Shining Force: Resurrection of the Dark Dragon is one of those GBA gems that still holds up if you love turn-based strategy. You start off recruiting a ragtag team—knights, mages, even weird little bird warriors—and slowly build them up through grid-based battles that actually make you think. The pixel art’s got that classic charm, and the story’s simple but pulls you in with just enough twists.

What I like is how each character feels distinct—some units are clearly better than others (looking at you, archers), but half the fun is experimenting. The dragon fights? Brutal if you’re not prepared. It’s not as flashy as modern SRPGs, but there’s something satisfying about grinding your team just enough to steamroll that one boss who wrecked you three tries ago.

If you missed this back in the day, it’s a solid way to kill time between bus rides or before bed. Just don’t blame me when you lose track of hours rearranging your party.