Play Gegege No Kitarou - Youkai Souzoushu Arawaru! (japan) Online

I picked up Gegege No Kitarou - Youkai Souzoushu Arawaru! back when it came out in 1996, a Bandai title for the Game Boy. It was part of that wave of games based on anime, fitting right in with the handheld's library of adventure and role playing titles.

You control Kitarou, the one eyed youkai boy, navigating through side scrolling stages and overhead map areas. The main goal is to stop a surge of evil spirits, which involves traveling to different towns and dungeons. Your primary attack is a short range kick, but you also collect and use special items that grant temporary powers, like a projectile attack or a protective barrier. The game mixes action platforming with light exploration, often requiring you to find keys or specific characters to progress. Some sections can be tricky, with precise jumps and enemy patterns to learn. Moving through the haunted landscapes with that simple, effective control scheme gives the whole adventure a straightforward, earnest feel.