Okay, so Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch is basically what happens if you take a magical girl anime, throw it underwater, and add a GBA rhythm game twist. You play as Lucia and her mermaid pals, belting out songs to fight evil—which sounds ridiculous until you realize how weirdly satisfying it is to tap along to their bubblegum J-pop tunes.

The rhythm sections are simple but fun, though the real surprise is the puzzle bits between songs. You’ll be matching gems or navigating little underwater mazes, and it’s just the right amount of brain-teasing without slowing things down. And yeah, the sprite work is adorable—Lucia’s transformation sequence is peak early-2000s sparkle.

If you’ve watched the anime, you’ll recognize all the story beats (complete with dramatic villain monologues). If not, no worries—it’s cheesy in the best way, like a Saturday morning cartoon with extra glitter. Just don’t expect hardcore rhythm challenges; this one’s more about vibing with the mermaid fantasy. The soundtrack’s still stuck in my head, though.