold SELECT while choosing to USE it to get its original function back.

Each pokemon on your team has a field move slot.
These slots can temporarily hold a HM move for overworld-use only.
No longer do you have to sacrifice one of your four moves for a HM move.

An experimental New Game+ has been added.
It can be enabled if you have an uncorrupt save file wherein the Elite 4 have been beaten.
Press and hold SELECT while choosing New Game; a jingle confirms activation.

The Cinnabar Lab allows for cloning and genetic modification of pokemon.
It does this by mixing their DVs as of they were akin to genes and alleles.
This replicates the ability to do selective breeding for DVs in a way that’s more realistic.

Lots of quick-key features.
– Quick ‘Owned’ Check – Place the cursor over FIGHT and press Select to play the enemy ‘mon cry if it’s already owned.
– Softlock Warp – Instantly teleport back to your mom’s house if you get stuck.
– Running Shoes – Hold B to double your speed when walking, surfing, and biking. Includes proper animation speed-up!
– Quick HM Use – Press SELECT to use HMs based on proper context.
– Quick Bike/Rod – Press SELECT while holding A to automatically get on/off your bike or use the best rod in your inventory.
– View Stat EXP – Hold SELECT and enter the status screen to print a ‘mons stat exp.
– View DVs – Hold START and enter the status screen to print a ‘mons DVs.
– View Shiny Palette – When playing in color, hold SELECT when choosing a ‘dex entry to load the shiny palette.

New NPCs!
– The move relearner and deleter is in Saffron City.
– An NPC in the Celadon Hotel will pay COINS for showing him pokemon as an alternative to slots.
– A new drink stand on the route 19 beach sells vending machine drinks.
– After the Elite-4, one of the rocket grunts in Celadon City will sell coins in bulk.
– After the Elite-4, a new vendor opens up in Celadon allowing the purchase of normally unique items.
– After the Elite-4, there is an NPC in the east-west underground path that generates random trainer battles.
– After the Elite-4, there is an NPC in the north-south underground path that generates mirror matches.
– After the Elite-4, the game corner chief will buy pokemon from the player.
– There’s a tournament being held in the SS Anne’s kitchen after the Elite-4 are beaten. Yes, the ship returns!
– Added some special post-game trainer battles as fun little easter eggs. Can you find and defeat all five?

Changes to fishing!
– All rods have an expanded level range.
– The Old Rod has an expanded ‘mon list.
– The Good Rod has an expanded ‘mon list.
– The Route 12 Fishing Guru can be visited upon first reaching Lavender Town.
– The locations of the Good and Super Rod have been swapped.

Other minor changes to lessen annoyance.
– Low HP alarm only plays three times then turns itself off.
– TMs and HMs now have their move names (albeit abbreviated) appended to the item names.
– All TMs can be repurchased as they are strategically scattered across all the Kanto pokemarts.
– The safari zone mechanics run off level instead of speed, and safari balls have a boosted catch rate.
– Slot machines are a little more lucky, so now you can actually win big.
– CUT is not needed to get to Lt. Surge and Erika (a blocking event replaces the Vermilion shrub).
– Yellow version learnsets have been integrated, and stone evolutions gain back some level-up moves.
– Trapping moves play a ‘poof’ animation on the move’s final turn in order to inform the player.
– A recalibrated daycare gives experience points scaled to your gym progress.
– The daycare lets you select moves to forget (if any) upon retreiving your pokemon.
– Retrieving a daycare pokemon that could have evolved via level will trigger evolution and learn any missed-out moves.

Cheats and Secrets!
– A pokemon with Pay Day in your top slot might come in handy at the Game Corner.
– New item, the M.GENE! Could it give low-DV pokemon a boost?
– Max-out your pokemon’s hidden potential with the MIST STONE.
– Five post-game special trainers to find and defeat! What may reappear when they are all defeated?
– If a level-100 Chansey leads your party, you are bound to have some lucky encounters.
– New Super Boss: Do you dare to activate Missingno at the Cinnabar shore? Only if you got your ‘dex diploma.
– New Super Boss: Missingno not hard enough for you? Try activating it at the infamous Seafoam shore!
– The SS Anne has a post-game tournament. Try winning with a pikachu in your party.
– And several others!

# Patch Info

Grab the patch file of the version you want and apply it to the correct USA rom. The BPS patch format will not let you make a mistake.
– The “_origback” patches are alternatives for red & blue that keep the original back sprites for those that prefer them.
– Red patches are applied to a USA Red ROM.
– Blue and Green patches are applied to a USA Blue ROM.

Note: The BPS format looks for a matching SHA-1 or CRC32 ROM checksum such that it will not allow you to patch over an incorrect or corrupted ROM file. If you are having patching problems, verify your ROM file has the correct checksum using an online tool such as the one found at https://www.toolsley.com/crcmulti.html

# Feature Guide

Read the “Guide to New Player Functions” for instructions on all the new stuff the player can do.

Don’t like the non-vanilla changes? Prefer only the bugfixes and AI improvements? Then the Lite patches are what you want.

# Compatibility

Hardware Compatibility
– Compatible with original Gameboy hardware (DMG, Super, Pocket, Color, Advance, SP)
– Potentially compatible with Pokemon Stadium 1 & 2 (GB Tower will only work in Stadium 2)
– Might be possible to use a save from vanilla USA red/blue with this rom hack (save in RED’s house before transferring over)

Emulator Compatibility
– Use an accurate emulator. BGB on windows is preferred for its accuracy and debugging tools.
– Inaccurate emulators like Visual Boy Advance and Goomba have known issues.
– There are error messages that may display on the initial menu if there is an emulator error detected

# Bug Reports or Suggestions

Please make an effort to create an Issue Ticket on the project page of the source code URL. It helps keep track of everything and gives visibility to known issues.

# Change Log
v1.25.0
– The overworld Cut SFX now syncs up better with the animation
– Audio Bank 4 from Yellow has been implemented to allow for more music constants
– The unused Trading Song has been fixed up and put back into use
– Unused Trading Song re-implemented for link trades – each game boy plays a different channel and the music syncs
– Game Boy Printer functions have been added, and they can be accessed from the normal PC
– Fixed a bug where the no-battle bit in Mt. Moon area 3 won’t clear if using dig/teleport/escape rope
– Fixed a vanilla bug where the side menu on the party select screen does not fully disappear in battle
– Fixed a vanilla bug involving minor text box flicker when a pokemon learns a move after evolving
– Enhanced GBC color has been added to the extra options menu that colorizes the overworld to a further degree
– Game now keeps the status of the gamma shader with the save on file
– Fixed a bug in Rocket Hideout 1 map where a SFX plays every time the map loads
– Fixed graphical display bug when talking to the 15th sprite on a map
– Added missing sfx when leaving the trainer card screen
– Increased the speed of the LoadCurrentMapView function
– Fixed a bug where cutting grass loads the wrong palette for the animation
– AI Layer 3 will no longer run on the turn a player switches in order to keep battle information from the AI
– Fixed a rare infinite loop caused by a text SFX playing right at the end of an audio fadeout
– On AI Layer 1, biased preference for exploding more towards lower HP
– Engine now supports up to 255 predefs instead of 127
– Rage is slightly discouraged in AI Layer 1
– The VS pokeballs in link battles have defined palettes now instead of whatever is in memory
– If the female trainer option is compiled, a female link partner will have corresponding graphics
– Fixed a serial timer problem with the link cable version verification
– Oak’s five free pokeballs are now obtained based on never having caught a pokemon with a ball
– Made japanese patches more accurate to the original, particularly the timing of the intro
– Added a different emulator check that tests the timing of memory modification opcodes
– Fixed a bug where interacting with a hidden item or a bookshelf when a trainer spots the player will freeze the game
– Press SELECT on the extra options menu to get a sound test menu
—-> Listen to the game’s musical tracks
—-> They even continue to play once you’ve backed out of the options menu
– Added overflow protection to super-effective damage calculation
– Pressing B on the main battle menu places the cursor over RUN
– Made the trainer pokeballs red in the battle HUD
– Fixed a minor cursor error on the town map when in route 1 or the power plant
– Fixed text error in Vermilion gym referencing the bird type instead of flying type
– Some hidden Game Corner coins can now be accessed when they previously were not.
– The menu for field moves can now support up to five field moves for developer purposes.
– All five field moves a pokemon can have will now be displayed in the field move menu.
– If level scaling is active, traded pokemon will not become disobedient under the normal badge limits.
– Increased text delay by half second on area pokedex screen
– Can move items to the non-active bag space
—-> Place the cursor is over an item in the bag menu
—-> Press and hold LEFT or RIGHT then press START to send it to the extra bag space
– Added hidden moon stone to route 4 guarded by the Lass that is near the Cerulean Cave entrance
– Added some proper rematch text instead of reusing the slot machine strings
– Assuming you start a new save, Nuzlocke mode now knows if you’re early in the game and have no access to pokeballs
– Altered the level-up move lists of Starmie and Raichu to work better with Misty and Surge
– Fixed serial timer problem with syncing battle clauses over link cable
– Some Cueball teams include Pinsir
– Biker teams can now include Beedrill, Magmar, an Electrode, and more Voltorbs
– Fixed an issue where enemy level-up moves were being skipped
– Added a feature for Alt Trainer Moves
—-> There is an old man in the Viridian City schoolhouse who toggles this feature on & off.
—-> When active, many enemy trainer Pokémon will have slight changes to their move lists such as having more TM moves.
—-> Their moves will be more competitive at higher levels.

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