Kao the Kangaroo on GBA is one of those classic platformers that feels like it got lost in the shuffle—which is a shame, because it’s got this weirdly charming energy. You start off hopping around as this little kangaroo with boxing gloves, punching weirdly aggressive crabs and bouncing off mushrooms like some kind of marsupial Mario. The controls are simple—run, jump, punch—but the levels throw in just enough twists to keep you from getting too comfortable.

What surprised me was how much personality the game has. Kao’s animations are goofy, the music’s got this upbeat, almost tropical vibe, and some of the enemy designs are just… bizarre (why is there a giant angry octopus in the jungle?). It’s not the hardest platformer out there, but there’s something satisfying about nailing a tricky jump or finding a hidden collectible tucked behind a waterfall. If you’re into early 2000s platformers with a side of janky charm, this one’s worth a look.