Run Saber is basically Strider's cooler little sibling on the SNES. You pick between Allen or Sheena (I always go Sheena—her saber animations just feel smoother) and then slash your way through five wild levels where the terrain tries to kill you as much as the enemies do.

The first stage throws you right into it—you're wall-jumping between crumbling platforms while these weird cyborg things rush you, and the music's already blasting that classic 16-bit action vibe. Boss fights are the highlight though—huge screen-filling monstrosities where you're scrambling to find safe spots between attacks.

It's not the deepest game, but the controls are tight, and there's something satisfying about how your saber cuts through enemies like butter. Definitely one of those "one more try" kind of games when you're chasing a better clear time.