Play Heisei Inu Monogatari Bow - Pop'n Smash!! (Japan) Online

Ever stumble across a game so weirdly charming you can't help but grin? Heisei Inu Monogatari Bow – Pop'n Smash!! is exactly that—a forgotten SNES oddity where you play as a dog named Bow who fights crime (or... something?) by bouncing around stages inside a giant balloon. It's like someone mashed up a platformer with pinball physics, then cranked the '90s Japanese whimsy to 11.

At first, I thought the balloon mechanic would feel gimmicky, but nope—it's weirdly satisfying to ricochet off walls, squash enemies, and launch yourself into floating goodies. The stages start simple but quickly get chaotic, with conveyor belts, springs, and obstacles that turn Bow into a furry pinball. And the art? Pure candy-colored nostalgia, all big-eyed characters and goofy animations.

Honestly, it's the kind of game you play at 2 AM with friends, laughing at how absurd it is while secretly getting way too into perfecting your bounce combos. If you dig obscure retro games with more personality than polish, give Bow a shot. Just try not to get too attached to his little tail wagging mid-air.