Play The Pirates of Dark Water (May 1994) Online

Ahoy! The Pirates of Dark Water on the Genesis is one of those games that feels like it’s barely holding itself together—in the best way possible. You play as Ren, swinging a sword through jungles and pirate ships while the screen flickers with that classic 16-bit chaos. The controls take a minute to get used to (jumping feels a little floaty), but once you’re in, it’s got this weirdly addictive rhythm—hack through enemies, hunt for keys, and try not to fall into pits full of, well, dark water.

It’s based on that weird animated series from the ‘90s, so expect some janky-but-lovable sprites and dialogue that’s either charming or painfully cheesy, depending on your mood. Ioz and Tula show up as NPCs, which is cool if you remember the show, but even if you don’t, there’s something fun about the way the game throws you into this sprawling, slightly broken pirate fantasy. Just don’t expect it to play fair—some of those platforming sections are brutal.

Honestly? It’s the kind of game you play with nostalgia goggles half-on, laughing at the clunky bits while secretly loving how ambitious it was for 1994. The soundtrack’s got that classic Genesis bass growl, too.