Barver Battle Saga – Tai Kong Zhan Shi is one of those Genesis games that feels like it got lost in the shuffle back in the day, but it’s got this weirdly addictive mix of strategy and action. You start off picking from a handful of characters—each with their own quirks—and then it throws you into these side-scrolling brawls where positioning actually matters. Mess up, and you’ll get swarmed fast.

The sprites are chunky in that classic 16-bit way, and the music’s got that Sega synth vibe that either hooks you or makes you mute it after an hour. The story’s your usual "band of heroes vs. evil overlord" deal, but there’s something charming about how earnestly it leans into the fantasy tropes. Not gonna lie, the translation’s a bit rough in spots, but that almost adds to the retro feel.

If you dig old-school action RPGs with a side of jank, this one’s a solid time capsule. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand.