CT Special Forces 2: Back in the Trenches is one of those GBA games that doesn’t mess around—you’re dropped straight into chaotic firefights with barely a tutorial. The controls are simple (run, jump, shoot), but the levels throw everything at you: snipers in windows, grenades rolling at your feet, and those annoying guys who just won’t stay down unless you unload half a clip into them.

What I like is how each mission switches things up—one minute you’re clearing a jungle outpost with a silenced pistol, the next you’re sneaking through a bombed-out city with just a knife. The weapon pickups feel satisfying, especially the shotgun, which turns enemies into red mist with one well-placed shot. Some of the later levels get brutal, though. Expect a few cheap deaths from off-screen rockets.

It’s not the deepest shooter, but the pixel art holds up, and there’s something weirdly addictive about replaying missions to find hidden intel. If you’ve got a soft spot for early 2000s handheld action, this one’s worth dusting off.