Star Soldier: Vanishing Earth is one of those N64 shooters that feels like it was made for people who miss arcade bullet hell. You start off with this dinky little ship, but within minutes you're dodging neon laser grids and scooping up power-ups that turn your shots into ridiculous screen-filling death blossoms. The bosses? Huge, angry, and love filling the screen with projectiles—classic stuff.

It's got that old-school Star Soldier vibe but with chunky N64 polygons, which honestly gives it a weird charm. Some of the weapon combos are surprisingly deep—I kept switching between the spread shot and homing lasers depending on how reckless I felt. Just don't expect a walk in the park; this game will wreck you if you zone out for half a second.

If you're into shooters that punish you for blinking, this one's a solid time capsule from the N64's weird experimental phase.