Play Mermaid Melody : Pichi Pichi Pitch : Pichi Pichi Party Online

Okay, so Mermaid Melody: Pichi Pichi Pitch Party is basically what happens when someone takes a sparkly early-2000s magical girl anime and mashes it up with rhythm game mechanics. You play as the mermaid princesses—Lucia, Hanon, and Rina—and yeah, they literally fight evil by singing. The GBA’s tiny speakers don’t do the J-pop bangers justice, but there’s something weirdly charming about tapping along to pixelated concert scenes while the girls’ sprites dramatically flip their hair.

The rhythm sections are simple (think Dance Dance Revolution but with fewer arrows), but between songs, there’s this light RPG thing where you wander around, chat with characters, and unlock new abilities. It’s not deep, but the story bits feel like flipping through an old manga—cheesy dialogue, sudden villain appearances, the works. If you watched the anime, you’ll recognize the melodrama immediately.

Honestly, it’s niche as heck, but if you’ve ever wanted to pretend your GBA is a magical microphone, this is your chance. Just don’t expect Elite Beat Agents-level polish.