Jewel Master is one of those Genesis action-platformers that feels simple at first—you run, jump, slash, and collect rings—but then it throws this weirdly addictive crafting twist at you. Instead of just grabbing power-ups, you combine different rings to create new weapons. Some combos are obvious (fire + sword = flaming blade), but others? Good luck figuring those out without experimenting.

The levels are short and punchy, with just enough enemy variety to keep you switching up your ring setups. I remember getting stuck early on until I realized certain bosses crumple if you’ve got the right elemental combo. The music’s got that classic Genesis synth vibe too—kinda cheesy, but it grows on you after a few stages.

It’s not the deepest game, but there’s something satisfying about stumbling into a killer ring combo and shredding through enemies that gave you trouble before. Definitely a hidden gem if you like tinkering with mechanics mid-game.