Rockstar Editor crossovers and remakes are one thing, but going reverse and pulling the skin of GTA over another game is a relatively original idea. Usually the Rockstar Editor used in unison with various mods is used to create cross-over content as tribute to other fandoms — be it serious or for the sake of humor. GTA as a franchise has a long history, with the first game having been released back in 1997. Gaming's hall of fame is vast and it should be no surprise that several fandoms overlap — hence, the countless Editor cross-overs.
GTA has crossed paths with Pokémon Go before in less a glamorous form, but a fan of both franchises has done them justice this time around. YouTuber and evidently avid video game enthusiast Hat-Loving Gamer has put together a fan video which, instead of making GTA resemble Pokémon, makes Pokémon resemble GTA.
The angled top-down view, the typical blocky graphics, the text-boxes, the interaction menus and the turn based combat from the iconic Pokémon perspective all add to that feel of familiarity.
Granted, this may not be all too different from what the original GTA was like, but there are obvious tells for anyone who has played either game. The video goes through the history of Rockstar's franchise, depicting scenes from every major game in the series. CJ's epic BMX chase, Roman's constant attempts to hang out with Niko and many more iconic elements of the series appear at various points.
The video expertly blends the features and style of the classic Pokémon games with material from GTA for the perfect nostalgia tribute for both franchises. Rather fittingly, easter eggs are plentiful, with Ammu-nation stores dotting the streets, pedestrians and drivers being known Pokémon characters, authentic GTA vehicles and tiny details hidden across the backgrounds.
It's quite clear that the Hat-Loving Gamer isn't just trying to cash in on popular titles by throwing together a video after an hour on Google, but is truly a fan of both franchises. All the right clues are where they should be. Re-watching the video a few times is worth it for finding all the small treats for fans.
The Hat-Loving Gamer's channel is full of similar videos, crossing retro Pokémon with other popular game franchises made for the fans. He also creates various other homages and tributes to older Nintendo games and systems. His channel is clearly geared towards older gamers, or lovers of retro.
What other older classic would you like to see get a GTA colored coat of paint?
