Gaia and the Quakes of Orbtus: A FireRed Hack With Its Own Region
Pokémon Gaia runs on the Pokémon FireRed engine but takes place in a region of its own, the Orbtus Region, a land whose ancient civilisation collapsed after earthquakes. In the present day, rising seismic activity worries Professor Redwood, who recruits new trainers in Celanto Town to help protect the region. You work alongside the Professor, with a rival at your side, as the cause of the tremors comes to light.
At a glance
- Based on: Pokémon FireRed (Game Boy Advance)
- Created by: Spherical Ice and the Gaia Team
- Released: 2018 (version 3.2, updated November 2018)
- Genre: Role-playing, story-driven hack
- What sets it apart: a new region, Fairy type and in-battle Mega Evolution
What changes from the original
- A Physical/Special/Status split and a Fairy type with a revised type chart.
- Pokémon from Kanto through Kalos, with updated sprites, moves and abilities.
- Mega Evolution during battle, using Mega Stones hidden around the region.
- Field options such as Rock Climb and Dive, plus a Bug-Catching Contest and a Battle Marsh facility.
- Hidden Grottoes and Secret Temples that hide rare items.
- Small quality-of-life touches, such as trainers turning to face you before a battle.
Reception and save notes
Gaia appears in RetroDodo's roundup of the best GBA hacks, which singles out climbing walls and exploring the sea floor as highlights. One practical detail from the developers: saves from earlier Gaia versions are not compatible with version 3.