Pokémon Crystal Redesign is one of those hacks that actually makes an already-great game even better. It keeps the classic Crystal experience but tweaks things just enough to feel fresh—like updated sprites, rebalanced Pokémon stats, and some quality-of-life improvements that make grinding way less painful.

You still start in Johto, pick your starter (Cyndaquil forever, fight me), and go on your usual gym-badge-collecting spree. But now wild encounters are a little smarter, some moves got buffed, and there are even a few surprises in the late game if you know where to look. It’s still Crystal at heart, just… smoother.

If you’ve played the original to death, this is the perfect excuse to dive back in. And if you haven’t? Well, now you’ve got the best version to start with.