Play Hayazashi Nidan Morita Shougi 2 (Japan) Online

If you've ever wanted to try shogi but got intimidated by all those tiny Japanese characters and arcane rules, Hayazashi Nidan Morita Shougi 2 might be your perfect entry point. The SNES interface makes everything cleaner than a paper board, with pieces that actually show their movement range when you select them—no more guessing whether that silver general can move diagonally.

The real star is the Hayazashi mode, where you're racing against a clock that feels like it's actively trying to panic you. I lost three matches in a row before realizing I could turn the speed down (no shame). The AI starts off friendly enough, then suddenly starts pulling moves that make you question if it's reading your mind.

It's one of those games where you'll stare at the board for five minutes, make a move, and immediately facepalm when the computer counters it effortlessly. But when you finally pull off a sneaky promotion or corner their king, it's weirdly satisfying for a 16-bit board game. Just don't expect the manual to help much if you don't read Japanese.