Rastan on the Sega Master System is one of those brutally tough but weirdly satisfying arcade ports from the late '80s. You play as this barbarian dude swinging a sword that feels just a little too short, jumping across pits that are just a little too wide, and fighting monsters that take way too many hits to die. Classic arcade design, right?

The first level throws you right into it—skeletons popping out of nowhere, weird bat creatures dive-bombing you, and these annoying jumps where you swear you made it but nope, straight into the spikes. The music’s got that heavy synth vibe, and the pixel art holds up surprisingly well for its age, all moody caves and crumbling castles.

It’s not exactly fair by modern standards, but there’s something addictive about the rhythm of it—swing, dodge, die, repeat until you memorize the enemy patterns. If you grew up with games that didn’t hold your hand, Rastan’s a great nostalgia trip. Just don’t throw your controller.