Budokan – The Martial Spirit is one of those weirdly specific Sega Genesis fighting games that somehow makes swinging a bo staff feel like a life-or-death math test. You start off picking between four weapons—karate’s the obvious choice, but nunchaku have this weirdly satisfying clack when you land a hit—and then it’s straight into the dojo. No hand-holding, just a gruff sensei barking at you to practice stances while this synth-heavy soundtrack pumps in the background.

The fights are slower than you’d expect, almost chess-like. Mess up your timing and you’ll eat a kendo strike to the face, but nail a counter and the screen flashes red like you just cracked the universe’s code. It’s janky in that 90s way where sometimes your bo staff phases through the opponent’s head, but when it clicks, you feel like an absolute legend. Just don’t expect flashy combos—this is more about patience and reading your opponent’s twitchy little sidesteps.

Honestly, half the fun is the bizarre training minigames. Breaking bricks? Sure. But then there’s this one where you balance on a pole like a drunk flamingo. It’s the kind of game that makes you mutter "one more round" at 2 AM while your thumbs cramp up. If you’re into methodical, slightly awkward retro fighters, this one’s got a weird charm that sticks with you.