Pokémon Quartz is one of those fan-made GBA hacks that actually feels like a proper Pokémon game—just with a twist. You still get the classic monster-catching and turn-based battles, but everything’s shuffled: new Pokémon designs, different type matchups, and a region that’s way tougher than the usual fare. I remember running into some wild ‘mon early on that absolutely wrecked my starter, which was… humbling.

The sprites are rough around the edges (it’s a ROM hack, after all), but there’s charm in the weirdness. Some of the new evolutions are hilariously overpowered, and good luck guessing what’s effective against what without a guide. If you’ve burned through the official games and want something unpredictable, this’ll keep you on your toes.