Ninja Gaiden II on the NES is one of those games that looks cool until you realize how brutally hard it is—but in a good way. You play as Ryu Hayabusa, slashing through waves of enemies with your sword, throwing shurikens, and occasionally pulling off wall jumps that feel impossible until you nail the timing. The first level tricks you into thinking it’s manageable, then the difficulty spikes like a ninja dropping from the ceiling.

The controls are tight, though. Z for slashing, X for jumping—simple, but you’ll need every bit of precision when enemies come at you from all angles. And they will. The soundtrack’s got that classic NES energy, all urgent synth beats that somehow make dying over and over slightly less frustrating.

If you’ve played Contra or Castlevania, you know what you’re in for: a punishing but satisfying challenge where every checkpoint feels like a small victory. Just don’t throw your controller when the respawning eagles dive-bomb you mid-jump.