Extreme Skate Adventure on GBA is that perfect mix of arcade-y skateboarding and just enough challenge to keep you hooked. The controls feel surprisingly smooth for a handheld—you’ve got ollies, grinds, and manuals down within a few minutes, but nailing combos takes some practice. The levels are these condensed cityscapes with rails, ramps, and hidden gaps everywhere, so you’re constantly spotting new lines to try.

What I love is how it doesn’t take itself too seriously. The physics are a little exaggerated (you can launch off a ramp like you’ve got rockets strapped to your board), but that just makes pulling off ridiculous tricks way more satisfying. And the soundtrack? Pure early 2000s punk and ska vibes—fits perfectly when you’re grinding down a stairset.

It’s one of those games where you tell yourself “one more run” and suddenly an hour’s gone by. If you miss the era of THPS clones but want something that stands on its own, this one’s a solid pick.