Pokémon Topaz is a solid Silver ROM hack that gives Johto a fresh coat of paint—new Pokémon, redesigned maps, and some surprisingly tough trainer battles. The starters are different (no Cyndaquil here), and wild encounters feel less predictable, which keeps early routes interesting. I got stuck for way too long trying to figure out where to go after Violet City, but that’s part of the charm.

It’s still recognizably Gen 2 at its core, just with enough tweaks to make it feel like a proper alternate version. The sprite work is clean, and the music hits that nostalgic GBC chiptune sweet spot. If you’ve played Silver to death but want something familiar-yet-new, this one’s worth booting up on an emulator.