Battle of Kingdom is one of those obscure Game Boy strategy gems that never made it outside Japan—which is a shame, because it’s got this weirdly addictive mix of turn-based tactics and light RPG elements. You start off picking a faction (samurai, ninja, or something called "Western Army"), and right away, the tiny sprites and grid-based maps give off serious Fire Emblem vibes, just way more stripped down.

The first few turns feel slow—moving units feels clunky at first, and the menus are all in Japanese, so you’ll be guessing a lot. But once your archers take out an enemy cavalry unit from across the map, it clicks. There’s something satisfying about flanking opponents with spearmen while your leader hangs back buffing morale. Just don’t expect deep storytelling—it’s all about the chess-like battles.

If you can get past the language barrier and the chunky controls, there’s a solid little strategy game hiding here. I still boot it up when I want something quick and tactical.