Pokémon Aquamarine is one of those fan-made GBA hacks that actually feels polished—like stumbling onto a lost official game. You start in this tropical region packed with water routes and little islands, and right away you notice the sprites have been tweaked to look sharper. The wild Pokémon mix is different too—expect stuff like early-game Mareanie and some regional variants that make the usual grind feel less predictable.

It’s still classic Pokémon at its core, but the pacing’s better. No endless tutorials, just a quick intro and you’re already catching stuff. The gym leaders hit harder than you’d think, though. I went in expecting an easy nostalgia trip and got wrecked by the second gym’s rain team. Had to actually think about type matchups again.

If you’ve played a dozen FireRed romhacks and want one that doesn’t just recycle Kanto for the hundredth time, this one’s got its own vibe. The music’s all remixed with this kinda beachy tone, too.