Wave Race on Game Boy is one of those games that feels way bigger than it has any right to be. You hop on a jet ski, the screen’s tiny but the water somehow feels alive—like you can almost smell the salt when you cut too sharp and eat a wave. The controls are simple (just A to accelerate, B to brake), but the real trick is reading the water. Some waves launch you forward if you hit them right; others will flip you like a pancake.

First race, I thought it’d be a breeze—until I realized the buoys actually matter. Miss one and your speed tanks. The later courses get wild, with tight turns around oil rigs or choppy open ocean where you’re basically airborne half the time. It’s got that classic Game Boy charm where the graphics are basic but your brain fills in the rest. I still hum the victory jingle sometimes.

If you’ve got a Game Boy and even a passing interest in racing games, this one’s a no-brainer.