Super Gomoku Shougi is one of those deep, niche SNES strategy games that never left Japan—and honestly, it’s a shame. You’ve got two classic board games mashed together here: Gomoku (like five-in-a-row) and Shogi (Japanese chess). The "Jouseki Kenkyuu Hen" part means it’s packed with preset strategies and opening moves to study, which sounds dry, but it’s weirdly absorbing once you get into it.

First few minutes? You’re staring at a grid, trying to remember if shogi pawns move forward or diagonally (forward, turns out). The AI doesn’t mess around, either—expect to get wrecked a few times before things click. The presentation’s barebones, but if you’re into methodical, think-ahead gameplay, this one’s a hidden gem. Just don’t expect flashy animations or hand-holding.

Also, good luck finding an English patch—most guides are in Japanese, so you’ll be relying on icons and trial-and-error. Still, there’s something satisfying about finally pulling off a decent shogi castle setup or sneaking in a gomoku line when the AI isn’t looking.