Gem Gem Monster is one of those weird little Game Boy Color puzzlers that somehow sticks with you. It’s got this simple but kinda hypnotic gameplay loop—you’re matching colored gems while these little monster dudes shuffle around the board, messing with your plans. At first it feels like a basic match-3, but then the monsters start stealing your gems or blocking your moves, and suddenly you’re sweating over a 20-year-old handheld game.

Japan got all the best quirky puzzle games back then, and this one’s no exception. The music’s got that classic GBC chirpiness, and the pixel art is charming in a low-budget way. It’s the kind of game you boot up thinking "I’ll just play one round" and then realize you’ve been grinding for high scores for an hour.

Definitely worth a shot if you’re into retro puzzle games with a bit of chaos thrown in.