James Pond 3: Operation Starfish is one of those weirdly charming Genesis platformers that somehow makes a fish in a tuxedo feel cool. You play as James Pond (yes, really), stretching your elastic body to bounce around underwater levels, dodging jellyfish and collecting power-ups like some kind of aquatic secret agent.

The first thing you'll notice is how bright and cartoony everything looks—it's got that early 90s Sega vibe where everything pops with exaggerated colors. The controls take a minute to get used to since James stretches like rubber, but once it clicks, you'll be ricocheting off walls and snagging hidden items in no time.

Dr. Maybe's levels throw all sorts of nonsense at you—one minute you're dodging mines, the next you're platforming over giant clamshells. The soundtrack's full of those bouncy synth tracks that somehow still get stuck in my head decades later. It's not the hardest game out there, but it's got enough challenge to keep you retrying those tricky jumps.

If you missed this one back in the day, it's worth firing up just for the sheer absurdity of playing as a spy fish.