Ranger X is one of those Genesis games that makes you wonder why it wasn't more popular. You start off with this slick transforming motorcycle that turns into a mech suit mid-jump—like some unholy fusion of Mega Man and Road Rash. The controls take a minute to get used to (hold down to charge your dash, tap to hover), but once it clicks, you're zipping through levels blasting alien drones with satisfyingly chunky explosions.

What really stands out is how the game keeps throwing new mechanics at you. One minute you're piloting the mech, next you're controlling a little drone buddy separately with the second controller port (weird flex, but okay). The pixel art holds up too—especially the way your energy sword lights up entire corridors when you swing it.

Boss fights are brutal in that classic '90s way where you die a lot before figuring out the pattern. That floating brain thing in stage 3 still gives me nightmares. If you dig run-and-guns with a twist, this one's worth dusting off the Genesis for.