Tinstar is one of those weird little SNES games that slipped under the radar back in the day. You play as this robotic cowboy (yes, really) blasting through side-scrolling levels with a mix of platforming and shoot-em-up action. The controls take a minute to get used to—your jump feels a little floaty at first, but once you adjust, chaining shots while dodging enemy fire gets satisfying fast.

The pixel art has that gritty 90s anime vibe, all metallic blues and oranges against dusty desert backgrounds. Some of the enemy designs are downright bizarre, like these floating skull drones that explode into smaller skulls. Boss fights are the highlight—huge mechanical beasts that fill half the screen while you scramble for cover.

It’s not perfect (the soundtrack loops way too soon), but there’s something charming about its janky ambition. If you dig obscure action games with personality, this one’s worth dusting off.