Fire Mustang is one of those Genesis shooters that somehow flew under the radar back in the day, but man, it’s got some serious bite. You’re thrown right into the cockpit of this sleek fighter, weaving through bullet hell while enemy squadrons swarm in from all sides. The first level alone has these satisfying little explosions—the kind where the screen shakes just enough to make you feel powerful.

What surprised me was how tight the controls are. Your ship moves exactly how you’d expect, no weird momentum or floatiness. And the power-ups? Classic stuff—spread shots, lasers, the works. I kept dying at first trying to grab every upgrade, but turns out dodging is way more important than firepower in this one.

The soundtrack’s got that early ‘90s synth energy, all fast-paced and slightly chaotic, which fits perfectly when you’re barely scraping through a boss fight with one hit left. If you’ve got a soft spot for games that don’t hold your hand but still feel fair, this one’s a blast. Just don’t blame me when you start humming the stage 1 theme for days.