Pokemon Clover

Pokemon Clover is what happens when an anonymous imageboard decides to build a whole Pokemon game together. Every one of its 386 monsters was designed by members of 4chan's /vp/ board, and the game around them is a FireRed hack with two new regions, a fully custom soundtrack and a modern battle engine.

The project began around 2014 as a simple reskin and grew for years before the full game came out in April 2020. The most recent version, v1.3.3, was released in October 2023. The previous update was described as the last major one, with later work focused on bug fixes and possibly finishing a Battle Channel feature.

You need to know one thing before you start: Clover is a parody of 4chan culture and of Pokemon itself. Its regions are named Fochun and the Ebin Isles, its story features groups like Memes Inc. and the Fochun League, and the creators warn that it contains themes and language not suited for the faint of heart. It is crude on purpose, and that will put some players off.

Underneath the jokes is a surprisingly polished game. Clover runs a Gen 7/8-standard battle engine, trainers use competitive-grade AI that switches out of bad matchups, and the hack is designed for veterans of the series. Reusable TMs, deletable HMs, Wonder Trading, hidden Grottos and a pile of side quests round it out.

• 386 original fakemon designed by the /vp/ community — no official Pokemon
• Two regions: Fochun and the Ebin Isles
• Completely custom soundtrack
• Gen 7/8-standard battle engine
• Competitive-grade AI that switches Pokemon
• Custom EXP gain mechanics and custom battle backgrounds
• GSC-style berry trees, Wonder Trading and custom Poke Balls
• Black/White 2-style repel system
• Reusable TMs and deletable HMs
• Hidden Grottos, Phenomena and many sidequests

Clover is explicitly built for experienced players. The AI will switch out of disadvantageous matchups, and the custom EXP system makes it harder to simply outlevel a problem. Many players say the early gyms are where the difficulty first hits hard.

It is a good fit if you know Pokemon mechanics well and want the thrill of a completely unknown Pokedex — you cannot rely on memorized type matchups for species you have never seen. It is not a good fit for younger players, or for anyone who would be bothered by offensive humor and imageboard slang.

• Check each new fakemon's typing in the Pokedex as soon as you catch or see it; designs do not always hint at their types.
• Expect opponents to switch — lead with Pokemon that can still do damage after a swap.
• Build a balanced team early, because the custom EXP gain makes catching up an underleveled Pokemon slow.
• Use the reusable TMs freely; you can teach strong moves without worrying about wasting them.
• Avoid cheats: players report that the game can punish cheat use with a special ending.

The 1.3 updates are bug-fix and polish releases on top of the full game from 2020. v1.3.3 from October 2023 is the version to play. The team called the previous update the final major one, so do not expect new regions — only fixes and, possibly, a finished Battle Channel.

If you have an older save, back it up before patching a newer version onto your clean FireRed ROM.