Play Pokemon CAWPS Online

Pokemon CAWPS is one of those rom hacks that starts off familiar but quickly takes a sharp turn. You still get the usual GBA Pokemon feel at first, wandering through tall grass and catching creatures, but then the cop theme kicks in hard. Your starter choices are all police-themed, which is weird but kinda works.

The dialogue is where it really stands out. Every trainer battle feels like you're dealing with some petty criminal or rogue officer. I remember one fight where my Growlithe had to take down a gang of Rattatas that were "stealing evidence." The writing doesn't take itself seriously, which helps when you're sending out a Pidgey in a tiny police hat.

It's janky in places, with some rough sprite edits, but that almost adds to the charm. Pokemon CAWPS knows exactly what it is and leans into the absurd premise without overstaying its welcome.