Ristar is one of those weird little Genesis gems that never got the love it deserved. You play as this stretchy-armed star dude bouncing between planets, grabbing enemies by the face and slamming them into the ground—way more satisfying than it sounds. The first level throws you right into it: you're swinging from tree branches, using your stretchy arms like a weird cosmic slingshot, and the music's already got that classic SEGA pep.

What really sticks with me are the planet themes—one minute you're in a candy-colored jungle, the next you're dodging lava bubbles on some industrial nightmare world. Boss fights are creative too, like this one where you have to climb a giant snake while it tries to shake you off. It's got that perfect balance of "easy to pick up, tricky to master," especially when you're trying to chain swings just right.

Honestly, it's criminal how overlooked this game is compared to Sonic. If you dig platformers with personality, Ristar's still a blast nearly 30 years later.