Super Adventure Island 2 is one of those SNES gems that doesn’t get enough love. It’s a weird, fun mix of side-scrolling action and light RPG elements—you still slash fruit and dodge enemies like in the first game, but now there’s an overworld map, towns to explore, and even a little gear progression. The music’s got that classic Yuzo Koshiro vibe, all bouncy and upbeat, and the pixel art holds up surprisingly well.

At first, it feels like a standard platformer, but then you realize you can backtrack for upgrades, talk to NPCs for hints, and even swap between different weapons. The boomerang’s my favorite—way better than the default dagger. It’s not super deep, but the pacing keeps things interesting, and the bosses are just the right kind of tough. If you missed this back in the day, it’s still a solid play now.