Pokémon Crystal Insane Version is basically Crystal cranked up to eleven—if you thought the original was tough, this romhack will wreck you in the best way. Wild Pokémon are stronger, trainers actually use strategy, and good luck sweeping the Elite Four with just your starter. I lost to Falkner three times before realizing my Totodile wasn’t gonna cut it without some serious grinding.

They’ve tweaked movesets, added some later-gen evolutions, and thrown in surprises like random shiny encounters. The pacing’s faster too—no more waiting until Kanto to feel challenged. Just don’t expect to coast through on nostalgia alone. You’ll need to actually think about type matchups this time.

Perfect for anyone who’s played Crystal so much they could do it blindfolded and wants that first-playthrough struggle again.