Pokemon Jupiter is one of those Ruby hacks that actually feels like a proper N64-era upgrade—not just a reskin. The overworld sprites are chunkier, the colors pop more, and there’s this weirdly satisfying crackle to the battle animations that makes it feel like playing on an old CRT again.

You start in this alternate Hoenn where the routes are shuffled just enough to keep you on your toes. First ten minutes? You’re dodging trainers with teams that don’t play by the usual early-game rules (why does this Bug Catcher have a Scyther?). The new wild encounters are a mix of "oh cool, a Larvitar already?" and "wait, why is this Zubat level 15?"—keeps you from autopiloting.

It’s got that sweet spot of being familiar but unpredictable. Some of the map changes are brutal in the best way, like needing Surf before the second gym. You’ll either love or hate the tweaked type matchups, but either way, it makes you actually think about your team instead of steamrolling with the same old starters.

Definitely one of the better Ruby hacks if you’re tired of the usual formula but don’t want something completely unrecognizable.