Play Doukyuusei 2 (Japan) (NP) Online

Man, Doukyuusei 2 is one of those SNES games that makes you wish you understood Japanese back in the day. It’s like someone took all the messy, hilarious parts of high school—the crushes, the dumb rivalries, the awkward cafeteria conversations—and turned it into a pixelated time capsule. You just wander the halls, picking dialogue options, and suddenly you’re either the most popular kid in class or the guy who accidentally started a rumor that won’t die.

The sprites are tiny but full of personality, and the music’s got that perfect ‘90s synth vibe that somehow makes even failing a test feel nostalgic. There’s no combat, no platforming—just you, your terrible decisions, and about a dozen classmates who’ll either adore you or despise you by graduation. My first playthrough, I somehow ended up with the delinquent girl’s ending because I kept picking “skip class” like an idiot. Worth it.

If you’ve ever played a modern visual novel and thought “this needs more chiptune,” here’s your fix. Just bring a translation guide unless you’re fluent in chaos and teenage angst.