Ganbare Goemon on NES is this weird little action-adventure game that feels like a rough draft of what the series would later become. You play as Goemon, the Robin Hood-esque thief from Japanese folklore, running around top-down stages smashing boxes and hunting for passes to unlock the next area. It’s got that early Zelda vibe, but way more straightforward—no puzzles, just find three passes per stage, however you can (some are hidden, some you straight-up buy from shops).

Weirdly, the levels repeat when you move to new provinces, just with tougher enemies. The power-ups help, but they’re fragile—get hit a few times and you’re back to throwing coins like a chump. The MSX2 version is actually the better deal—two-player co-op and extra levels after beating it once. This one’s mostly for Goemon completists or people who dig janky retro charm.