Okay, so Phalanx on SNES—you know, the one with that weird cover art of an old guy playing banjo? Don’t let that fool you. You’re actually piloting this sleek, angular spaceship called the A-144, dodging bullet hell and blasting alien swarms across side-scrolling levels. The first stage throws you right into it: asteroids crumbling apart, enemy fighters zipping in from all angles, and this killer synth soundtrack that makes you feel like you’re in some ‘90s anime.

What’s cool is how your ship handles—it’s weighty but responsive, and you’ve got these power-ups that stack in different ways. I kept grabbing the wrong ones at first (why does the homing missile look so much like the flamethrower icon?), but once you get the hang of it, chaining weapon combos feels awesome. Later levels get brutal, though. Like, "memorize every enemy spawn or die" brutal. Still, there’s something satisfying about finally nailing that tight corridor dodge after your 10th attempt.

It’s not the most famous SNES shooter, but if you’re into stuff like Gradius or R-Type, this one’s worth digging up. Just maybe keep a turbo controller handy for your thumbs’ sake.