Eijukugo Target 1900 is one of those weirdly addictive Game Boy titles that makes learning Japanese kanji compounds feel like a puzzle game—because, well, it is. You’re given a grid of kanji characters, and your job is to match them into correct compound words. Sounds simple, but when you’re staring at 1900 of them, things get tricky fast.

At first, I thought I’d breeze through it—until I realized some compounds have multiple readings or obscure meanings. The game doesn’t hold your hand, either. No hints, just you and your brain trying to piece together words like a linguistic detective. It’s the kind of game where you’ll suddenly remember a random kanji combo hours later while doing something completely unrelated.

If you’re into language learning or just love a good mental challenge, this one’s surprisingly satisfying. Just don’t expect flashy graphics—it’s pure, unfiltered kanji crunching.