ThePokemonfranchise has introduced several experimental mechanics throughout the years and has tried to one-up itself time and time again. But sometimes,fans take it upon themselves to tweak and upgrade the gamesthey’ve grown up on by creating their own conceptualized, unique titles.
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One such game isPokemon Insurgence, which introduces players to an all-new adventure in the Torren Region. With new Pokemon variants, difficulty levels, and an online presence,Pokemon Insurgencetakes the classicPokemonexperience and gives it a whole new life — one filled with improved mechanics, cults who worship Legendary Pokemon, and never-before-seen storylines. For fans looking to invest in a new journey, here are some things to know aboutPokemon Insurgencebefore beginning.
Updated July 17, 2025, by Jerrad Wyche:These days, Pokemon fever can feel like a year-long event as the series sees the release of both new games and trading card sets month after month. With the release of the 9th generation of games, Pokemon Scarlet & Violet, set to release in late 2022, many fans are trying to find ways to kill time until they come out. Fan-made games like Pokemon Insurgence that see timely updates can do the job in this respect, so fans should know what exactly these projects have to offer.
18The Rivals
APokemongame can be heavily judged on whether or not the player’s rival is written and implemented well into the game’s story.Pokemon Insurgenceplayers will face off with two rivals named Damian and Nora. At the beginning of the game, Damian is revealed to be the eventual best friend of the player.
Nora, on the other hand, is a true rival and she often parallels the player’s journey through the region known as Torren. She also happens to be the one who explains the concept of Pixie Pokemon to the player character, one of the many interesting additions inPokemon Insurgence.
17Mystery Gift Pokemon
Obtaining presents from the Mystery Gift feature inPokemongames may require an internet connection. It turns out though that it doesn’t always require a Nintendo console. At least not for those who are playingPokemon Insurgence, anyway.
Players who are interested in getting some extra items and Pokemon need only head toPokemon Insurgence’s wiki page and scroll to the Mystery Gift page. There, they’ll find a list of all the previous gifts and a breakdown of each gifted Pokemon’s details. The most recent gift was a Shiny Togepi in celebration of Pride Month in July of 2022.
16Kanto Starters Reimagined
When players startPokemon Insurgencethey’ll be thrived to find out that the three original starting Pokemon fromPokemon Red & Blueare the choices for starter Pokemon in this fan-made project. That said, there is one big alteration that may take a bit of getting used to.
The difference is that they don’t stick to the normal Fire, Water, and Grass-types they’ve been known for. Delta Bulbasaur’s evolutionary line is Fairy and Psychic dual-type, Delta Charmander becomes Ghost and Dragon dual-type, and, lastly, Delta Squirtle trades its water tactics for Dark and Fighting-types.
15Cults
In otherPokemongames, players are often tasked with dealing with odd groups of people who view Pokemon in a certain light. InPokemon Insurgence, there are cults that worship legendary creatures and will do anything in their power to get what they want.
Unlike otherPokemongames,Insurgenceisn’t afraid to have a story that involves violence and killings; activities that cults in the game are more than capable of pulling off. They tend to use human sacrifices in an attempt to summon the legendary Pokemon they worship.
14A New Held Type: Armors
There are a lot of new and interesting mechanics present inPokemon Insurgence. One of the most curious (and often overlooked) is the ability to purchase, find, or equip specialized “armors” to a specific Pokemon. These armors are used as held items and usually boost the defense and special defense of the user by a large amount, granting them a special “armored form.” While there are only six of these armors in the game (and only apply to particular Pokemon), it’s hard to deny how useful they are.
It’s also important to note that once the correct armor is held by the matching user, that armor cannot be “knocked away” as a traditional item would, and even protects against moves like Switcheroo and Knock Off. Currently, armor is available for Tyranitar, Leavanny, Flygon, Zekrom, Delta Volcarona, and Mewtwo.
13Use HMs As Items, Not Moves
One of the most frustrating things about the originalPokemonreleases is HMs. These specialized moves had to be taught to Pokemon in order to overcome some of the obstacles within the game, which were used to help keep players away from certain areas before they were ready.
Later editions ofPokemonhave “solved this problem” by doing away with HMs as a progression requirement, meaning players didn’t have to dedicate one of their poor Pokemon as an HM tool, designed only to use the moves when needed.Pokemon Insurgencefeatures an HM system but, thankfully, doesn’t force players to teach HM moves to their Pokemon. Instead, HM items allow players to use HMs directly.
12Online Trading System
Trading used to be an absolute chore in thePokemonfranchise. The orignal releases forced players to trade their Pokemon through the use of a specialized accessory called a Link Cable, and players that wanted to trade with one another would have to physically reside in the same area. It wasn’t until Generation 6 that players could freely trade their creatures online and the latest iterations of the franchise make trading a breeze.
Thankfully,Pokemon Insurgencerecognized the desire for players to trade online as well, by adding full support for it within the game. With specialized Delta Pokemon and new Mega Evolutions, it’s even more useful to trade with friends and other players.
11An Extensive Endgame
Endgame content has always been a fan-favorite part of thePokemonfranchise. From the first time that players ever met Mewtwo, to hunting down all the Ultra Beasts, there have been some pretty amazing moments at the end ofPokemon’s games.
Pokemon Insurgencehopes to continue this tradition by offering a robust amount of post-game content, including 13 additional quests that will challenge players. Some of these quests are recommended for teams of Pokemon that are level 95-100 minimum.
10A Whole New Region
Pokemon Insurgenceintroduces the Torren Region, equipped with its own league, the Torren League. While the Gym Leaders retain the classic type-based themes for their teams, the Elite Four instead center their teams around specific moves: Baton Pass, Sandstorm, Hail, and Trick Room, respectively.
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There are 15 cities/towns and 13 routes for players to explore, with their journey beginning in their hometown, Telnor Town. Here, the player meets the region’s professor, Professor Sylvan, and one of their rivals, Damian. Their other rival, Nora, is met later in the game.
9Character Customization Is Back
A popular mechanic introduced in Generation VI,Pokemon Insurgenceallows players to customize their avatars. At the start of the game, players are prompted to pick between three avatars with varying hair colors and complexions.
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The game does, however, still stick to the “boy” or “girl” gendered options. Later on, as the player continues, they will have the opportunity to change their clothing and hair. These can be changed at Pokemon Centers in any of the larger cities.
