Fire Emblem: Decay of the Fangs is one of those GBA games that just sticks with you. Right from the start, you're thrown into this messy political war where every decision actually matters—lose a unit in battle, and they're gone for good. No take-backs. The first time one of my favorite characters got wiped out because I got cocky, I almost reset the whole thing.

What I love is how each character feels distinct, not just in stats but in personality. There’s this one archer who’s all cheerful banter until combat starts, then suddenly she’s dead serious. The maps are brutal in the best way—tight spaces, fog of war, enemies that actually flank you. And the story? Way darker than I expected, with betrayals that actually hurt.

If you’ve got a GBA lying around, this one’s worth dusting off. Just don’t blame me when you get emotionally attached to a pixelated knight who may or may not survive Chapter 9.