Power Blazer is one of those weird, kinda janky NES action-platformers that somehow sticks with you. You play as this dude in a mech suit (or maybe it's magic armor? The manual's unclear) jumping between floating islands, blasting enemies with a charge shot that feels way too slow at first. Took me a few deaths to realize you can actually dash-cancel the charge—game changer.

The levels are short but brutal, with instant-death pits everywhere and enemies that love to knock you into them. Music's got that classic Famicom synth vibe, all bleeps and bloops with an oddly catchy boss theme. Definitely one of those "Nintendo hard" games where you'll replay the first stage ten times before figuring out the rhythm.

Fun fact: The Japanese version's easier than the overseas release. Those extra lives actually matter when everything kills you in two hits.