Solstice is one of those NES games that looks simple at first—you're just a wizard named Shadax trying to rescue a princess and snag the Staff of Demnos—but then you actually start playing and realize this castle is a maze. Like, a proper "why did I just fall through the floor into a spike pit?" kind of maze.

The magic system is weirdly satisfying once you get the hang of it. You start with basic fireballs, but later you're mixing potions to unlock new spells, which is cool until you accidentally waste ingredients on something useless. (Pro tip: don’t sleep on the teleport spell—it saves lives.)

Controls take a second to adjust to—Z and X for jumping and attacking feels a little stiff at first, but you get used to it. The music slaps, though. That chiptune dungeon theme will haunt your dreams in the best way.

If you like puzzle-heavy action games where death comes fast and the map makes zero sense until hour three, this one’s a hidden gem. Just don’t blame me when you get stuck in a room with no obvious exit.