Man, The Great Battle Gaiden 2 is one of those weird, hyper-Japanese SNES gems that just oozes charm. You’ve got these chunky pixel versions of classic Bandai heroes—Kamen Rider, Ultraman, Gundam—all crammed into a side-scrolling beat-em-up with festival vibes. The first stage throws you right into a chaotic street brawl with dudes in happi coats, and somehow there’s a taiko drum rhythm minigame mid-fight? Only in the 90s.

It’s janky in that way old licensed games often are—your jump arc feels like you’re wearing lead boots, and the hit detection is… optimistic. But the sheer energy of it wins you over. Every character plays totally different—Gundam’s got ranged beams, Kamen Rider kicks like a truck, and Ultraman’s just here to suplex everything. By stage 3, you’ll be grinning at the absurd boss fights (why is there a giant sushi platter enemy?).

Not gonna lie, the password system’s a pain, and the music loops into your brain forever. But if you’re into weird retro crossovers, this one’s a riot with a friend. Just don’t expect it to play fair.