Ninja Ryuukenden - Matenrou Kessen is one of those classic Game Boy action games that feels way harder than it looks. You play as a ninja scaling this massive tower, slashing through enemies with a short sword that never quite feels long enough. The controls are simple—jump, attack, climb—but the timing has to be just right, or you'll get knocked off platforms constantly.

First time I played, I got wrecked by the second-floor archers because I didn’t realize you could crouch under their shots. The music’s got that early Game Boy chiptune vibe, all tense and repetitive in a way that somehow works. And yeah, it’s in Japanese, but the only text that matters is "Game Over," which you’ll see a lot.

If you’re into punishing retro action, this one’s a solid time capsule from 1990.