Master Karateka is one of those old-school Game Boy fighters that feels clunky at first—until you realize there’s actually some depth hiding under those stiff animations. You pick from a handful of martial artists (I always went with the guy in the black gi, no idea why) and fight your way through a tournament. The controls take a second to get used to—jabs feel weirdly delayed, but the roundhouse kicks have this satisfying thwack when they land.

What’s cool is how each fighter has subtle differences in speed and reach, even if the sprites look similar. The AI starts pulling cheap moves by the third match, so you’ll need to figure out spacing or get wrecked by endless jump kicks. It’s not Street Fighter, but there’s something oddly addictive about its simplicity. Just don’t expect flashy combos—this is pure ‘90s button-mashing with a side of pixelated sweat.