Bakenou V3 is one of those weird, charming Game Boy titles that never left Japan—which is a shame because it’s got this odd mix of strategy and monster-raising that just clicks. You start off picking a little creature to train, and at first, I had no idea what I was doing—do I go for the speedy one or the tanky blob? Turns out, the blob was a solid choice.

Battles play out on a grid, almost like a stripped-down tactical RPG, but with way more personality. Your monster learns skills as it levels, and there’s something weirdly satisfying about watching your weird little guy evolve into a slightly less weird (but stronger) guy. The sprites are chunky and full of that classic Game Boy charm, and the music’s got that nostalgic bleep-bloop energy.

It’s not super deep, but there’s just enough here to keep you hooked for a few hours. Definitely one of those hidden gems if you’re into retro monster battlers.