After Burner II is that classic arcade jet fighter game where you're blasting through the skies at ridiculous speeds, dodging missiles and taking down enemy planes. It's pure 80s arcade chaos—no complicated controls, just throttle up and shoot everything that moves.

The NES version obviously can't match the arcade cabinet's wild hydraulic seat that tilts you around, but it still nails that "barely in control" feeling as you weave between mountains and enemy fire. The music's got that cheesy synth energy, and the sprite flicker is real, but somehow that just adds to the charm.

Honestly, half the fun is seeing how long you can last before crashing into a cliff or getting blown up. It's short, loud, and exactly what you'd expect from a port of Sega's arcade hit.