Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon is basically the GBA glow-up of the old Genesis classic. Same great tactical RPG vibes, but with some extra polish—new characters, a few tweaks to the combat, and way better sprites. You still get that satisfying turn-based strategy where positioning matters just as much as your sword swings.

First ten minutes? You’re thrown right into the hero’s shoes, recruiting knights, mages, and weird little creatures while figuring out how to flank enemies without getting wrecked. The battles feel slow at first, but once you get a few levels in, it clicks—especially when you start promoting units into beefed-up versions of themselves. The story’s classic fantasy stuff (evil dragon, chosen hero, etc.), but the real hook is the squad-building. I wasted way too much time debating whether to bring the centaur or the birdman into battle.

If you missed the original or just want a portable version with some QoL tweaks, this one’s solid. Just don’t expect a full modern overhaul.