Chibi Maruko-chan 4 is one of those Game Boy gems that feels like flipping through a scrapbook of childhood—if your childhood involved tiny, big-headed kids solving puzzles and playing weird little games. You start off just wandering around Maruko’s neighborhood, talking to her friends, and before long you’re dragged into stuff like catching bugs or helping her grandpa find his glasses (again).

The mini-games are simple but oddly satisfying—think matching tiles or timing button presses just right to win at jump rope. The music’s got that classic bouncy Game Boy charm, and the pixel art somehow makes everyone look even more ridiculous (in a good way). It’s not deep, but it’s the kind of game you pick up when you just want to smile at something silly for 20 minutes. If you ever watched the anime, half the fun is spotting random side characters popping up.

Honestly, it’s a nostalgia trip, but even if you’re new to Maruko’s world, there’s something weirdly comforting about how low-stakes and cheerful it all is. Just don’t expect epic boss fights—unless you count racing your friend to eat the last dumpling.