Star Soldier is one of those classic NES shooters that feels simple at first—just you, your little ship, and a ton of enemy bullets to dodge. But after a few levels, the screen gets absolutely packed with neon lasers and weird alien ships that look like they escaped from an '80s arcade. The controls are tight, though, and once you get the hang of weaving through the chaos, it’s weirdly satisfying.

You start with a basic pea shooter, but grabbing power-ups changes everything. There’s this one upgrade that turns your shots into these wide, screen-clearing beams—total game-changer. The music’s got that classic chiptune energy too, all fast-paced and frantic, like it’s trying to match how sweaty your palms get during the later stages.

Pro tip: Don’t sleep on the speed boosts. I ignored them at first, but faster movement means you can actually outmaneuver some of the crazier bullet patterns. Still haven’t beaten the final boss, though—that thing’s brutal.