Play Taiyou no Shinden - Asteka 2 (Japan) Online

Taiyou no Shinden - Asteka 2 is one of those NES deep cuts that feels like stumbling into a forgotten temple yourself. You play as this explorer digging through Mayan ruins, trying to track down a missing professor and his team—except everything’s out to kill you, from booby traps to creatures that definitely don’t belong in any history book.

The controls are a little stiff (it’s an old-school platformer, after all), but there’s something weirdly satisfying about figuring out the timing for jumps and dodges. And the music? Surprisingly moody for an 8-bit game—lots of echoing synths that make the ruins feel genuinely eerie. Just don’t expect hand-holding; you’ll be poking at every block and ledge to find secrets.

It’s rough around the edges, but if you’re into retro games with a side of mystery, this one’s got charm.