California Games on NES is pure 80s nostalgia—Epyx took their usual multi-sport formula and cranked up the weirdness. Instead of basketball or football, you're doing halfpipe skateboarding, hacky sack (yes, really), surfing with janky physics, and even BMX where crashing feels inevitable at first. The pixel art screams "sun-bleached California," all palm trees and neon shorts.

It’s one of those games where every event controls completely differently—took me a few wipes on the surfing level to realize the waves will absolutely wreck you if you don’t time jumps right. The footbag (hacky sack) mode is oddly hypnotic once you get the rhythm down. Not gonna lie, some events aged better than others, but that cheesy synth soundtrack still slaps.

Perfect for short bursts of chaotic, slightly janky retro sports action.