Vice: Project Doom is one of those NES hidden gems that feels like a mashup of Ninja Gaiden and Contra, but with its own weird charm. You start off as this detective-slash-ninja (because why not?) blasting through side-scrolling shooter sections, then suddenly you're in a car chase, and later you're platforming like it's 1989 all over again. The controls are tight, the difficulty's just right—tough but fair—and the soundtrack slaps harder than it has any right to.

First 10 minutes? You're jumping over pits, dodging enemy fire, and realizing this game doesn't mess around. The cutscenes have that classic NES melodrama, complete with over-the-top dialogue. And yeah, you'll die a few times figuring out the patterns, but it never feels cheap.

Pro tip: Save your grenades for the bosses. Trust me on that one.