Rock'n! Monster!! is one of those weird, charming Game Boy titles that never left Japan—which is a shame, because it’s a solid little action-RPG with a killer (and slightly ridiculous) premise. You play as a rockstar-turned-monster-hunter, swinging a guitar like a weapon and battling through side-scrolling stages packed with creatures that look like they escaped from a Saturday morning cartoon.

The combat’s simple but satisfying—you’ve got basic attacks, a slide move that feels way too good for how janky the sprites are, and special abilities tied to different guitar upgrades. The music’s surprisingly catchy too, even with the Game Boy’s tinny sound chip. Just don’t expect a deep story—most of the dialogue’s in Japanese, but the gameplay’s easy enough to figure out by mashing buttons and seeing what works.

If you’re into obscure retro games with personality, this one’s a hidden gem. The sprite work alone is worth a look—your character’s idle animation has him casually tuning his guitar mid-level like nothing’s happening.