Hiryuu No Ken S - Golden Fighter is one of those SNES fighters that flew under the radar but actually has some cool ideas. The roster's small but weird—you've got your standard karate guys alongside a samurai who fights with a giant oar for some reason. First time I played, I got wrecked by the CPU because the timing on counters feels different from Street Fighter.

What stands out is how weighty the hits feel—when you land a clean punch, the screen shakes just enough to make it satisfying. The golden fighter gimmick is basically a powered-up state that turns your character all shiny, and pulling it off at the right moment can flip a match. Not gonna lie, the AI cheats like crazy on higher difficulties, but that just makes beating the final boss more satisfying.

It’s rough around the edges, but there’s charm in how over-the-top the special moves are. The samurai’s whirlwind slash still makes me laugh every time.