Ahoy! So, Cutthroat Island on GB—yeah, the Game Boy one—is basically what happens when you cram a pirate movie into that little gray brick. You start off with some choppy but charming pixel waves, a ship, and a cutlass. No tutorial, just vibes. Swing your sword at anything that moves (including, sometimes, your own crew if you’re clumsy).

The controls take a minute—like, why does jumping feel like you’re wearing lead boots? But once you get the rhythm of the swordplay, it’s weirdly satisfying. Also, the music slaps for something coming out of a tinny speaker. Found myself humming the shanty theme after shutting it off.

Fair warning: the difficulty spikes harder than a kraken attack. One second you’re swiping at drunk pirates, the next you’re getting mobbed by six guys with rapiers. Still, there’s something about digging up treasure maps and barely making it back to your ship that just… works. If you’ve got a Game Boy and a love for janky old pirate chaos, this one’s a blast.