Zaxxon 3-D on the Sega Master System is one of those weird, early attempts at 3D that somehow works despite itself. You're piloting this chunky little spaceship through these isometric corridors, dodging turrets and walls that look like they're made of neon LEGO bricks. The perspective messes with your depth perception at first—I kept crashing into stuff until I got the hang of judging distances.

What's cool is how different it feels from other shooters of the era. Instead of just scrolling left to right, you're constantly adjusting altitude to avoid obstacles while blasting enemy ships that swoop in from all angles. The soundtrack has that classic Sega synth vibe, all bleeps and bloops that somehow make the tension worse (in a good way).

It's not perfect—the controls take some getting used to, and later levels get brutally hard—but there's something satisfying about nailing a perfect run through those geometric mazes. If you dig retro games with a weird, experimental edge, this one's worth a shot.