Musha Aleste is one of those Genesis shooters that just oozes style—it’s got this wild mix of feudal Japan and sci-fi, with your mech blasting through waves of enemies while samurai-inspired bosses fill the screen. The first level throws you right into the chaos: neon bullets everywhere, chunky explosions, and this killer synth soundtrack that makes you feel like you’re piloting some unstoppable war machine.

What I love is how your options (those little helper drones) actually matter—you can switch between spread shots, lasers, or homing missiles, and each one changes how you tackle the bullet hell. The homing missiles feel like cheating at first, until you hit the second stage and realize nothing’s gonna save you from the screen-filling boss patterns. And yeah, it’s tough, but in that satisfying "one more try" way where you swear you’ll dodge better next time.

If you’re into shmups, this is one of the Genesis greats—flashy, fast, and punishing in the best possible way.