Okay, so Sword of Hope II is one of those Game Boy RPGs that somehow makes turn-based combat feel tense—like, you’re just picking "Attack" or "Spell" from a menu, but those skeleton knights hit hard if you’re not careful. The pixel art’s got that cozy, chunky look, and the dungeons are full of those old-school "step on the right tile or take damage" puzzles.

It’s a direct sequel, but you don’t need to play the first one—just know you’re a prince with a magic sword trying to undo a curse. The writing’s simple (it’s a Game Boy game, after all), but there’s something weirdly satisfying about grinding in forests to afford better gear before tackling the next temple. Pro tip: hoard healing herbs early. You’ll need them.

If you miss when RPGs were more about tough choices than cutscenes, this one’s a solid time capsule.