Great Ice Hockey on the Sega Master System is one of those old-school sports games that somehow nails the feel of the sport without overcomplicating things. You pick your team—I always went with Canada, obviously—and jump straight into a fast, arcade-style match where the puck zips around like it’s on greased ice.

The controls are simple: pass, shoot, and check, but timing matters. If you just mash buttons, you’ll spend half the game watching your guys trip over their own skates. The AI isn’t a pushover either—they’ll steal the puck if you hold onto it too long, and their goalie actually blocks shots instead of just waving at them.

It’s got that classic pixelated charm, with little details like players tumbling after a hard hit or the way the crowd (well, a few colored blocks) cheers when you score. Not gonna lie, the sound effects are basically bleeps and bloops, but somehow that just adds to the nostalgia. If you’ve got a soft spot for retro sports games, this one’s a solid time capsule.