Nightshade on the NES is one of those sneaky little action games that doesn’t get enough love. You play as this undercover agent—basically a ninja detective—breaking out of some villain’s lair while uncovering his evil plans. It’s got that classic 8-bit vibe where you’re dodging traps, punching goons, and solving light puzzles to move forward.

The controls are simple (Z to punch, X to jump—standard NES stuff), but the real fun is in the gadgets. You get this grappling hook thing that lets you swing over pits or yank enemies off ledges, which feels way ahead of its time for an NES game. The levels are packed with hidden rooms too, so if you’re the type who pokes at every wall, you’ll find extra health or ammo stashed around.

Fair warning: the difficulty spikes hard about halfway through. One minute you’re breezing through corridors, the next you’re getting swarmed by robots in a room with zero cover. Still, it’s got that "just one more try" energy when you fail. If you dig Metal Slug or old-school brawlers with a side of espionage, this one’s worth a look.