Funky Jet

When you boil it down, I suppose Funky Jet isn’t much more than a fun 30 minute jaunt with some lively visuals, but it achieves that humble goal with such aplomb that I can’t help but think it deserves much more credit than it gets. The formula it strives to improve upon is a tricky one to touch since it’s the kind of thing that was practically perfected from the jump, but Mitchel Corporation really found a way to make it their own. It’s kind of genius how they took two genres with such straightforward fundamentals and figured out that they’d work together so well.

Ganryu 2

Though Ganryu 2 has plenty of highs between its excellent visuals and strong fundamentals, some of its more questionable design choices and unfortunate number of glitches ensure that building the level of trust needed to master the game and fully appreciate the intent of its developers will be far too difficult for most people to consider. I definitely enjoyed it, but I also can't see myself trying to master it in its current state. Knowing that my controls could suddenly stop working or level progression could break down at any moment and ruin my run is enough to deter me, which is a huge shame as someone who very rarely lets glitches get in the way of their enjoyment.

Ganryu

Ganryu isn't the greatest game ever made, but it's exactly the kind of game that I enjoy and it's a dang good one if you ask me. It's a quick romp through feudal Japan that uses an interesting conceptual hook, features lovely visuals that thrive off of inspired choices instead of what's conventionally impressive, offers action that's both challenging and strategic while maintaining an excellent balance the whole way through, and it takes ideas from other games that I happen to really like and uses them effectively. I think it's one that's quite underrated and absolutely worth your time if you enjoy any of its inspirations.

The Amazing Spider-Man: Web of Fire

Web of Fire is clearly not a perfectly balanced experience, that's for sure, but it was trying things, and I always appreciate that! Its dark tone, while not something I'd always want to see, really stands out and that tone is used to bolster its environments to an impressive degree. The game is fine enough for a quick playthrough, but it feels like it's missing just one more ingredient to really make the premise shine. The story is too minimal and underutilizes the captivating idea of a situation where the villains have the advantage, Daredevil is barely in the game, the music ranges from solid tone-setters to sounding like a GEMS-infused nightmare and flips between the two on a dime, and the combat is either all too easy to ignore or too simple to remain compelling for long unless you really enjoy cheesing dudes against a wall. I suppose I can see why this one's considered a stinker to many and why it didn't exactly change the 32X's fortunes at the very end, but I do think there's some stuff here that deserves proper credit.

Tengoku Yoitoko

Despite my problems with its endgame, Tengoku Yoitoko is absolutely worth trying. It’s rare to see a game with such an unusual combination of elements and a take on platforming that’s more than just “jump on enemy, they’re dead”. When it’s at its best, this game consumes your thoughts in a way that makes you eager to slowly peel back its layers and see what secrets it has in store for you. Its combination of RPG and platforming elements makes you think about them and how they manage to come together in such an interesting way and I had a lot of fun taking notes and piecing together the NPC hints to figure out how to tackle the game’s challenges.

Miracle Ropit’s Adventure in 2100

There's some legitimately creative and cool stuff here in the year 2100, it all just needed a better wrapper of a game to fit into. I’m a fan of the variety of the alien world and how visually inspired each location is. In particular, this game actually does a remarkable job of using black backgrounds to establish atmosphere and mystery in the game’s later stages. I also really enjoyed seeing the variety of environmental hazards the game decides to throw at you, whether that’s plants floating in the void or doors that randomly push you away or send you back to an earlier point in the level. Even though the game is pretty dreadful to control, I found myself appreciating the boldness of its many eccentricities.

Shape Shifter

Despite its myriad frustrations, I was able to find a bit of joy in Shape Shifter, at least when I look at it as doing research and catching up on a platform I never got to grow up with. The platforming is an absolute nightmare, the RPG elements are basically nonexistent, and the inclusion of lives combined with an obtuse means of healing only makes the game needlessly stressful, but its impressive presentation and strange world do a lot to make it interesting enough to push through. While I can’t recommend Shape Shifter as something most people would enjoy, I can recommend it as something that I think people would find fascinating.

Ardy Lightfoot

It’s rare that a game in this genre can evoke so many different emotions, from pleasure to shock to excitement, even displeasure and discomfort, and it’s worth commending this game for how easily it manages to invest players in its wordless narrative. Even hot off the heels of moments that I found annoying, the game was able to bring me right back in with a well animated cutscene or a gorgeous environment that made me instantly forget the uglier parts of the game I had just experienced. “Experience” really is the key word when it comes to Ardy Lightfoot – one could just boil it down to a series of mechanics and how they compare to the big shots like Mario and Sonic, but to do that would undersell the game...

Hammerin’ Harry: Ghost Building Company

If the experience of playing Ghost Building Company was just a bit more polished, just a bit more smooth and consistent, this would be one of the best games on the Game Boy. It’s a joy to play through for its spectacle and simplicity, but the uneven difficulty towards the end can make it take far longer to complete than a portable game session should go on for. Despite its problems, it wears its horror influences on its sleeve in a way that feels familiar yet ambitious compared to what other games of the time often did and its visual style is simply superb enough to make the whole thing worth struggling through.

Disney’s Chicken Little

Chicken Little falls in between the extremes of licensed game quality and that's the most unfortunate place for it to be - too dull to recommend playing, but also rarely funny enough to get an accidental kick out of. Its GBA version fares better, being a simple but competent platform with a stronger focus on platforming and more consistently enjoyable design.