Play Hinotori - Houou Hen - Gaou no Bouken (Japan) Online

Hinotori: Houou Hen - Gaou no Bouken is one of those NES games that makes you wonder how it slipped under the radar. You play as Gaou, a warrior who swings a mean sword and throws these satisfying little fireballs—like if a samurai and a sorcerer had a really cool kid. The first level throws you right into it: dodging arrows, jumping over pits, and slicing through these weird bird-monster things that explode into feathers.

The controls feel tight, which is a relief because some of the platforming gets brutal later. And the music? That classic NES energy—upbeat, slightly chaotic, perfect for when you’re fighting a boss that looks like it escaped from a Japanese ink painting. It’s got that old-school difficulty curve where you’ll die a lot, but each try feels fair (mostly). If you’ve ever lost hours to Ninja Gaiden or Mega Man, this one’s got the same vibe but with its own folklore twist. Just don’t blame me when you get stuck on the third stage—that one’s mean.