Castlevania: The New Generation on Sega Genesis (or Mega Drive if you're fancy) is one of those games that makes you realize how much tougher we had it in the '90s. You start in this moody gothic castle—of course—and within minutes you're dodging bats, skeletons, and whatever else the game throws at you while trying not to fall into bottomless pits. The whip feels good once you get the timing down, but those Medusa heads? Still annoying decades later.

What I love is how the music sets the whole vibe—haunting organ tracks mixed with Genesis-style grit. The levels twist and turn, throwing in some clever platforming bits where you’ll definitely die a few times figuring them out. And the bosses? Big, screen-filling monsters that make you sweat a little before you crack their patterns. It’s not the easiest Castlevania, but that’s part of the charm. Just don’t throw your controller when Death shows up.