Dezaemon on the NES is one of those weird, fascinating Japan-only releases that makes you realize how ahead of its time it was. It's basically a shoot 'em up construction kit—you can design your own levels, enemies, and even tweak ship physics. The default included games feel a little rough, but messing around with the editor is where the real fun is. I spent way too long making a stage where all the enemies just spin in circles while firing way too many bullets.

Controls take some getting used to (classic NES awkwardness), but once you start piecing together your own patterns and boss fights, it’s hard to stop. Just don’t expect anything polished—this is pure, janky creativity from 1991. If you’ve ever wanted to build your own Gradius knockoff with questionable hitboxes, this is your chance.