Kessakusen! Ganbare Goemon 1 2: Yuki-hime To Magginesu is one of those GBA gems that just oozes personality. You start off as Goemon—yeah, the dude with the pipe and the ridiculous hair—bouncing around feudal Japan with this weird mix of platforming and beat-em-up action. The pixel art’s got that classic Konami charm, all bright colors and exaggerated expressions, and the enemies are just… bizarre in the best way. One minute you’re fighting off umbrella-wielding thugs, the next you’re dodging giant rolling sushi.

It’s got that old-school difficulty too—some jumps feel brutal at first, and the puzzles make you stop and think (or maybe throw your GBA in frustration). But there’s something satisfying about finally nailing a tricky section or figuring out how to use Ebisumaru’s… questionable skills. And the humor? Pure Japanese absurdity. If you’ve ever wanted to rescue a princess while a robot ninja cracks jokes, this is your game.

Honestly, it’s a love letter to the series—packed with callbacks but still fresh if you’re new to Goemon’s world. Just don’t expect it to go easy on you.