Pokémon Brown 2014 is one of those fan-made ROM hacks that actually feels like a proper Pokémon game—just with a fresh coat of paint. It’s built on the original Red/Blue engine, but the map’s completely redone, and there’s a bunch of new Pokémon mixed in with the classics. At first, I thought it’d just be a reskin, but nope, it’s got its own weird little story and some surprisingly tough battles early on.

You start in a new region (Naljo, I think?), and the first gym leader wrecked me twice before I figured out a decent team setup. The sprites are a mix of old-school and some custom designs, which gives it this weirdly charming janky vibe. If you’ve played a ton of Gen 1 and want something familiar but just different enough to keep you on your toes, this one’s worth digging up.