Akumajou Dracula on Game Boy is basically Castlevania crammed into a tiny cartridge—and somehow it works. You’ve got the Belmont whip, the creepy castles, and those ridiculous Medusa heads flying at you from off-screen. The controls feel a little stiff compared to the NES version, but that’s part of the charm (and the challenge).

First thing you’ll notice? The music. It’s shockingly good for a Game Boy soundtrack—that gothic organ vibe somehow translates through those tinny speakers. And the bosses? Still terrifying, especially when you realize how little room you have to dodge. Pro tip: don’t sleep on the sub-weapons. That axe might seem slow, but it’ll save you against Death’s scythes.

It’s shorter than the console games, but that just means every screen counts. If you’ve got a soft spot for pixel-perfect jumps and 8-bit vampires, this one’s worth the frustration.