Is Pokémon Gaia finished?

The main story is. Since v3 it runs through all eight Gyms to the Elite Four and Champion. It is still labelled "Beta" because the creator planned a v4 to add postgame and two islands' worth of new content. v3.2, released on 8 November 2018 as a bug-fix update, is the latest public version.

Which FireRed ROM do I need to patch Gaia?

A clean US FireRed v1.0 dump — the creator's thread names the "Fire Red (U)(Squirrels)" release. Version 1.1, European and already-modified ROMs will not patch cleanly. A clean v1.0 file has the CRC32 checksum DD88761C.

Why won't Gaia save, or why do I get a save error?

Gaia needs the emulator's save type set to Flash 128KB. The creator calls this out specifically — the wrong save type is the most common cause of lost or broken saves.

What patch format does Gaia use?

UPS. The official download is a zip containing the patch plus the README. You can apply it in the browser with our ROM patcher, or with desktop tools such as NUPS.

Is there a randomizer for Gaia?

Yes. The creator hosts a Gaia-specific build of the Universal Pokémon Randomizer alongside the official downloads. The standard randomizer will not read Gaia's changed data correctly.

Where do I report a Gaia bug?

In the official PokéCommunity thread or the Gaia Discord server linked from it. Check the README in the download first — it lists the known issues for your version.

GBA Completed Hack of FireRed

Pokemon Gaia (v3.2)

Pokémon Gaia modernizes FireRed with Pokémon across six regions, Mega Evolution, Fairy type, secret areas, underwater maps, and reusable TMs.

New story
Modern mechanics
Quality of life

Status: Completed
Plays on: PC · Android · iPhone (emulator)
Base game: Pokémon FireRed
Version: Beta v3.2
Made by: Spherical Ice

Download Install guide

About Pokemon Gaia

Pokémon from Kanto through Kalos join Mega Evolution, the Fairy type, and the physical/special split in Pokémon Gaia. Hidden Grottoes, Secret Temples, underwater maps, and Rock Climb walls add places to explore, while the Battle Marsh and Bug-Catching Contest provide extra activities. Movesets, abilities, competitive items, Pokémon sprites, and Trainer sprites have been updated. Spherical Ice made this completed GBA FireRed hack, beta version 3.2. Reusable TMs and experience for catching Pokémon support the adventure.

What's in it

Pokémon from Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos are included.
Movesets are updated to match Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire.
Modern competitive items such as Choice Specs, Assault Vest, and Ability Pill are included.
Modern abilities such as Mega Launcher and Sheer Force are included.
The physical/special split is included.
Mega Evolution can be used in battle.
The Fairy type and its type chart are included.
Pokémon sprites have been updated.
Trainer sprites have been updated.
Original songs are included.
Walls can be climbed with Rock Climb.
Dive and underwater maps are included.
Hidden Grottoes and Secret Temples are included.
The Bug-Catching Contest is included.
The Battle Marsh is included.
The Black 2 and White 2 Repel system is included.
TMs can be reused.
Catching Pokémon grants experience.

◆ POKEPATCHED NOTES

One of the most complete original-region FireRed hacks — the Orbtus region, all eight Gyms, the Elite Four and the Champion, with Pokémon from Kanto to Kalos and in-battle Mega Evolution. The trade-offs are that the story stops at the Champion with no postgame yet, and there has been no public update since November 2018.

Before you patch

Get the official patch. Spherical Ice hosts every release on their own site — the v3.2 zip is about 13 MB and contains a UPS patch, not a ROM.
Use a clean US FireRed v1.0 ROM (CRC32 DD88761C). If the patched game crashes at the title screen, a wrong base revision is the first thing to check.
Set the save type to Flash 128KB in your emulator before you start, not after your first save.
Patch it in the browser. Our ROM patcher applies UPS patches locally — nothing is uploaded.

Who Gaia is for

Gaia suits players who want a new region and story with modern mechanics on GBA hardware: the physical/special split, the Fairy type, Gen 6 movesets and Mega Evolution, on the familiar FireRed engine.

It’s a weaker pick if you want a long postgame (there isn’t one yet) or an actively developed hack (the last public release was in 2018). Players in the official thread report that some Gyms bring difficulty spikes, so build a balanced team rather than relying on your starter.

Version history

v3.2 — 8 Nov 2018, bug fixes (latest)
v3.1 — 17 Oct 2018
v3.0 — 14 Oct 2018, the full main story through the Champion

If you liked Gaia

Pokémon Unbound — another FireRed hack with an original region and a full story.
Pokémon Glazed — built on Emerald, with its own region to explore.
Pokémon Flora Sky — another Emerald hack with an original region.

Sources

Official PokéCommunity thread — Spherical Ice
Official Eevee Expo thread — story scope, base ROM, save type
Official downloads — release dates, patch and randomizer

Notes checked 25 September 2026.

Pokemon Gaia: common questions

Is Pokémon Gaia finished?: The main story is. Since v3 it runs through all eight Gyms to the Elite Four and Champion. It is still labelled "Beta" because the creator planned a v4 to add postgame and two islands' worth of new content. v3.2, released on 8 November 2018 as a bug-fix update, is the latest public version.
Which FireRed ROM do I need to patch Gaia?: A clean US FireRed v1.0 dump — the creator's thread names the "Fire Red (U)(Squirrels)" release. Version 1.1, European and already-modified ROMs will not patch cleanly. A clean v1.0 file has the CRC32 checksum DD88761C.
Why won't Gaia save, or why do I get a save error?: Gaia needs the emulator's save type set to Flash 128KB. The creator calls this out specifically — the wrong save type is the most common cause of lost or broken saves.
What patch format does Gaia use?: UPS. The official download is a zip containing the patch plus the README. You can apply it in the browser with our ROM patcher, or with desktop tools such as NUPS.
Is there a randomizer for Gaia?: Yes. The creator hosts a Gaia-specific build of the Universal Pokémon Randomizer alongside the official downloads. The standard randomizer will not read Gaia's changed data correctly.
Where do I report a Gaia bug?: In the official PokéCommunity thread or the Gaia Discord server linked from it. Check the README in the download first — it lists the known issues for your version.