Utsurun Desu is one of those weird, charming NES games that never left Japan—which is a shame because it's got this oddball fishing-meets-RPG vibe that actually works. You start off with this dinky little rod, tossing your line into pixelated ponds while these bizarre fish (some with faces, some just... blobs?) nibble at your bait. The first time I hooked what looked like a grumpy old man fish, I knew this wasn't your average fishing sim.

What makes it stick is how weirdly strategic it gets. Different lures, changing weather, even the time of day affects what bites—and some of these fish put up a serious fight. There's something satisfying about finally reeling in that one elusive jerk after five failed attempts. Plays way better than you'd expect from an 8-bit fishing game, though the menus are all in Japanese. You'll figure it out after a few misclicks.

Definitely one of the more unique takes on fishing games, even today. Just don't expect Animal Crossing vibes—this one's got teeth.