Family Jockey 2 is one of those Game Boy games that somehow makes pixelated horses feel intense. You pick your jockey—I always went with the red one for no real reason—and then it’s straight into these tight, zigzagging tracks where leaning into turns at the right second actually matters. Mess up and you’ll eat dirt while the other riders blow past you.

The controls are simple, but there’s a weird rhythm to it. Tap too much and your horse burns out early; hold back and you’ll never catch up. After a few races, you start memorizing the sneaky shortcuts—like cutting across that one patch of grass that looks solid but totally isn’t. And yeah, the AI opponents cheat. No question. But that just makes beating them more satisfying.

It’s the kind of game you play thinking “just one more race” until your Game Boy batteries start flashing red. Still holds up if you’re into that old-school, no-frills racing vibe.