Tenjin Kaisen is one of those weird little Game Boy gems that never left Japan—which is a shame, because it’s got this odd mix of strategy and action that feels way ahead of its time. You’re basically a samurai (or maybe a wizard? The manual’s in Japanese, so I’m guessing) fighting through feudal Japan, but with these weird card-based power-ups that pop up mid-battle. First time I played, I mashed buttons thinking it was a straight-up brawler, then suddenly this menu drops down and I’m picking between fire spells and health boosts while some angry yokai tries to stab me.

The sprites are tiny but surprisingly detailed—like, you can actually see the stitching on your guy’s hakama when he crouches. And the music? All shrill synth flutes and taiko drums, exactly what you’d want from a 90s samurai game. It’s janky in that classic Game Boy way (good luck figuring out what half the items do without a guide), but there’s something weirdly satisfying about stumbling through it. Definitely one for the "obscure retro" crowd.