Okay, so Zelda II on GBA is weird in the best way—it’s the black sheep of the Zelda family, but that’s why I love it. Instead of the usual top-down view, you’re jumping between side-scrolling combat and an overworld map that feels like an old-school RPG. The first time I played, I got wrecked by some random knight in a cave because, surprise, this game doesn’t hold your hand.

You’ve got magic spells to learn, townsfolk who actually give you hints (if you bother talking to them), and these brutal palaces where one wrong jump means instant death. The music’s still killer, though—that overworld theme lives in my head rent-free. It’s janky, it’s hard as nails, but beating Dark Link at the end? Pure satisfaction. Just don’t throw your GBA when you die to a bubble enemy for the tenth time.