Attack Animal Gakuen is one of those weird, forgotten NES gems that never made it outside Japan. It’s basically a run-and-gun shooter, but with this weird pseudo-3D effect—like Space Harrier, but way jankier and with animals. You’re blasting through waves of enemies while dodging obstacles that pop out at you, and yeah, the controls take some getting used to.

At first, I thought it was just another generic shooter, but the animal theme gives it this bizarre charm. You’ve got dogs, cats, and who knows what else shooting at you, and the whole thing feels like a fever dream. The Z-axis stuff is neat, though it’s more of a gimmick than anything super polished. Still, if you’re into obscure retro games, this one’s worth a look just for how weird it is.

It’s definitely a product of its time—1987 Japan-only releases weren’t exactly known for being user-friendly.