Max Warrior - Wakusei Kaigenrei is one of those weird, obscure NES titles that somehow slipped under the radar. It's a sci-fi action game where you play as this armored warrior blasting through alien planets—kinda like if Contra and a mech anime had a baby. The controls are a little stiff at first, but once you get the hang of the weapon switching, it’s oddly satisfying.

You start off with a basic blaster, but pretty soon you’re picking up these power-ups that change your shot pattern—some spread, some pierce, and one that just absolutely shreds bosses if you can line it up right. The levels are short but brutal, with these weirdly detailed alien backdrops that make you wonder how they squeezed so much into an 8-bit cartridge.

Fair warning: the difficulty spikes hard around the third planet. I got stuck there for way too long before realizing you basically have to memorize enemy spawns. Still, there’s something charming about its janky, over-the-top energy. If you’re into retro games that don’t hold your hand, this one’s worth a look.