Play Beast Wars Online

Game Overview

Beast Wars on the Game Boy Color is one of those weird little games that shouldn’t work but totally does. You’ve got robots turning into animals—tigers, spiders, even a gorilla with a jetpack—and then smashing each other on a grid like some kind of violent chess match. It’s way more tactical than I expected, especially for a licensed game from the '90s.

Switching between beast mode (for speed) and robot mode (for firepower) actually matters, and the maps are small but surprisingly tense. The first time Megatron (now a purple T-Rex, because why not?) blasted my team off the board, I had to rethink my whole strategy. The sprites are tiny and pixelated, but there’s something charming about watching Optimus Primal punch a scorpion bot in low-res glory.

If you ever watched the cartoon or just love weird retro strategy games, this one’s a blast. Just don’t expect it to hold your hand—those Predacons play dirty.