Pokémon Elements is one of those fan-made GBA hacks that actually feels polished—like it could’ve been a real side game back in the day. You start off picking from three new elemental starters (fire, water, grass, but with way cooler designs), and the overworld’s got this slightly moodier color palette that makes it feel fresh without straying too far from the classic vibe.

Wild Pokémon encounters are shuffled up—you’ll run into stuff like a fire-type Pikachu early on, which sounds weird but somehow works? The gym leaders actually put up a fight too, so don’t expect to just steamroll them with your starter. I got wrecked by the second gym’s electric-types until I caved and grinded a ground Pokémon.

If you’ve played a ton of FireRed and want something familiar but with enough twists to keep you on your toes, this one’s a solid pick.