Rocket Knight Adventures is one of those Genesis gems that still holds up—you play as Sparkster, this armored opossum with a jetpack, slashing through enemies with a sword and boosting around levels like a furry little missile. The controls feel tight, and the jetpack mechanic adds this great layer of speed when you need to dodge or just plow through robots. First level throws you right into it: hopping across airships, deflecting bullets, and figuring out the timing for those satisfying rocket bursts. Also, the soundtrack slaps—Konami was on another level back then.

It’s got that perfect mix of challenge and charm, where even the weird enemy designs (pig soldiers? sure, why not) just work. If you’ve never played it, you’re missing out on one of the Genesis’s best platformers.