Okay, so Ransei No Hasha is one of those Sega Genesis games that somehow slipped under the radar back in the day—which is a shame, because it’s got this weird mix of hack-and-slash chaos and actual tactical thinking. You start off with this basic sword swing, but pretty quick, you realize enemies don’t just rush you mindlessly. Some hang back, others flank, and if you’re not careful, you’ll get surrounded fast.

The pixel art’s got that gritty early-90s charm—lots of deep blues and reds, like someone spilled ink over a samurai scroll. And the music? All dramatic drums and twangy strings that kick in right as you’re charging into a fight. There’s no handholding, either. First time I played, I got wrecked by some spear guys because I didn’t realize blocking was a thing. (Pro tip: it is.)

What I love is how the levels hide little shortcuts or alternate paths if you poke around. Found a whole secret boss once because I slashed at what looked like a random wall. Felt like a genius for about five seconds before he flattened me. Still worth it.

If you’re into action games that make you actually learn instead of button-mashing, this one’s a solid time capsule.