Pokémon Surprising Sapphire is one of those weird, fun romhacks that takes the original Ruby/Sapphire and shakes things up—wild Pokémon you wouldn’t expect, trainers with bizarre teams, and some curveballs in the story. First time I booted it up, I ran into a freaking Pidgey on Route 101 instead of the usual Zigzagoon. That’s when I knew this wasn’t your average Hoenn run.

It’s still GBA-era Pokémon at its core, so if you’ve played Emerald or the originals, you’ll recognize the maps and mechanics. But the surprises keep coming—gym leaders pull out Pokémon they’d never normally have, and some evolutions are tweaked. I won’t spoil it, but let’s just say you might want to rethink your usual starter pick.

Definitely a solid choice if you’ve burned through the official games and want something familiar but unpredictable. Just don’t get too attached to your usual team—this hack likes to mess with expectations.