Pokemon Cloud White

Pokemon Cloud White is a completed FireRed hack by Shogun that starts like the game you know and then refuses to stop. The opening follows FireRed's story through Kanto, but after that your hero sets out on a new adventure that eventually spans five regions, including Johto and two original areas called Mangan and Azur.

Johto is rebuilt with maps inspired by HeartGold and SoulSilver, including some areas that were exclusive to those remakes, plus new locations. The Azur Archipelago and Johto are designed as open-world zones, so once you reach them you have more freedom over where to go next than in a standard linear Pokemon game.

The Pokedex reaches beyond 540 species from Gen 1 to Gen 6, and all of them are catchable. Mega Evolution is a core feature, with Mega Gems to collect, and the battle system includes the Physical/Special split. The latest version, v523d, was updated in June 2018 and ships with an official guide of more than 100 pages.

Cloud White became the first entry in a series. Shogun later released Cloud White 2, which adds Sinnoh-themed regions and Pokemon up to Gen 7, and Cloud White 3, set largely in new regions with Fairy type, a level cap of 200 and cameo appearances from anime characters. Each is a separate game, so you can start with whichever sounds best, but the first one remains the most popular.

• FireRed story followed by a new adventure across five regions
• Johto with HGSS-exclusive maps plus new areas
• Original regions: Mangan and the Azur Archipelago
• Open-world sections in Azur and Johto
• 540+ catchable Pokemon from Gen 1 to Gen 6
• Mega Evolution with collectible Mega Gems
• Physical/Special split, day/night and weather
• Pokemon World Tournament in the style of B2/W2
• Inverse Battles, an Egg Market and a Johto Safari Zone
• Official guide with 100+ pages

Shogun lists increased difficulty as one of Cloud White's features, and players often mention that early wild Pokemon hit harder than in vanilla FireRed. It is still far from a Kaizo-style hack; the challenge is a moderate step up that rewards building a balanced team.

Cloud White fits players who want a lot of game in one save: a familiar Kanto opening and then dozens of hours of new content. If you dislike long playthroughs or want a tight, polished story, a smaller hack will suit you better.

• Keep the official guide handy; quests in later regions can be hard to track without it.
• Players have reported trouble finding the contact for the Johto gym challenge quest in Mangan, so check the guide there.
• Collect Mega Gems as you explore; they make a big difference in the open-world regions.
• Keep a backup save, since some players report bugs such as a credits loop after the Elite Four.
• Use mGBA or another accurate emulator for the best results.

Cloud White 2 (v279, March 2020) moves the action to Sinnoh and South Sinnoh, includes Pokemon from Gen 1 to 7, all Primal Reversions and Mega Evolutions, and a customizable house.

Cloud White 3 (v277, April 2020) promises more than 60 hours of story, open-world regions, Fairy type, a maximum level of 200 and characters from the Pokemon anime. Both sequels are standalone FireRed hacks by Shogun.