Contra Hard Spirits on GBA is basically the Contra you remember, just shrunk down and somehow still just as brutal. The second you start, you're sprinting through jungles and military bases, blasting aliens and soldiers while bullets fill the screen. That iconic spread gun is here, of course, but good luck keeping it when you die—this game doesn't go easy on you.

The music nails that classic Contra vibe, all fast-paced and urgent, like it's yelling at you to move faster. And you'll need to—enemies come from everywhere, and one hit kills you. It's the kind of game where you memorize patterns or suffer. If you played the NES Contra as a kid, this feels like coming home, just with a few new weapons and a slightly smaller screen to squint at.

Fair warning: you'll probably rage-quit a few times before beating the first level. But when you finally do, it's pure satisfaction.