Cosmo Police Galivan is one of those weird, ambitious NES games that never made it outside Japan—which is a shame, because it’s got this odd charm. You play as a space cop (complete with a transforming mech suit) blasting through alien planets, but it’s not just mindless shooting. There’s some light RPG stuff, like upgrading your gear and backtracking to unlock new areas, which gives it a Metroid-ish feel.

The controls take a second to get used to—your sword slash has this weird delay at first—but once you adjust, it’s satisfying to carve through enemies. And the music? Surprisingly moody for an 8-bit game, with these eerie synth tracks that actually fit the whole "lonely space cop" vibe.

It’s janky in places, sure, but if you’re into obscure Famicom games with a mix of action and exploration, this one’s worth digging up.