Heavyweight Champ on the Sega Master System is one of those early boxing games that somehow makes janky controls part of the charm. You’ve got these blocky little fighters throwing slow-motion haymakers, and half the strategy is just figuring out how to dodge without accidentally walking into an uppercut.

The first opponent isn’t too bad—just wait for him to lunge, sidestep, and counter with a right hook. But by fight three, you’ll swear the AI starts reading your inputs. The crowd cheers in tinny 8-bit glory every time you land a solid hit, and there’s something weirdly satisfying about watching your pixelated boxer raise his gloves after a KO.

It’s definitely more about timing than reflexes, and the controls take some getting used to (good luck pulling off a consistent jab). But if you grew up with this era of games, there’s a nostalgic roughness to it that still hooks me. Just don’t expect a technical masterpiece—this is pure arcade-style brawling with all its quirks intact.