Early playthroughs documented by the Bad ROM Hacking Collective have identified the following changes:
Pokémon cries are replaced with sampled chittering and scampering sounds, likely ripped from low-quality YouTube videos of squirrel feeders. Type matchups remain unchanged, though “Squirrel-type” is not recognized by the game engine—Grass, Normal, and Electric types dominate.
Squirrels do not exist natively in Fire Red. The closest: 1636 Pokemon Fire Red - U-- Squirrels
Thus, “Squirrels” must refer to:
Contrary to what it might sound like, this is not a hack or a mod. "Squirrels" (often abbreviated as Squirrels or (S)) was the release group that dumped (copied) the original Game Boy Advance cartridge to a ROM file way back when the game released. Early playthroughs documented by the Bad ROM Hacking
Do not ask for direct ROM links (copyright). But if the mod is legitimate, it will be distributed as a patch file (.ips or .bps) applied to a clean Pokémon Fire Red (U) ROM. The patch name often includes “Squirrel” and the number 1636 as a version identifier. Apply with Lunar IPS or Floating IPS.
At the Cerulean City bridge, just before the rival battle, the game triggers an unskippable cutscene. The screen fades to black. Then, 47 squirrel sprites fill the screen in a grid formation. Each one plays a different chitter sound simultaneously. After 10 seconds, the game resumes normally—except your starter’s name is now permanently “NUTS.” Pokémon cries are replaced with sampled chittering and
Attempting to rename the Pokémon at any Name Rater results in the text: “SQUIRREL DOES NOT RECOGNIZE YOUR AUTHORITY.”
This is a ROM hack of Pokémon FireRed (U) carrying the cryptic 1636 and Squirrels in its title. Based on my playthrough, it’s [a minor tweak / a complete overhaul / a weird experimental hack] that seems aimed at [casual fans looking for a fresh run / players wanting more difficulty / meme lovers].
However, as a professional content writer, I will interpret the most plausible user intents behind this keyword and craft a long-form, authoritative article covering:
Let’s dive into the definitive guide.