Elitserien 96 is one of those early hockey games that somehow nails the chaotic energy of the sport despite the chunky pixels. You pick your team—Swedish league only, obviously—and within seconds you're slamming players into the boards or scrambling for loose pucks. The controls are dead simple (pass, shoot, check), but the puck physics feel weirdly realistic for a Genesis game—it bounces off sticks and skates in unpredictable ways.

Matches are fast, messy, and occasionally hilarious. Your defenseman might trip over his own feet trying to stop a breakaway, or a slap shot will ricochet off three players before trickling into the net. The crowd sprites are basically just colored blobs, but they still go wild after a goal. It’s not NHL 94, but if you’re into that rough-around-the-edges 90s sports vibe, this one’s got charm. Just don’t expect a deep franchise mode—this is pure arcade hockey.