Swords and Serpents is one of those old-school NES dungeon crawlers that feels like a tabletop RPG shoved into a cartridge. You pick from four classes—fighter, thief, priest, or wizard—and dive into this maze-like dungeon where everything wants to kill you. The first time I played, I went with the classic fighter, thinking brute force would carry me. Turns out, you really need that priest for healing unless you enjoy dying a lot.

The controls are simple (arrows to move, Z/X for attacks), but the real challenge is managing your party’s gear and spells while navigating pitch-black corridors. There’s something weirdly satisfying about stumbling into a hidden room or finally finding the right key after backtracking for what feels like forever. Just don’t expect fancy graphics—this is pure, grindy NES nostalgia.

If you’re into retro dungeon crawlers with a punishing streak, this one’s worth a look.