Pokémon Light Platinum is one of those fan-made GBA hacks that actually feels like a proper Pokémon game—just with way more stuff packed in. You start in Zhery, a whole new region, and right away you notice the sprites are cleaner, the battles feel snappier, and there are Pokémon from multiple generations mixed in. I remember picking my starter and thinking, "Wait, Riolu’s an option now?"

The gym leaders don’t mess around either—some of them pull double battles or unexpected type combos that’ll wreck you if you’re not paying attention. And the post-game? It’s got a whole second region to explore, plus legendaries tucked away in places that actually feel rewarding to hunt down. If you’ve burned through the official games and want something familiar but fresh, this one’s a solid pick.