Playing the Villains: Jessie and James Take Over Kanto
Most Pokémon stories cast you as the kid who thwarts Team Rocket. This fan project flips the roles. Pokémon Team Rocket: Jessie & James Edition is a Spanish-language hack of Pokémon FireRed by MrNightology, and you play as James, one third of the bumbling trio from the anime, instead of a trainer chasing gym badges.
The set-up borrows from the cartoon's own mythology. James, Jessie and Meowth have spent ages trailing Pikachu through Kanto, Johto and Hoenn when a letter from Giovanni arrives, calling them home to Kanto with a new round of assignments. Those assignments are the game: taking Pokémon and items, investigating locations and sabotaging rivals.
At a glance
- Based on: Pokémon FireRed (Game Boy Advance)
- Created by: MrNightology
- Released: completed as version 1.0; the hack has been publicly listed since 2021
- Genre: Role-playing, villain-perspective story
- Language: Spanish only
- What sets it apart: you are on the wrong side of the law, with missions to match
What the hack adds
- 11 new missions spread across Kanto and Johto, with Hoenn also part of the backstory.
- A day and night cycle, plus wild Pokémon music that changes by region.
- A Battle Subway that connects Kanto and Johto, and a teleporter to random islands.
- Breeding, with a Master Ball as the reward.
- Rogue-style side content: shoplifting, an Alpha Ruins puzzle, and the chance to become a Gym Leader in Green City.
It is a long-running solo project that its author considers finished, and the text is in Spanish throughout, so it is a good pick if you read the language and want a Pokémon story told from the other side.