Star Tropics is one of those NES gems that flew under the radar back in the day—part adventure, part RPG, with a weirdly charming tropical island vibe. You play as Mike, a kid with a yo-yo (yes, a yo-yo) who gets tangled up in an alien conspiracy after his archaeologist uncle goes missing. The dungeons are Zelda-like but with more puzzles, and the combat’s simple but satisfying once you get the timing down.

What really sticks with me is the goofy humor—you’ll be talking to villagers who casually mention UFO sightings, or finding secret caves full of… volleyballs? The music’s catchy too, especially the overworld theme. Just don’t forget to dunk that letter in water when the game tells you to—trust me, you’ll know what I mean when you get there.