Star Gate on the NES is one of those weird, kinda janky shooters that somehow sticks with you. It's basically a reskin of Konami's "Gradius" with a space theme—same power-up system where you grab capsules to upgrade your ship, same way enemies swarm in from the sides. But it's got this weird charm, like the way the music gets oddly intense when you're down to your last life.

First few minutes? You're dodging asteroids, picking off alien ships, and praying you don't lose your upgrades when you die (spoiler: you will). The hitboxes feel a little off sometimes, but once you get the rhythm, blasting through waves with a fully loaded laser feels pretty satisfying. Just don't expect it to hold your hand—this is old-school "memorize the patterns or suffer" energy.

If you're into retro shooters, it's a neat little time capsule. Not the best in the genre, but there's something about its rough edges that makes it weirdly fun to revisit.