Parents' Guide to Cursed Castilla (Maldita Castilla EX)

This is a simple and super-solid action title that's an obvious throwback to classic video games. The above comparison to old '80s Nintendo games is apt and a shorthand for a game that wields a brutal challenge but thankfully a few modern concessions. For example, although three hits will kill you, you have an endless supply of continues (an option not afforded to retro gamers back in the day). Cursed Castilla has a certain charm that comes from its much-appreciated and welcomed different setting. There aren't many video games that reach a broader mainstream audience set in Middle Ages Spain (Don Quixote makes an appearance, even, as a boss), and there aren't that many games with windmills and other vibrant, interesting locales.

Still, the guts of Cursed Castilla is paying homage to older games, and the challenge is considerable. While it's not as out-and-out frustrating as other titles, you will curse the game and chuck a controller at more than a few points: For example, the only way to proceed is by learning the patterns of each stage, each enemy, and each boss. It's a tough but rewarding game that clocks in at maybe two or three hours, so if you're itching to not be coddled by a video game for a change, it's bite-sized, plausible, and doable.