Okay, so Crusader of Centy is one of those Genesis gems that feels like Zelda but with its own weird, charming twist. You play as this kid who gets a talking sword (yeah, it chats with you) and suddenly gains the ability to understand animals—which sounds cute until you realize some of them have serious attitude.

The combat’s simple at first—just slashing stuff—but then you start teaming up with animals that give you different abilities. A monkey lets you throw your sword like a boomerang, while a penguin… well, let’s just say ice physics are involved. It’s got that classic top-down adventure vibe, but the way you mix and match animal buddies keeps things interesting.

And the story? Surprisingly deep for a 16-bit game. There’s this whole theme about empathy and seeing the world differently—like, some enemies aren’t just mindless monsters once you actually talk to them. It’s a little clunky by modern standards, but there’s something special about how earnest it all feels. If you’re into retro action-RPGs with heart, this one’s worth dusting off the Genesis for.