Battle Mania Daiginjou is one of those Genesis shooters that somehow flew under the radar back in the day, which is a shame because it’s an absolute riot. You play as Mania and Maria, a pair of girls in mech suits blasting through waves of enemies with this weird, chaotic energy—like if someone mixed a bullet hell shooter with a Saturday morning cartoon.

The first thing you’ll notice is how bright and loud everything is. The colors pop, explosions fill the screen, and enemies come at you from all angles. It’s not just mindless shooting, though—you’ve got a charge shot that changes depending on which character you pick, and figuring out when to use it is half the fun. (Maria’s spread shot is my go-to for crowd control.)

Boss fights are where it really shines—huge, screen-filling monstrosities with attack patterns that’ll keep you dodging like crazy. And yeah, it’s tough, but in that satisfying way where you actually want to retry instead of rage-quitting. If you’re into retro shooters, this one’s a hidden gem worth tracking down.