Ristar

When a platformer came out near the end of the console's life in which you get rid of enemies not by jumping but by grabbing them with your own hands, it should have been clear that this was something special. Ristar is exactly this kind of quiet gem — and the team behind it was none other than the creators of Sonic.

Instead of the classic stomping on heads, the hero uses elastic, stretching arms. You grab enemies with them and pull yourself toward them to defeat them with a headbutt, you climb pillars and swing across chasms. This single but brilliantly executed mechanic changes the rhythm of the platformer and gives it its own, instantly recognizable character.

Visually Ristar is adorable — colorful, rounded and full of cute details — accompanied by excellent music that easily burrows into old-timers' heads. The levels are inventive and the grabbing mechanic is used creatively within them, so the game never grows stale.

Ristar's misfortune was its late release in 1995, when players' attention was already being drawn to newer 32-bit consoles. The game thus slipped through the cracks somewhat, even though it deserves to be named in the same breath as the console's best platformers.

Thanks to re-releases in various collections, anyone can easily reach it today — and almost every time it is a pleasant surprise.

Why play: An original and charming platformer from the creators of Sonic with an unmistakable grabbing mechanic — a gem that deserves a second chance.