Earnest Evans is one of those weird, janky Genesis platformers that somehow sticks with you. You play as this Indiana Jones knockoff swinging a whip through jungles, ruins, and caves—except the controls are kinda stiff, and half the enemies feel like they’re designed to annoy you. But there’s something charming about it.

The first level throws you right into the action: dodging spikes, whipping bats out of the air, and trying not to fall into bottomless pits (which happens a lot). The music’s got that classic early ‘90s synth vibe, and the sprite work is surprisingly detailed for such an obscure game. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand—some jumps require pixel-perfect timing, and the hit detection can be brutal.

If you’re into rough-around-the-edges retro platformers with personality, this one’s worth a look. Just maybe keep a walkthrough handy for the later levels.