High Seas Havoc is one of those weirdly charming Genesis platformers that never got as much love as it deserved. You play as Havoc, a seal with a serious grudge against pirates—which, honestly, fair. The first level throws you right into it: dodging cannonballs, hopping between sinking ships, and collecting enough gold to make a pirate jealous. The controls take a second to click (Havoc slides a bit when he stops), but once you get the rhythm, bouncing off enemies and grabbing power-ups feels surprisingly smooth.

The art style’s got that early '90s Sega vibe—bright colors, chunky sprites, and pirate forts that look like they’re straight out of a Saturday morning cartoon. The music’s upbeat in that way where you’ll hum it for days, even if you don’t want to. And yeah, it’s tough—some of those later levels love throwing bottomless pits at you—but it never feels cheap. Just bring patience (and maybe a turbo controller for the boss fights).

If you’re into obscure Genesis gems or just want to see a seal uppercut a seagull, this one’s a solid time. Just don’t blame me when you’re stuck on the ice level for an hour.