Conquest of the Crystal Palace is one of those late-era NES platformers that doesn’t get enough love. You play as Zaras, a sword-wielding hero out to rescue a kidnapped princess—classic setup, but the game throws in some weirdly cool twists. There’s a magic system where you collect orbs to summon familiars (my favorite’s the fire-breathing dragon, obviously), and the levels have this eerie, almost gothic vibe with floating skulls and crumbling castles.

What really stands out is how smooth the controls feel for an NES game—no clunky jumps or unfair hits. The first stage eases you in with some basic slashing, but by the second level, you’re dodging spike traps and figuring out which familiar works best against each boss. The music’s also surprisingly moody, all haunting synths and percussion that sticks with you. If you dig hidden gems with a side of ’90s weirdness, this one’s a solid pick.