Chachamaru Panic is one of those weird little Game Boy gems that never left Japan—which is a shame, because it's got this frantic, almost puzzle-like action vibe that's hard to put down. You control this tiny character (Chachamaru, I guess?) running around a single-screen stage, dodging enemies and grabbing items before time runs out. The controls are simple—just move and jump—but things get chaotic fast when the screen fills up with bouncing baddies.

What surprised me was how much strategy sneaks in. Do you go for the high-risk power-up in the corner or play it safe? Some stages feel impossible until you figure out the right path, and then it clicks. The music’s got that classic Game Boy chiptune energy too—peppy but slightly grating after an hour, in the best way.

Definitely one for fans of quirky, bite-sized arcade-style challenges. I still haven’t cleared the later stages without yelling at my screen.