Polished Crystal 3.2.0 – Official Release

This is the official Polished Crystal 3.2.0 release. It’s fully playable from start to finish and incorporates major overhauls to gameplay, mechanics, and quality-of-life improvements detailed in our README.

For 3.0.0-beta, 3.0.0, 3.1.0, or 3.1.1 saves wishing to upgrade, check out the Polished Crystal Save Patcher. It can update saves between older and newer save formats (3.0.0-beta ➔ 3.2.0, etc.). Make sure to back up your save and follow the instructions on the patcher’s page.

.gbc Assets

These are the main ROMs:

• Regular: Standard Polished Crystal with the new content and features.
• -faithful: Omits some non-canon changes for a closer-to-vanilla feel.
• Debug Builds: ROMs with additional debugging tools enabled for testing and development purposes.

To play, download one of these .gbc files and load it in an accurate Game Boy Color emulator such as BGB, mGBA, or Gambatte. Do not use VBA or VBA-M.

.sym Assets

These are symbol files used for debugging, exploring memory, or discovering cheat codes. Note that cheats aren’t officially supported and may cause bugs or crashes. Do not ask the developers for cheat codes.

.patch Assets

These are 3DS Virtual Console patches that enable trading and battling over Wi-Fi on 3DS VC. You can combine the .gbc ROM and corresponding .patch file into a playable .cia using poke-cia. This is for experienced users who want to play on a modded 3DS.

polishedcrystal Debug Assets

These extra builds (ROM and symbol files) have additional debugging features enabled for development and bug-fixing. They’re not recommended for standard play.

Additions

• Added pluralize script command to auto-pluralize words as needed.
• Added in-game tips specific to Polished Crystal.
• Added new move tutors and associated event flags.
• Added new Alolan Sandslash and A-Vulpix/Ninetales sprites by mauvesea.
• Added icons for Pokédex and Pokégear, supports icons for special items.
• Added egg page to summary screen.
• Added ability blacklist routine for Trace + Skill Swap.
• Added scaled base EXP exceptions (e.g. Happiny).
• Added check for savestate loading affecting SRAM usage.
• Added Earth Power to Ursaluna and Bloodmoon Ursaluna.
• Added an initial option to disable experience gain (no-exp mode).
• Pokegear clock now shows the time-of-day indicator in the clock UI.
• Support for overriding RGB programs individually and new Analogue Pocket logo asset added to the build assets.
• Updated and added multiple Pokémon sprites and palettes (notable: Magnezone, Magmortar, Sneasler, Typhlosion-Hisuian, Rapidash-Galarian, and others).

Fixes

• Fixed mail encoding (avoid ngrams).
• Fixed battle text delay to minimum of 1s.
• Fixed Rare Candy bug at level 100.
• Fixed cries during trade animation.
• Fixed Celadon University lag (sprite overlap).
• Fixed Elm battle vs. Togepi request logic.
• Fixed text speed options behavior.
• Fixed ineligible switch textboxes on first turn.
• Fixed nickname screen palette bug.
• Fixed headbutt/cut trees visual glitch during lightning.
• Fixed VermilionCity NPC disappearing from sprite limit.
• Fixed hidden ability for Typhlosion-H.
• Fixed object pop-in issues across various routes.
• Fixed Ghost mon <TARGET> name override.
• Fixed dev room tile collision (head in wall).
• Fixed instant text skip on in-battle move description.
• Fixed music and SFX bugs (e.g., PGO leader's room).
• Fixed lucky island text input using proper rawchar.
• Fixed Spiky-Eared Pichu crash when trading special Pokémon.
• Fixed Jessie & James rematch logic and unused event flag.
• Fixed evolution-during-battle edge cases.
• Fixed ability activation bugs (Imposter, Neutralizing Gas, etc).
• Fixed Ability label confusion for disabling animations.
• Fixed Safari Zone bait/rock mechanics with abilities.
• Fixed neutralizing gas handling.
• Fixed ability icon display logic on rental mon trade.
• Fixed miscellaneous visual and formatting bugs.
• Fixed several battle engine and move interaction bugs since the last changelog update, including:
  • Corrected Protect/Endure success probabilities and capped Protect chaining chance.
  • Fixed various secondary-effect/timing bugs (including Rampage/Future Sight interaction and Move secondary effect ordering).
  • Fixed Intimidate / Eject Pack / Neutralizing Gas interactions and related held-item/ability edge cases.
  • Fixed Magic Bounce, Enigma Berry, Punching Glove, and other ability/item interaction bugs.
  • Fixed double-switch order and Trick Room logic edge cases.
• Fixed Disable turncount and Rest/Lum/Chesto trigger bugs.
• Made Sweet Honey not allow battling roaming Pokémon (behaviour/overworld fix).
• Fixed a number of text/encoding and daycare wording issues (shorter "want egg" prompt, mail encoding with ngrams avoided).
• Numerous crash and stability fixes, optimizations, and unreferenced-code cleanups across battle, text, and overworld systems.

Changes

• Updated Summary Screen (major visual/functional upgrade).
• Re-introduced trade evolutions.
• Adjusted Magikarp record length (now 106.6 cm).
• Updated "badge" capitalization in text to match vanilla.
• Improved Neutralizing Gas + Skill Swap interaction logic.
• Improved battle animations (summary, Ursaluna fix).
• Improved AI damage calc (e.g., Parental Bond).
• Adjusted move animations and fix order of status/inflict routines.
• Rewrote loading for Pikachu's unique moves (Yellow Forest).
• Adjusted Heracross palette (and reverted + reapplied fix).
• Adjusted RockItems to total 256.
• Made modern EV rules the default option to reduce bulk by default.
• Pluralization improvements used in text now simplify duplicated battle text variants (e.g. "Hit N times" now uses pluralize tables).
• Updated various engine internals to use newer hardware constants and RGBDS features (minor layout and performance improvements).

Removals

• Removed duplicate Sketch from Smeargle.
• Removed unused unique move for Scizor.
• Removed duplicate egg text.
• Removed unreachable tree from Route 16 West.

If you find any bugs, consider using the debug assets to report details or join our community for help and discussion. Have fun!