Pocket Family on Game Boy is one of those weird little gems that shouldn’t work but totally does. You’re basically playing house with tiny pixel people—building their homes, picking their outfits (the dad in a top hat is objectively the best choice), and watching them go about their day. It’s simple, but there’s something weirdly satisfying about arranging their furniture just right or catching them sneaking a nap when they’re supposed to be gardening.

The controls are pure Game Boy clunkiness (d-pad shuffling through menus, that satisfying *click* of the A button), but that’s part of the charm. I spent way too long trying to get my virtual kid to stop tracking mud into the house before realizing I could just… not buy a rug. Lesson learned.

If you’re into cozy, low-stakes sims or just miss that chunky handheld vibe, this one’s a time capsule worth cracking open. Just don’t blame me when you get weirdly invested in your pixel family’s drama.