If you've ever wanted to feel like a hacker kid battling in cyberspace with a digital buddy, Mega Man Battle Network 5: Team ProtoMan nails that vibe. You start off jacking into the Net as Lan, running around grid-based maps with MegaMan.EXE—except fights aren’t just turn-based, they’re this weird hybrid where you’re dodging attacks in real-time while slinging Battle Chips like some kind of card game on crack.

Picking Team ProtoMan means you get the cooler, edgier allies (sorry, Team Colonel stans). The first hour’s all about learning how to chain chip combos and not get wrecked by viruses—those little jerks hit harder than you’d expect. And yeah, the story’s cheesy in that early-2000s anime way, but the tactical depth sneaks up on you. One minute you’re just flinging basic cannons, next thing you know you’re setting up delayed attacks to counter boss patterns.

It’s still one of the best GBA games for mixing RPG progression with twitchy combat. Just don’t blame me when you start seeing grid lines in your sleep.