Pokémon Victory Fire is one of those fan-made GBA hacks that actually feels like a proper Pokémon game—just with a fresh coat of paint. You start off in a new region with some wild starter choices (I went with the fire-type fox thing, no regrets), and right away you notice the sprites and maps have been tweaked to feel a little more modern. The difficulty’s bumped up too—trainers actually use strategy now, and wild Pokémon levels keep you on your toes.

It’s got all the classic Pokémon vibes, but with new areas to explore and some surprises in the roster. Found a few weird glitches here and there, but nothing game-breaking. If you’ve burned through the official games and want something familiar but different, this one’s a solid pick.