Play Taiketsu! Ultra Hero Online

I picked up Taiketsu! Ultra Hero for the Game Boy Advance back in 2006, a time when the handheld was still full of life with all sorts of licensed games. This one was published by Bandai, and it was their take on a side scrolling action platformer. It felt very much of its era, a straightforward game you could load up for a quick session without a lot of fuss.

You control a young hero navigating a series of themed worlds, from forests to castles. Your main goal is to fight through each stage, defeating the monsters that appear and confronting a boss at the end. The combat is simple; you have a basic sword slash for close enemies and a projectile attack you can charge up for tougher foes. You move screen by screen, and each new area locks you in until you clear out all the enemies. The pacing is brisk, and some of the later levels can get surprisingly difficult with more aggressive enemy patterns. It feels like a solid, no nonsense action game that gets straight to the point.