FIFA Soccer 2003 on the GBA is one of those games that somehow makes tiny pixel players feel like they’ve got real footwork. The controls are snappy—tap the shoulder buttons for quick passes or hold for a lob, and the D-pad actually gives you decent control over dribbles. Not bad for a handheld in 2003.

You’ve got a handful of real teams (no full leagues, but enough to pick favorites), and the gameplay’s faster than you’d expect. Slide tackles are borderline OP, and the AI defenders will absolutely punish you if you try to sprint past them every time. Took me a few matches to stop spamming through balls.

It’s not perfect—the graphics are obviously cramped, and commentary is just text pop-ups—but for quick matches between classes or bus rides, it holds up way better than it should. Scoring a last-minute chip shot over the keeper still feels stupidly satisfying.