Rebelstar: Tactical Command is one of those GBA games that sneaks up on you—what starts as a simple turn-based skirmish quickly turns into a full-blown obsession. You're leading a ragtag group of rebels against some seriously nasty aliens, and every mission feels like a puzzle where the pieces keep shooting at you.

The first few battles trick you into thinking it's straightforward, but then you realize how deep the tactics go. Positioning matters, cover actually works (unlike some games where it's just decoration), and losing a squad member hurts. I remember restarting a mission three times because I got too reckless with my sniper.

It's got that classic GBA charm—pixel-perfect animations, crunchy sound effects, and just enough story to keep you invested without drowning in cutscenes. If you ever played XCOM and wished it had a portable cousin, this is it. Just don't blame me when you lose track of time planning your next ambush.