Pokemon ROM hacks have gotten extremely ambitious over the years, and Iโm always on the lookout for projects that go beyond the route of simply adding new regions and a bunch of Pokemon to catch.
Pokemon Darkfire certainly falls into that category, and developer Karl has now shown off another new minigame coming to the in-development Emerald hack – the comically titled KARP DIEM.
KARP DIEM throws Magikarp in serious danger
The shared footage shows Magikarp as it makes its way up a body of water, weaving between obstacles and trying to make as much progress as possible.
That would probably be stressful enough for what is known for being a notoriously useless fish, but youโll need to be very aware of what is lurking behind you.
A Gyarados looms at the bottom of the screen, forcing you to keep moving rather than carefully taking your time through each section. Get held up by too many obstacles, and Magikarp could very quickly become lunch.
It essentially turns the Pokemon we know and love into a small arcade-style obstacle course, and it looks like it could be a title of its own instead of simply being a game within a game.
KARP DIEM isnโt the only distraction Darkfire has up its sleeve, either. The currently available build already features additional side activities and a Game Corner containing minigames, so Karl is very much keen on giving everyone things to do instead of the more traditional battling and exploring.
In conjunction with the above, Darkfire introduces the completely new Tenjo region and storyline, alongside updated battle systems, new movement mechanics, a custom interface, original music, lighting and weather effects, and a full day/night system.
Itโs still very much a work in progress, with the official site currently offering demo version 0.2.1.3 instead of a finished release.
Little touches like KARP DIEM are exactly the sort of thing Iโm wanting in the future of Pokemon ROM hacks, as they genuinely feel like whole new adventures rather than simple mods.
