Zillion II on the Sega Master System is one of those sequels that actually improves on the original—smoother controls, better level design, and this weirdly satisfying three-character formation system where you swap between them mid-mission. You start off in this claustrophobic spaceship corridor, blasting these creepy robotic enemies that look like they’re straight out of an 80s anime (which, well, they kinda are).

The real kicker? Your squad has different abilities—one’s fast but weak, another’s a tank, and the third’s this balanced middle ground. Took me a few deaths to realize you can’t just brute-force your way through; timing your swaps is everything. And those secret passages? Half the fun is spraying lasers at every wall just to see what crumbles.

It’s got that classic "Nintendo hard" vibe where you’ll retry the same section a dozen times, but nailing a perfect run feels incredible. Just don’t throw your controller when the screen suddenly fills with indestructible drones.