Faselei! (Japan)

Faselei! is a tactical role-playing game that landed on the Neo Geo Pocket Color in 1999, published by SNK and developed by Sacnoth, the studio behind gems like Koudelka. It came out in Japan first, with a UK release following in 2000, but a planned North American launch got canned when SNK pulled the plug on the console over there. This is an official SNK release, no hacks or mods here, just a solid little mech strategy game that never really got its due in the West.

You take command of a mercenary group called Faselei, piloting mechs through a civil war. Combat is turn-based and driven by action points: each unit has a pool of points you spend to move, attack, or use special abilities. You queue up commands and then watch them execute, which adds a layer of planning and prediction. It's got that old-school tactical feel, think Front Mission but shrunk down for a handheld with a monochrome screen (or color if you had the NGPC). The story unfolds through dialogue between missions, and you manage your squad between battles, repairing mechs and equipping new gear.

For Neo Geo Pocket Color collectors, Faselei! is a standout because it's one of the few full-fledged tactical RPGs on the platform. It's not as deep as a home console strategy game, but it holds its own with tight mechanics and a decent campaign length. If you dig niche turn-based tactics and enjoy exploring the smaller libraries of forgotten handhelds, this one is worth a shot. Just be prepared for Japanese menus if you play the original ROM, since it never officially got an English version outside of a fan translation that's floating around.