Thunder Force IV (or Lightening Force if you're in the US) is one of those classic Genesis shooters that still holds up. You're blasting through waves of enemies with a ship that starts off decent but gets seriously overpowered once you grab a few weapon upgrades. The music slaps—those crunchy Genesis synths make every stage feel like an adrenaline rush.

What I love is how it throws you right into chaos. One minute you're weaving through asteroid fields, the next you're dodging screen-filling bosses that look like they escaped from an '80s anime. The weapon switching takes a second to get used to, but once you figure out which guns work best against certain enemies, it clicks. That final level? Brutal, but so satisfying when you finally beat it.

If you're into shmups, this is one of the Genesis greats.