Play Seirei Gari (Japan) [En by Snark v1.0] (~Ghost Hunter) Online

Seirei Gari (or Ghost Hunter, if you're playing the fan translation) is one of those weird little NES games that makes you go, "Wait, why didn't more people talk about this?" You're some kind of spirit hunter armed with a flute—not a sword, not a gun, a flute—and your job is to trap ghosts instead of just whacking them. It's got that classic 8-bit spookiness, but with a twist: levels feel like they're ripped straight from Japanese folktales, complete with floating lanterns and yokai that look like they escaped from an old woodblock print.

The first time I played, I kept trying to fight ghosts like it was Castlevania, which... didn't work. Turns out you actually have to play notes to weaken them first, then trap them in scrolls. It's clunky in that charming NES way, but once you get the rhythm (literally), it clicks. And that soundtrack? Haunting in the best way—like someone distilled a foggy shrine at midnight into chiptune.

It's definitely rough around the edges, but that's part of the appeal. If you're into obscure retro games with personality, this one's a trip.