About Pokémon Lazarus
Pokémon Lazarus is a full-scale Pokémon Emerald ROM hack created by Nemo622, the developer known for Pokémon Emerald Seaglass. Instead of remixing an existing region, Lazarus delivers a completely new world: the Ilios region, inspired by Greece, Mediterranean islands, ancient ruins, and sun-washed cities.
The game is built around modern Pokémon design philosophies: overworld encounters, time-based spawns, quality-of-life systems, and an emphasis on exploration and atmosphere.
It has quickly gained attention for its polish, visual style, and how closely it resembles an official Pokémon release.
World, exploration & gameplay
The Ilios region is structured to encourage exploration. Cities are denser, routes are more layered, and optional areas often hide rare Pokémon, events, and items.
- Day & night system: different Pokémon appear depending on time.
- Overworld encounters: Pokémon roam the map, including visible shinies.
- Accelerated clock: faster cycles keep the world feeling alive.
- Hard mode: for players who want a tougher, more tactical journey.
Main Features
In-game screenshots
Starter Pokémon
- Alola starters: Rowlet, Litten, Popplio
- Kalos starters: Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie
- Paldea starters: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly
Why Pokémon Lazarus is so hyped
- Original region instead of a remake
- Overworld Pokémon like modern official games
- Strong visual identity and atmosphere
- From a respected ROM hack developer
- Feels like an unreleased mainline Pokémon title
Tips for new players
- Explore often — rare encounters are everywhere.
- Pay attention to time of day for different Pokémon.
- Use Hard Mode if you enjoy tougher trainers.
- Build balanced teams — Ilios has varied environments.