Best casual player ROM hacks

If they ever played River City Ransom, I'd totally include Downtown Special: Kunio-kun no Jidaigekidayo on there. It's been fan translated as "Technos Samurai". It's basically RCR set in feudal Japan.

Link's Awakening is also one of my favorite Zelda games, and the hacks (excepting the hardtype hacks) on RHDN for the DX version are all neat little improvements.

Zelda ALltP has a bunch of cool improvements/mods that aren't complete remodels, too. Not the least of which, the MSU-1 hack.

There's also the BS Zelda versions which were recently completely translated. It basically looks like the original Zelda remade in a Link to the Past's engine.

Also, I know you said no RPGs, but Crystalis is really more of a Zelda-like. It has some nice improvements, too.