Gradius II is one of those sequels that actually improves on the original—more weapons, tougher enemies, and some seriously wild level designs. You still pilot the Vic Viper, but now you've got new power-up options like the "Double" (two options that orbit you) and the "Laser" (a ridiculous beam that shreds everything).

First few minutes? Pure chaos. You're dodging neon bullets, weaving through those iconic bubble levels, and praying you don't lose your power-ups when you die (because yeah, that still hurts). The NES version isn't arcade-perfect, but it's close enough to feel brutal in all the right ways.

Fun fact: This never officially made it to the US back in the day—probably because it would've melted our tiny American brains at the time.