SD Hiryuu No Ken Gaiden 2 is one of those weird little Game Boy gems from Culture Brain—a chibi-style action RPG where you control these tiny, super-deformed warriors. It’s a sequel, but honestly, you don’t need to know the first one to jump in. The sprites are ridiculous in the best way, like someone shrunk a bunch of samurai and threw them into a side-scrolling brawl.

You start off picking your fighter, and I’ll admit, the first time I played, I just went with whoever looked coolest (the ninja, obviously). But there’s actually some strategy here—some characters hit harder but move slower, others are quick but fragile. The controls are simple—jump, slash, repeat—but the levels throw in enough traps and enemy patterns to keep you on your toes.

It’s got that classic Game Boy charm—basic but satisfying combat, a surprising amount of hidden stuff, and just enough challenge to make you want to try again when you die. If you’re into retro action games with personality, this one’s worth a few hours of your time.