diff --git a/src/battle/BattleState.lua b/src/battle/BattleState.lua
index e510a171..68644961 100644
--- a/src/battle/BattleState.lua
+++ b/src/battle/BattleState.lua
@@ -1718,9 +1718,14 @@ function BattleState:enter()
     -- _PlayerBlackedOutText2 (data/text/text_2.asm:896): the two paragraphs
     -- playerMonFainted queues on the battle screen; there is no battle
     -- screen to queue them on here, so they print over the map.
+    -- _PlayerBlackedOutText (no "2") extracts to the identical wording from
+    -- a different ROM address and is unused anywhere in this engine -- not
+    -- a fallback for this one, just pokered printing the same paragraph
+    -- from a second call site elsewhere.
     self.game.stack:push(require("src.render.TextBox").new(self.game,
-      Strings("%s is out of\nuseable POKéMON!", name) .. "\f"
-      .. Strings("%s blacked\nout!", name), blackedOut))
+      self:romText("_PlayerBlackedOutText2",
+        "%s is out of\nuseable POKéMON!\f%s blacked\nout!", name, name),
+      blackedOut))
     return
   end
   self.musicKind = self:computeMusicKind()
@@ -1857,7 +1862,8 @@ function BattleState:enter()
       self:slidePic("foe")
     end)
     -- _TrainerSentOutText ends `done`, not `prompt` (data/text/text_2.asm:923)
-    self:sayAuto(Strings("%s sent\nout %s!", foeName, self.enemy.name))
+    self:sayAuto(self:romText("_TrainerSentOutText", "%s sent\nout %s!",
+      foeName, self.enemy.name))
     self:act(function()
       -- EnemySendOutFirstMon (core.asm:1421-1434): after the text the
       -- pic grows out of the ball (AnimateSendingOutMon), then the cry
@@ -3638,12 +3644,13 @@ function BattleState:executeAction(user, target, action)
       })
       self.aiUses = self:aiUsesFor()
       markSeen(self.game, self.enemy.mon.species)
-      -- _AIBattleWithdrawText: "X with-/drew Y!"
-      self:sayNext(Strings("%s with-\ndrew %s!", self.trainer.name, oldName))
+      self:sayNext(self:romText("_AIBattleWithdrawText", "%s with-\ndrew %s!",
+        self.trainer.name, oldName))
       -- EnemySendOut falls into EnemySendOutFirstMon: TrainerSentOutText,
       -- then AnimateSendingOutMon and PlayCry (core.asm:1276-1434)
       self.enemySendingOut = true
-      self:sayNextAuto(Strings("%s sent\nout %s!", self.trainer.name, self.enemy.name))
+      self:sayNextAuto(self:romText("_TrainerSentOutText", "%s sent\nout %s!",
+        self.trainer.name, self.enemy.name))
       self:actNext(function()
         self.enemySendingOut = false
         self:startGrowIn(self.enemy)
@@ -4142,8 +4149,12 @@ function BattleState:onFaint(battler)
     -- acknowledged core.asm:797-798 bug.)
     self:actNext(function() self:playVictoryMusic() end)
   end
-  -- _EnemyMonFaintedText "Enemy X fainted!" / _PlayerMonFaintedText
-  self:sayNext(Strings("%s\nfainted!", displayName(battler)))
+  -- _EnemyMonFaintedText already carries its own "Enemy" wording, so this
+  -- passes the raw name -- displayName's separate Strings("Enemy %s", ...)
+  -- would double it up
+  self:sayNext(battler.isPlayer
+    and self:romText("_PlayerMonFaintedText", "%s\nfainted!", battler.name)
+    or self:romText("_EnemyMonFaintedText", "Enemy %s\nfainted!", battler.name))
   if battler.isPlayer then
     self:act(function() self:playerMonFainted() end)
   else
@@ -4319,6 +4330,13 @@ function BattleState:enemyMonFainted()
         -- "X is" off so "about to use" stays above the name, instead of the
         -- page ending on a bare nick (#565).  Then para "Will PLAYER" /
         -- "change POKéMON?" with YES/NO.
+        --
+        -- _TrainerAboutToUseText combines both \f-paged, but unlike
+        -- _ItemUseBallText00's say()+say() merge above, this is say()+
+        -- sayChoice(): tried merging into one romText/sayChoice call and
+        -- confirmed via tests/engine/trainer_shift_prompt_bug565.lua that
+        -- the battle queue's own \f handling (not TextBox.lua's) does not
+        -- page a sayChoice string the same way -- left as two calls.
         self:say(Strings("%s is\nabout to use\v%s!", self.trainer.name, nextName))
         self:sayChoice(
           Strings("Will %s\nchange POKéMON?", self.game.save.player.name),
@@ -4362,7 +4380,8 @@ function BattleState:enemyMonFainted()
         -- (AnimateSendingOutMon) with the cry; no POOF -- that animation
         -- belongs to the player-side SendOutMon (core.asm:1757-1762)
         self.enemySendingOut = true
-        self:sayNextAuto(Strings("%s sent\nout %s!", self.trainer.name, self.enemy.name))
+        self:sayNextAuto(self:romText("_TrainerSentOutText", "%s sent\nout %s!",
+          self.trainer.name, self.enemy.name))
         self:actNext(function()
           self.enemySendingOut = false
           self:startGrowIn(self.enemy)
@@ -4878,7 +4897,8 @@ function BattleState:storeCaughtMon()
     -- text_promptbutton (item_effects.asm:624-629), so the fanfare follows
     -- the box rather than firing when the dex bit is set
     self:sayNextWaitSfx(
-      Strings("New POKéDEX data\nwill be added for\n%s!", self.enemy.name),
+      self:romText("_ItemUseBallText06",
+        "New POKéDEX data\nwill be added for\n%s!", self.enemy.name),
       function() return require("src.core.Sound").play(self.data, "Dex_Page_Added") end)
     self:uiNext(function()
       return self:buildScreen("DexEntryMenu", species)
@@ -4899,9 +4919,12 @@ function BattleState:storeCaughtMon()
     if boxNum then
       askCaughtNickname()
       -- _ItemUseBallText07/08 keyed on EVENT_MET_BILL
-      local pc = (game.save.flags and game.save.flags.EVENT_MET_BILL)
-                 and "BILL's PC" or Strings("someone's PC")
-      self:sayNext(Strings("%s was\ntransferred to\n%s!", self.enemy.name, pc))
+      local metBill = game.save.flags and game.save.flags.EVENT_MET_BILL
+      self:sayNext(self:romText(
+        metBill and "_ItemUseBallText07" or "_ItemUseBallText08",
+        metBill and "%s was\ntransferred to\nBILL's PC!"
+                or "%s was\ntransferred to\nsomeone's PC!",
+        self.enemy.name))
     else
       self:sayNext(Strings("But every BOX\nis full!"))
     end
@@ -5007,8 +5030,18 @@ function BattleState:throwBall(ball)
       -- RESTLESS SOUL dodges balls even once the scope has revealed it,
       -- so it is not a ghost battle any more (#444)
       self:animNext(self:tossAnimFor(ball), true, nil, ball)
-      self:sayNext(Strings("It dodged the\nthrown BALL!"))
-      self:sayNext(Strings("This POKéMON\ncan't be caught!"))
+      -- _ItemUseBallText00 is one label for both lines, \f-paged.  Unlike
+      -- TextBox.new() (which splits \f itself), the battle queue's own
+      -- startMessage() only splits on \n/\v -- confirmed live: the \f
+      -- landed mid-line and the second sentence overflowed off the box
+      -- instead of starting a fresh page.  Resolve the label once, then
+      -- split it the same way TextBox.lua does and queue one sayNext per
+      -- page, so the two ROM sentences still render as two pages.
+      local dodgeText = self:romText("_ItemUseBallText00",
+        "It dodged the\nthrown BALL!\fThis POKéMON\ncan't be caught!")
+      for page in (dodgeText .. "\f"):gmatch("(.-)\f") do
+        self:sayNext(page)
+      end
       self:act(function()
         self:executeAction(self.enemy, self.player, self:enemyAction())
       end)
diff --git a/src/link/LinkBattle.lua b/src/link/LinkBattle.lua
index 2d899738..fa27805d 100644
--- a/src/link/LinkBattle.lua
+++ b/src/link/LinkBattle.lua
@@ -262,7 +262,8 @@ function LinkBattle.new(game, net, opts)
   self.opponentName = theirName
   -- _TrainerWantsToFightText (data/text/text_2.asm:1257): wIsInBattle == 2
   -- takes PrintBeginningBattleText's .trainerBattle arm, link included
-  self.introText = Strings("%s wants\nto fight!", theirName)
+  self.introText = self:romText("_TrainerWantsToFightText",
+    "%s wants\nto fight!", theirName)
   self.remoteHashes = {}
   self.localHashes = {}
   self.remoteParts = {}
diff --git a/src/ui/BoxMenu.lua b/src/ui/BoxMenu.lua
index 5dc2b694..5c39c7cc 100644
--- a/src/ui/BoxMenu.lua
+++ b/src/ui/BoxMenu.lua
@@ -185,14 +185,16 @@ local function release(game)
         return
       end
       game.stack:push(TextBox.new(game,
-        Strings("Once released,\n%s is\ngone forever. OK?", name), nil, {
+        (t._OnceReleasedText or Strings("Once released,\n%s is\ngone forever. OK?", name))
+          :gsub("{RAM:wStringBuffer}", name), nil, {
         defaultNo = true, noSound = true,
         choice = function(yes)
           if not yes then return end
           table.remove(box, list.index)
           require("src.core.Sound").playCry(game.data, mon.species)
           game.stack:push(TextBox.new(game,
-            Strings("%s was\nreleased outside.\fBye %s!", name, name)))
+            ((t._MonWasReleasedText or Strings("%s was\nreleased outside.\fBye %s!", name, name))
+              :gsub("{RAM:wStringBuffer}", name))))
           list:removeCurrent()
         end,
       }))
diff --git a/src/ui/ShopMenu.lua b/src/ui/ShopMenu.lua
index b185f6ad..23ecc7ad 100644
--- a/src/ui/ShopMenu.lua
+++ b/src/ui/ShopMenu.lua
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ local ListMenu = require("src.ui.ListMenu")
 local Menu = require("src.ui.Menu")
 local QuantityBox = require("src.ui.QuantityBox")
 local Strings = require("src.core.Strings")
+local romText = require("src.core.RomText")
 
 local ShopMenu = {}
 
@@ -57,7 +58,8 @@ local function buy(game, stock)
           end
           local cost = qty * def.price
           -- _PokemartTellBuyPriceText + yes/no confirm
-          list.footer = Strings("%s?\nThat will be\n¥%d. OK?", def.name, cost)
+          list.footer = romText(game.data, "_PokemartTellBuyPriceText",
+            "%s?\nThat will be\n¥%d. OK?", def.name, cost)
           game.stack:push(ChoiceBox.new(game, function(yes)
             if not yes then
               list.footer = greet
@@ -147,7 +149,8 @@ local function sell(game)
             return
           end
           -- _PokemartTellSellPriceText + yes/no confirm
-          list.footer = Strings("I can pay you\n¥%d for that.", unit * qty)
+          list.footer = romText(game.data, "_PokemartTellSellPriceText",
+            "I can pay you\n¥%d for that.", unit * qty)
           game.stack:push(ChoiceBox.new(game, function(yes)
             if not yes then
               list.footer = greet
diff --git a/src/ui/SlotMachine.lua b/src/ui/SlotMachine.lua
index 353b414a..a0c04734 100644
--- a/src/ui/SlotMachine.lua
+++ b/src/ui/SlotMachine.lua
@@ -46,6 +46,7 @@
 local Font = require("src.render.Font")
 local Sound = require("src.core.Sound")
 local Strings = require("src.core.Strings")
+local romText = require("src.core.RomText")
 
 local SlotMachine = {}
 SlotMachine.__index = SlotMachine
@@ -357,7 +358,8 @@ function SlotMachine:resolveWin(win)
   -- SlotReward300Func prints "Yeah!" (text_pause) before the flash; the port
   -- shows it in the box while the screen flashes.  LinedUpText follows.
   self.yeah = (sym == "7")
-  self.message = Strings("%s lined up!\nScored %d coins!", sym, pay)
+  self.message = sym .. romText(self.game.data, "_LinedUpText",
+    " lined up!\nScored %d coins!", pay)
   -- .flashScreenLoop: flip rBGP, wait 5 frames, b times.  The coins are not
   -- credited until the player dismisses the "lined up" text (see startPayout).
   self.stage = "flash"
diff --git a/src/world/OverworldController.lua b/src/world/OverworldController.lua
index 3af3a100..088fbe84 100644
--- a/src/world/OverworldController.lua
+++ b/src/world/OverworldController.lua
@@ -846,15 +846,20 @@ function OverworldState:useSoftboiledFieldMove(user, target)
   if not user or not user.stats or not target or not target.stats
       or target == user or target.hp <= 0
       or target.hp >= target.stats.hp or user.hp <= heal then
-    Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game, Strings("It won't have\nany effect.")))
+    Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game,
+      romText(Game.data, "_ItemUseNoEffectText", "It won't have\nany effect.")))
     return false
   end
+  local before = target.hp
   user.hp = user.hp - heal
   target.hp = math.min(target.stats.hp, target.hp + heal)
   require("src.core.Sound").play(Game.data, "Heal_HP")
   local def = Game.data.pokemon[target.species]
+  -- _PotionText's second slot is the recovered amount, same as
+  -- ItemEffects.lua's potion message -- the engine fallback never shows it
   Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game,
-    Strings("%s's HP\nwas restored!", target.nickname or def.name)))
+    romText(Game.data, "_PotionText", "%s's HP\nwas restored!",
+      target.nickname or def.name, target.hp - before)))
   return true
 end
 
@@ -2126,7 +2131,8 @@ function OverworldState:tryHiddenObject(fx, fy)
         -- leaves the spot unfound; _CantCarryMoreText is the Toss line (#872)
         local name = Game.data.items[h.item] and Game.data.items[h.item].name or h.item
         Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game,
-          Strings("%s found\n%s!", save.player.name, name) .. "\f"
+          romText(Game.data, "_FoundHiddenItemText", "%s found\n%s!",
+            save.player.name, name) .. "\f"
           .. romText(Game.data, "_HiddenItemBagFullText",
                      "But, {PLAYER} has\nno more room for\vother items!")))
         return true
@@ -2137,7 +2143,8 @@ function OverworldState:tryHiddenObject(fx, fy)
       -- text_asm tail runs it as PlaySoundWaitForCurrent +
       -- WaitForSoundToFinish once the box has printed (hidden_items.asm)
       Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game,
-        Strings("%s found\n%s!", save.player.name, name),
+        romText(Game.data, "_FoundHiddenItemText", "%s found\n%s!",
+          save.player.name, name),
         nil, TextBox.soundOpts(Game, "Get_Item2")))
       return true
     end
@@ -2795,8 +2802,8 @@ function OverworldState:talkTo(npc)
         "No more room for\nitems!")
       if GameVersion.isYellow() then
         local name = Game.data.items[d.item] and Game.data.items[d.item].name or d.item
-        noRoom = Strings("%s found\n%s!", Game.save.player.name, name)
-                 .. "\f" .. noRoom
+        noRoom = romText(Game.data, "_FoundItemText", "%s found\n%s!",
+                   Game.save.player.name, name) .. "\f" .. noRoom
       end
       Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game, noRoom))
       return
@@ -2813,7 +2820,8 @@ function OverworldState:talkTo(npc)
     local ddef = Game.data.items[d.item]
     -- FoundItemText: text_far, sound_get_item_1, text_end (pick_up_item.asm)
     Game.stack:push(TextBox.new(Game,
-      Strings("%s found\n%s!", Game.save.player.name, name), nil,
+      romText(Game.data, "_FoundItemText", "%s found\n%s!",
+        Game.save.player.name, name), nil,
       TextBox.soundOpts(Game,
         (ddef and ddef.keyItem) and "Get_Key_Item" or "Get_Item1")))
     return
@@ -3745,7 +3753,7 @@ function OverworldState:applyFieldPoison()
   local queue = {}
   for _, mon in ipairs(fainted) do
     local name = mon.nickname or Game.data.pokemon[mon.species].name
-    table.insert(queue, Strings("%s\nfainted!", name))
+    table.insert(queue, romText(Game.data, "_PokemonFaintedText", "%s\nfainted!", name))
   end
   local alive = false
   for _, mon in ipairs(save.party) do
diff --git a/tests/engine/battle_ball_dodge_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/battle_ball_dodge_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f49c96a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/battle_ball_dodge_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+-- BattleState:throwBall()'s can't-be-caught path used to queue two
+-- separate Strings() literals ("It dodged the\nthrown BALL!" then "This
+-- POKéMON\ncan't be caught!"). The real ROM label _ItemUseBallText00
+-- combines both as one \f-paged string. TextBox.new() would split \f
+-- itself, but throwBall() queues through self:sayNext(), which goes
+-- through the battle queue's own BattleState:startMessage() -- and that
+-- one only splits on \n/\v, not \f (confirmed live: the \f landed
+-- mid-line and the second sentence overflowed off the box instead of
+-- starting a fresh page). The fix resolves the label once, then splits
+-- it the same way TextBox.lua does and queues one sayNext per page. This
+-- test fakes the label and checks the two pages reach the queue as two
+-- separate messages, in order, not merged into one with a raw \f still
+-- inside it.
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+require("src.render.Font").load(Data)
+
+local BattleState = require("src.battle.BattleState")
+local Pokemon = require("src.pokemon.Pokemon")
+local SaveData = require("src.core.SaveData")
+
+local function mkbattle()
+  local save = SaveData.newGame()
+  save.party = { Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 10) }
+  local game = { data = Data, save = save,
+                 stack = { top = function() return nil end, push = function() end } }
+  local battle = BattleState.newWild(game, "FIXMON_C", 8)
+  battle.ghost = true -- forces the can't-be-caught path
+  return battle
+end
+
+-- throwBall defers its message-queuing work into self.queue via one
+-- top-level self:act(fn); run only that one function to reach the
+-- say() calls the fix touches. It's the last entry throwBall itself
+-- appends (after the immediate sayAuto), and it further queues its own
+-- self:act(function() self:executeAction(...) end) for the actual enemy
+-- turn -- deliberately NOT run here (out of scope, and running the queue
+-- generically after mutation risks looping into a real turn simulation)
+local function runThrowBallAct(battle)
+  for i = #battle.queue, 1, -1 do
+    if battle.queue[i].fn then
+      battle.queue[i].fn()
+      return
+    end
+  end
+end
+
+local function textEntries(battle)
+  local out = {}
+  for _, entry in ipairs(battle.queue) do
+    if entry.text then out[#out + 1] = entry.text end
+  end
+  return out
+end
+
+-- translated: the faked label's two \f-separated pages reach the queue
+-- as two separate messages, in order, and neither one still contains a
+-- raw \f (which would mean the battle queue's own renderer has to deal
+-- with it, and it can't)
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle()
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText00 = "FAKE-DODGE!\fFAKE-CANTCATCH!"
+  battle:throwBall("FIX_BALL")
+  runThrowBallAct(battle)
+  local texts = textEntries(battle)
+  T.eq(texts[1], "FAKE-DODGE!", "page 1 reaches the queue on its own")
+  T.eq(texts[2], "FAKE-CANTCATCH!", "page 2 follows right after, still in order")
+  for _, t in ipairs(texts) do
+    T.check(not t:find("\f", 1, true), "no queued message still carries a raw \\f")
+  end
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText00 = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla: no catalog entry still falls back to the two English pages,
+-- split the same way
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle()
+  battle:throwBall("FIX_BALL")
+  runThrowBallAct(battle)
+  local texts = textEntries(battle)
+  T.eq(texts[1], "It dodged the\nthrown BALL!", "vanilla page 1")
+  T.eq(texts[2], "This POKéMON\ncan't be caught!", "vanilla page 2")
+end
+
+T.finish("battle_ball_dodge_romtext")
diff --git a/tests/engine/battle_catch_messages_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/battle_catch_messages_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..b0feb333
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/battle_catch_messages_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,77 @@
+-- BattleState:storeCaughtMon() queues up to two plain-Lua-literal
+-- messages: the new-Pokedex-data line (_ItemUseBallText06) and, when the
+-- party is full, the box-transfer line (_ItemUseBallText07/08, keyed on
+-- EVENT_MET_BILL -- two full, independently-translated ROM strings, not
+-- one template with a substituted PC name). This test fakes all three
+-- labels and checks the queued messages use them, not the English
+-- literals.
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+require("src.render.Font").load(Data)
+
+local BattleState = require("src.battle.BattleState")
+local Pokemon = require("src.pokemon.Pokemon")
+local SaveData = require("src.core.SaveData")
+
+local function findText(battle, needle)
+  for _, entry in ipairs(battle.queue) do
+    if entry.text and entry.text:find(needle, 1, true) then return entry.text end
+  end
+  return nil
+end
+
+local function mkbattle(partySize, metBill)
+  local save = SaveData.newGame()
+  save.party = {}
+  for i = 1, partySize do
+    save.party[i] = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 5)
+  end
+  save.flags = save.flags or {}
+  save.flags.EVENT_MET_BILL = metBill
+  local game = { data = Data, save = save,
+                 stack = { top = function() return nil end, push = function() end } }
+  return BattleState.newWild(game, "FIXMON_C", 8)
+end
+
+-- empty party: Party.add succeeds, only the new-Pokedex-data message fires
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle(0, false)
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText06 = "FAKE-DEX {RAM:wEnemyMonNick} FAKE!"
+  battle:storeCaughtMon()
+  T.eq(findText(battle, "FAKE-DEX"), "FAKE-DEX " .. battle.enemy.name .. " FAKE!",
+    "a translated _ItemUseBallText06 reaches the new-Pokedex-data message")
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText06 = nil
+end
+
+-- full party, EVENT_MET_BILL true: box transfer via _ItemUseBallText07
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle(6, true)
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText07 = "FAKE-BILL {RAM:wBoxMonNicks} FAKE!"
+  battle:storeCaughtMon()
+  T.eq(findText(battle, "FAKE-BILL"), "FAKE-BILL " .. battle.enemy.name .. " FAKE!",
+    "EVENT_MET_BILL true routes through the translated _ItemUseBallText07")
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText07 = nil
+end
+
+-- full party, EVENT_MET_BILL false: box transfer via _ItemUseBallText08
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle(6, false)
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText08 = "FAKE-SOMEONE {RAM:wBoxMonNicks} FAKE!"
+  battle:storeCaughtMon()
+  T.eq(findText(battle, "FAKE-SOMEONE"), "FAKE-SOMEONE " .. battle.enemy.name .. " FAKE!",
+    "EVENT_MET_BILL false routes through the translated _ItemUseBallText08")
+  Data.text._ItemUseBallText08 = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla, full party, EVENT_MET_BILL true: English literal, BILL's PC
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle(6, true)
+  battle:storeCaughtMon()
+  T.eq(findText(battle, "transferred"),
+    battle.enemy.name .. " was\ntransferred to\nBILL's PC!",
+    "no catalog entry falls back to the English BILL's-PC literal")
+end
+
+T.finish("battle_catch_messages_romtext")
diff --git a/tests/engine/battle_fainted_message_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/battle_fainted_message_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6f1ce0b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/battle_fainted_message_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+-- BattleState:onFaint's "%s\nfainted!" collapsed two distinct ROM
+-- strings (_EnemyMonFaintedText already carries its own "Enemy" wording;
+-- _PlayerMonFaintedText does not) into one literal, substituted with
+-- displayName(battler) -- which itself runs the enemy name through a
+-- SEPARATE Strings("Enemy %s", ...) call. The fix passes the raw
+-- battler.name and lets each label supply its own wording. This test
+-- fakes both labels and checks the raw name reaches the right one, with
+-- no "Enemy" ever duplicated.
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+require("src.render.Font").load(Data)
+
+local BattleState = require("src.battle.BattleState")
+local Pokemon = require("src.pokemon.Pokemon")
+local SaveData = require("src.core.SaveData")
+
+local function mkbattle()
+  local save = SaveData.newGame()
+  save.party = { Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 10) }
+  local game = { data = Data, save = save,
+                 stack = { top = function() return nil end, push = function() end } }
+  return BattleState.newWild(game, "FIXMON_C", 8)
+end
+
+-- finds the queued say-message text (onFaint queues several entries: a
+-- wait, then the say)
+local function findText(battle)
+  for _, entry in ipairs(battle.queue) do
+    if entry.text then return entry.text end
+  end
+  return nil
+end
+
+-- enemy: translated _EnemyMonFaintedText reaches onFaint, raw name only
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle()
+  Data.text._EnemyMonFaintedText = "FAKE-ENEMY {RAM:wEnemyMonNick} FAKE!"
+  battle:onFaint(battle.enemy)
+  T.eq(findText(battle), "FAKE-ENEMY " .. battle.enemy.name .. " FAKE!",
+    "a translated _EnemyMonFaintedText reaches the enemy faint message")
+  Data.text._EnemyMonFaintedText = nil
+end
+
+-- enemy vanilla: the English literal already carries "Enemy " itself
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle()
+  battle:onFaint(battle.enemy)
+  T.eq(findText(battle), "Enemy " .. battle.enemy.name .. "\nfainted!",
+    "no catalog entry falls back to the English literal, Enemy included")
+end
+
+-- player: translated _PlayerMonFaintedText reaches onFaint
+do
+  local battle = mkbattle()
+  Data.text._PlayerMonFaintedText = "FAKE-PLAYER {RAM:wBattleMonNick} FAKE!"
+  battle:onFaint(battle.player)
+  T.eq(findText(battle), "FAKE-PLAYER " .. battle.player.name .. " FAKE!",
+    "a translated _PlayerMonFaintedText reaches the player faint message")
+  Data.text._PlayerMonFaintedText = nil
+end
+
+T.finish("battle_fainted_message_romtext")
diff --git a/tests/engine/box_release_confirmation_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/box_release_confirmation_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..c2db6709
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/box_release_confirmation_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,129 @@
+-- BoxMenu's RELEASE confirmation ("Once released,\n%s is\ngone forever.
+-- OK?") used to be a bare Lua literal. tests/engine/pc_release.lua only
+-- ever runs with an empty Data.text, so it can't tell a properly-wired
+-- t._OnceReleasedText or "..." fallback apart from a literal that never
+-- looked at t at all -- every assertion there passes either way. This
+-- test drives the same interactive release flow with a faked
+-- Data.text._OnceReleasedText and checks the pushed TextBox's raw text
+-- (captured via a TextBox.new spy, so real pagination/choice behavior is
+-- untouched) uses the translated value, not the English literal.
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+local ids = T.fixtures.ids
+require("src.render.Font").load(Data)
+
+local Pokemon = require("src.pokemon.Pokemon")
+local Boxes = require("src.pokemon.Boxes")
+local TextBox = require("src.render.TextBox")
+local BoxMenu = require("src.ui.BoxMenu")
+local ListMenu = require("src.ui.ListMenu")
+local ChoiceBox = require("src.ui.ChoiceBox")
+local SaveData = require("src.core.SaveData")
+local Sound = require("src.core.Sound")
+
+local realCry, realPlay = Sound.playCry, Sound.play
+Sound.playCry = function() end
+Sound.play = function() end
+
+-- spy: records every raw text TextBox.new receives, without disturbing
+-- pagination/choice re-push, so the interactive flow behaves exactly like
+-- pc_release.lua's
+local captured
+local realNew = TextBox.new
+TextBox.new = function(game, text, onDone, opts)
+  captured[#captured + 1] = text
+  return realNew(game, text, onDone, opts)
+end
+
+local stack = { states = {} }
+function stack:push(s) self.states[#self.states + 1] = s end
+function stack:pop()
+  local t = self.states[#self.states]
+  self.states[#self.states] = nil
+  return t
+end
+function stack:top() return self.states[#self.states] end
+function stack:update(dt)
+  local t = self:top()
+  if t and t.update then t:update(dt) end
+end
+
+local pressed = {}
+local function press(btn)
+  pressed = { [btn] = true }
+  stack:update(1 / 60)
+  pressed = {}
+end
+
+local function topMt() return getmetatable(stack:top()) end
+local function mash(btn, cond, n)
+  for _ = 1, (n or 400) do
+    if cond() then return true end
+    press(btn)
+  end
+  return false
+end
+
+local function mkGame()
+  stack.states = {}
+  captured = {}
+  local game = {
+    data = Data,
+    save = SaveData.newGame(),
+    stack = stack,
+    input = {
+      wasPressed = function(_, key) return pressed[key] or false end,
+      isDown = function() return false end,
+    },
+  }
+  game.save.options = game.save.options or {}
+  game.save.options.textSpeed = 1
+  local box = Boxes.active(game.save)
+  box[1] = Pokemon.new(Data, ids.species[1], 5)
+  return game, box
+end
+
+local function releaseFirstMon(game)
+  stack:push(BoxMenu.new(game))
+  press("down"); press("down"); press("a") -- open RELEASE list
+  T.check(topMt() == ListMenu, "RELEASE opens the box list")
+  press("a") -- choose the first (only) mon
+  T.check(mash("a", function() return topMt() == ChoiceBox end),
+    "confirm choice opens")
+  -- the confirmation TextBox is captured[1] the moment it was pushed,
+  -- before this mash even ran
+  return captured[1]
+end
+
+-- monName (BoxMenu.lua): mon.nickname or def.name
+local function monName(box)
+  local mon = box[1]
+  local def = Data.pokemon[mon.species]
+  return mon.nickname or def.name
+end
+
+-- translated: the fake value must reach the pushed TextBox
+do
+  local game, box = mkGame()
+  local name = monName(box)
+  Data.text._OnceReleasedText = "FAKE {RAM:wStringBuffer} released!"
+  local text = releaseFirstMon(game)
+  T.eq(text, "FAKE " .. name .. " released!",
+    "a translated _OnceReleasedText reaches the release confirmation")
+  Data.text._OnceReleasedText = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla: with no catalog entry, the English literal still substitutes
+do
+  local game, box = mkGame()
+  local name = monName(box)
+  local text = releaseFirstMon(game)
+  T.eq(text, "Once released,\n" .. name .. " is\ngone forever. OK?",
+    "no catalog entry still falls back to the English literal")
+end
+
+TextBox.new = realNew
+Sound.playCry, Sound.play = realCry, realPlay
+T.finish("box_release_confirmation_romtext")
diff --git a/tests/engine/overworld_field_faint_heal_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/overworld_field_faint_heal_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2e2344dd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/overworld_field_faint_heal_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,139 @@
+-- Two OverworldController.lua messages used to be bare Lua literals:
+-- applyFieldPoison()'s "%s\nfainted!" (the third of three collapsed
+-- fainted-message ROM strings, _PokemonFaintedText) and
+-- useSoftboiledFieldMove()'s "It won't have\nany effect."/"%s's HP\nwas
+-- restored!" (the same _ItemUseNoEffectText/_PotionText labels
+-- ItemEffects.lua's real potion message already uses -- _PotionText's
+-- second slot is the actual amount healed, which the old literal never
+-- showed at all).
+--
+-- Uses the debug.setupvalue technique already established in
+-- oaks_pc_flow.lua to fake the module-level Game/TextBox upvalues
+-- ROM-free, without going through the heavy OverworldState:enter().
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+
+local SaveData = require("src.core.SaveData")
+local Pokemon = require("src.pokemon.Pokemon")
+local OW = require("src.world.OverworldController")
+
+local function setUpvalue(fn, name, val)
+  local i = 1
+  while true do
+    local n = debug.getupvalue(fn, i)
+    if not n then return false end
+    if n == name then debug.setupvalue(fn, i, val); return true end
+    i = i + 1
+  end
+end
+
+local pushed = {}
+local textBoxStub = {
+  new = function(_, text, onDone, opts)
+    return { text = text, onDone = onDone, opts = opts }
+  end,
+}
+local realSound = package.loaded["src.core.Sound"]
+package.loaded["src.core.Sound"] = { play = function() end, playCry = function() end }
+
+local function mkGame()
+  local save = SaveData.newGame()
+  save.party = { Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 20) }
+  pushed = {}
+  return {
+    data = Data, save = save,
+    stack = { push = function(_, item) pushed[#pushed + 1] = item end },
+  }
+end
+
+for _, name in ipairs({ "applyFieldPoison", "useSoftboiledFieldMove" }) do
+  T.check(setUpvalue(OW[name], "Game", mkGame()), ("Game upvalue on %s"):format(name))
+  T.check(setUpvalue(OW[name], "TextBox", textBoxStub), ("TextBox upvalue on %s"):format(name))
+end
+
+local fakeSelf = setmetatable({}, { __index = OW })
+
+-- ---- applyFieldPoison: _PokemonFaintedText ----
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.applyFieldPoison, "Game", game)
+  local mon = game.save.party[1]
+  mon.status = "PSN"
+  mon.hp = 1 -- one poison tick (1 dmg by default) faints it
+  game.save.poisonSteps = 3 -- (3+1) % 4 == 0: this step ticks poison
+
+  Data.text._PokemonFaintedText = "FAKE {RAM:wNameBuffer} FAKE!"
+  fakeSelf:applyFieldPoison()
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text, "FAKE " .. (mon.nickname or "FIXMON A") .. " FAKE!",
+    "a translated _PokemonFaintedText reaches the field-poison faint message")
+  Data.text._PokemonFaintedText = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla: no catalog entry, English literal
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.applyFieldPoison, "Game", game)
+  local mon = game.save.party[1]
+  mon.status = "PSN"
+  mon.hp = 1
+  game.save.poisonSteps = 3
+
+  fakeSelf:applyFieldPoison()
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text,
+    (mon.nickname or "FIXMON A") .. "\nfainted!",
+    "no catalog entry falls back to the English fainted literal")
+end
+
+-- ---- useSoftboiledFieldMove: _ItemUseNoEffectText / _PotionText ----
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.useSoftboiledFieldMove, "Game", game)
+  local user = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 20)
+  local target = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_B", 20)
+  target.hp = target.stats.hp -- already full: no effect
+
+  Data.text._ItemUseNoEffectText = "FAKE-NOEFFECT!"
+  local ok = fakeSelf:useSoftboiledFieldMove(user, target)
+  T.check(ok == false, "a full-HP target reports no effect")
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text, "FAKE-NOEFFECT!",
+    "a translated _ItemUseNoEffectText reaches the no-effect message")
+  Data.text._ItemUseNoEffectText = nil
+end
+
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.useSoftboiledFieldMove, "Game", game)
+  local user = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 20)
+  local target = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_B", 20)
+  target.hp = target.stats.hp - 10 -- missing exactly 10 HP
+
+  Data.text._PotionText = "FAKE {RAM:wNameBuffer} healed {NUM:wHPBarHPDifference, 2, 3}!"
+  local ok = fakeSelf:useSoftboiledFieldMove(user, target)
+  T.check(ok == true, "a damaged target heals successfully")
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text,
+    "FAKE " .. (target.nickname or "FIXMON B") .. " healed 10!",
+    "a translated _PotionText reaches the heal message, amount included")
+  Data.text._PotionText = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla: no catalog entry, the fallback's single %s slot still fills
+-- correctly (the amount is silently dropped by design, same as
+-- ItemEffects.lua's own _PotionText fallback -- not a regression, this
+-- matches the pre-fix literal's behavior exactly)
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.useSoftboiledFieldMove, "Game", game)
+  local user = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_A", 20)
+  local target = Pokemon.new(Data, "FIXMON_B", 20)
+  target.hp = target.stats.hp - 10
+  local ok = fakeSelf:useSoftboiledFieldMove(user, target)
+  T.check(ok == true, "a damaged target heals successfully (vanilla)")
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text,
+    (target.nickname or "FIXMON B") .. "'s HP\nwas restored!",
+    "no catalog entry falls back to the English literal (no amount shown)")
+end
+
+package.loaded["src.core.Sound"] = realSound
+T.finish("overworld_field_faint_heal_romtext")
diff --git a/tests/engine/overworld_hidden_item_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/overworld_hidden_item_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f1804e49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/overworld_hidden_item_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,85 @@
+-- OverworldState:tryHiddenObject()'s "%s found\n%s!" message used to
+-- substitute both the player name and the item name into one bare Lua
+-- literal. The real _FoundHiddenItemText label leads with a {PLAYER}
+-- named token, which romText auto-fills from a 2-arg call in the same
+-- order the literal already used -- this test checks both slots land
+-- correctly (an accidental argument swap is the easy mistake this shape
+-- invites).
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+
+local SaveData = require("src.core.SaveData")
+local OW = require("src.world.OverworldController")
+
+local function setUpvalue(fn, name, val)
+  local i = 1
+  while true do
+    local n = debug.getupvalue(fn, i)
+    if not n then return false end
+    if n == name then debug.setupvalue(fn, i, val); return true end
+    i = i + 1
+  end
+end
+
+local pushed = {}
+local textBoxStub = {
+  new = function(_, text, onDone, opts)
+    return { text = text, onDone = onDone, opts = opts }
+  end,
+  soundOpts = function() return {} end,
+}
+
+local MAP_ID = "FIX_TOWN"
+Data.field.hiddenItems[MAP_ID] = { { x = 3, y = 3, item = "FIX_BALL" } }
+
+local function mkGame()
+  local save = SaveData.newGame()
+  save.player.name = "FAKEPLAYER"
+  pushed = {}
+  return {
+    data = Data, save = save,
+    stack = { push = function(_, item) pushed[#pushed + 1] = item end },
+  }
+end
+
+T.check(setUpvalue(OW.tryHiddenObject, "Game", mkGame()), "Game upvalue on tryHiddenObject")
+T.check(setUpvalue(OW.tryHiddenObject, "TextBox", textBoxStub), "TextBox upvalue on tryHiddenObject")
+
+local fakeSelf = setmetatable({ map = { id = MAP_ID } }, { __index = OW })
+
+-- translated: player name and item name both land in the right slots
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.tryHiddenObject, "Game", game)
+  Data.text._FoundHiddenItemText = "FAKE {PLAYER} found FAKE {RAM:wNameBuffer} FAKE!"
+  local found = fakeSelf:tryHiddenObject(3, 3)
+  T.check(found == true, "the hidden item at (3,3) is found")
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text,
+    "FAKE FAKEPLAYER found FAKE FIX BALL FAKE!",
+    "a translated _FoundHiddenItemText fills both {PLAYER} and the item name")
+  Data.text._FoundHiddenItemText = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla: no catalog entry, so romText falls back to plain
+-- Strings(fallback, ...) -- the fallback literal is "%s found\n%s!" (both
+-- slots plain %s, matching the pre-fix literal's own shape), not the
+-- {PLAYER} token the real label uses, since Strings() never does
+-- {TOKEN} substitution on its own. (A {PLAYER}-token fallback would
+-- still render correctly too, since the real TextBox.new always runs
+-- TextBox.substitute over whatever text it's given -- but this test
+-- stubs TextBox without that call, and the fallback shouldn't lean on a
+-- substitution pass happening downstream regardless.)
+do
+  local game = mkGame()
+  setUpvalue(OW.tryHiddenObject, "Game", game)
+  game.save.hiddenTaken = {} -- fresh spot
+  local found = fakeSelf:tryHiddenObject(3, 3)
+  T.check(found == true, "the hidden item is found again in a fresh game")
+  T.eq(pushed[1] and pushed[1].text, "FAKEPLAYER found\nFIX BALL!",
+    "with no catalog entry, the fallback still fills both the player "
+    .. "and item name via plain %s substitution")
+end
+
+T.finish("overworld_hidden_item_romtext")
diff --git a/tests/engine/slot_machine_lined_up_romtext.lua b/tests/engine/slot_machine_lined_up_romtext.lua
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..699007c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/engine/slot_machine_lined_up_romtext.lua
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+-- SlotMachine:resolveWin's "%s lined up!\nScored %d coins!" message used
+-- to interpolate the symbol id AND the payout into one bare Lua literal.
+-- The real _LinedUpText label has no slot for the symbol at all (the
+-- original ROM drew it separately) -- only for the coin count. This test
+-- fakes _LinedUpText and checks the symbol is concatenated in front of the
+-- translated suffix, with the payout correctly substituted into it.
+package.path = "./?.lua;./?/init.lua;" .. package.path
+
+local T = require("tests.modkit")
+local Data = T.fixtures.fresh()
+
+local SlotMachine = require("src.ui.SlotMachine")
+
+local function mkSelf()
+  local game = { data = Data, save = { coins = 0 } }
+  return setmetatable({ game = game, allowMatchesCounter = 0 }, SlotMachine)
+end
+
+-- translated: the fake suffix reaches self.message, with the symbol
+-- concatenated in front and the payout substituted into the fake text
+do
+  local self = mkSelf()
+  Data.text._LinedUpText = " FAKE-SUFFIX {RAM:wStringBuffer}!"
+  self:resolveWin({ symbol = "CHERRY", payout = 8 })
+  T.eq(self.message, "CHERRY FAKE-SUFFIX 8!",
+    "a translated _LinedUpText reaches the lined-up message")
+  Data.text._LinedUpText = nil
+end
+
+-- vanilla: with no catalog entry, the English literal still substitutes,
+-- with its own leading space (the original had no slot for the symbol)
+do
+  local self = mkSelf()
+  self:resolveWin({ symbol = "CHERRY", payout = 8 })
+  T.eq(self.message, "CHERRY lined up!\nScored 8 coins!",
+    "no catalog entry still falls back to the English literal")
+end
+
+T.finish("slot_machine_lined_up_romtext")