Ninja Gaiden III on the NES is brutal in the best way—if you're into that kind of pain. You play as Ryu Hayabusa again, but this time the controls feel a little tighter, and the enemies? Way more aggressive. The first level throws you right into it with those weird crab things that just won’t stop jumping at you.

What’s different from the first two games? No unlimited continues here—you get a handful, and then it’s back to the title screen. Oh, and you can finally wall-jump without taking damage (thank god). The music’s still killer, though, and the bosses? Huge, weird, and love to spam projectiles.

Controls are classic NES: Z and X for slashing and jumping, arrows to move. Just don’t expect it to go easy on you—this one’s got a reputation for a reason. If you beat it without save states, you’ve earned some serious bragging rights.