Rolling Thunder on NES is one of those classic arcade ports that somehow feels both brutally hard and totally fair at the same time. You play as this trenchcoat-wearing spy sneaking through shadowy corridors, popping out to take down enemies with your pistol before ducking back into cover. The first level tricks you into thinking it's manageable—then suddenly you're getting swarmed by guys in red masks from both sides.

What I love is how deliberate the movement feels—you can't just spray bullets everywhere. You've got limited ammo, so every shot counts, and those split-second decisions between jumping over a pit or turning to face an enemy make all the difference. The music's got that perfect 80s spy vibe too, all sneaky basslines and tension.

It's the kind of game where you'll die a dozen times in the same spot, memorize the enemy patterns, and still feel like a genius when you finally clear a screen. Just don't throw your controller when the bosses show up.