Pokémon Orange is one of those fan-made ROM hacks that actually feels like a proper, polished game—not just some slapped-together mod. It’s built on the classic Gen 2 engine, but with a whole new region, fresh Pokémon sprites, and a surprisingly decent story for a fan project.

You start off in this tropical island setting, picking from three new starters (I went with the fire-type fox thing, no regrets). The routes feel familiar but different enough to keep you exploring, and there’s even some light puzzle stuff in caves that’s way better than just pushing boulders around. Oh, and the rival? Actually annoying in a fun way, not just some forgettable NPC.

If you’ve played Crystal or Silver to death, this’ll scratch that itch without feeling like a rehash. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand—some of the gym puzzles are brutal.