Alright, so Karakuri Kengou Den Musashi Lord is one of those Game Boy gems that feels like a proper samurai adventure—if you don’t mind some jank. You play as Musashi, and yeah, you’ll be slashing through enemies with your sword, but the real hook is the weird karakuri (mechanical puppet) gimmick. Some stages have these puzzle-like contraptions you gotta figure out, which keeps things from being just another hack-and-slash.

First few minutes? You’re jumping between platforms, dodging arrows, and realizing the controls are a little stiff—classic Game Boy action. The sprites are surprisingly detailed for the system, though, and the music’s got that nostalgic chiptune vibe. It’s not the deepest game, but there’s something satisfying about clearing a room of enemies with a well-timed slash.

Fair warning: some of the level design is… questionable. You’ll hit a few "why is this here?" moments, but pushing through feels rewarding. If you’re into retro samurai games with a side of weirdness, this one’s worth a few hours of your time.