Mercenary Force (Nouveau)

The hopping one-eyed umbrellas are such a weird, charming touch, and the lantern-lit levels really sell that old Japan vibe. Scrolling shooting feels tight on the GameBoy, though you'll want good lighting for those darker stages. Definitely a solid pickup if you're into quirky action games.

The Japanese folklore theming is what sold me—the lanterns, Oni bosses, and that umbrella enemy all give it a personality most GB shooters lack. It plays smooth enough on the original hardware, and the priestess angle makes it feel like a proper Kikikaikai cousin.

The hopping one-eyed umbrellas and Oni bosses give it that classic Japanese folklore vibe I was hoping for, and the scrolling shooter action feels just as tight as the old Kikikaikai games. It's now my favorite cart to throw in the GameBoy on a lunch break.