Volguard II is one of those NES shooters that never made it out of Japan, which is a shame because it's got this weird, janky charm to it. You pilot a little ship that feels way too slow at first, but once you grab a few power-ups—especially the spread shot—it turns into a satisfying bullet-dodging mess.

The levels are short but brutal, with enemy patterns that feel just slightly unfair until you memorize them. And the music? Pure 8-bit chaos, like someone fed a synth through a woodchipper. Not for everyone, but if you dig obscure retro shooters, this one’s a neat little time capsule.