J. League Winning Goal is one of those Game Boy sports games that somehow nails the simplicity of early handheld soccer. You pick a team—I always went for Kashima Antlers—and jump straight into matches that feel faster and looser than you'd expect. The controls are basic (pass, shoot, tackle), but there's a weirdly satisfying rhythm to it once you get going.

Graphics are what you'd expect from a Game Boy cart—tiny pixelated players, minimal animations—but the crowd noise and referee whistles actually do a decent job selling the atmosphere. Matches are short enough that you'll blast through a few during a commute, though the AI can pull off some frustrating last-minute equalizers.

It's not FIFA, but for a pocket-sized J. League fix from 1995, it holds up better than most sports titles from that era. Just don't expect tactical depth—this is pure arcade-style hoof-it-and-hope soccer.