This port may have its limitations, but I think this is a very respectable version of the game that made shooters what they are today! Gradius is a pretty difficult game, with deaths being extra punishing due to an upgrade system that is rewarding to build-up but pretty difficult to regain after death when you’re balls deep in Easter Island heads, but the tension this creates is palpable, and despite having so many other Famicom games in my collection to turn to, I was hooked the moment I started playing this. With enough persistence, Gradius gives you the tools you need to survive with even the ability to sustain more than one hit if you collect enough power-ups, but like all great shooters, maintaining these upgrades from stage to stage is key to survival and easier said than done. The set pieces are creative with every level introducing new elements to change the way you play every stage in a way that feels so distinct from level to level that it’s no wonder elements like the Volcano section or the aforementioned Easter Island heads have become so iconic, and the level of agency you’re given in terms of when to upgrade what is a great risk vs reward system that is beautifully in-tact on the Famicom (despite a couple compromises), and would only get better in the sequel. All this, and I haven’t even mentioned the iconic music which is respectably replicated here, even if it probably would’ve been better realized had it been ported a couple years later. For Gradius to run respectably on the Famicom in 1986 this is as good as it’s going to get, and I think this version serves as a fun and impressive entry-point into what is an important, cool, and rewarding series of shooters! I’d almost recommend playing this one before the superior PC-Engine version if you just want to familiarize yourself with Gradius’s mechanics.

The Neo Geo isn’t necessarily known for its shooters, but Last Resort is a beautiful, and interesting example with an absolutely ball-grating difficulty that keeps me coming back despite the frustration. The game features an interesting gimmick where a turret orbits your ship which can be launched at enemies, used to shoot in any direction, and can even block enemy projectiles! Using this feature can be a little difficult to get used to, but its applications are just so numerous and the game constantly gives you challenging situations to use it in interesting ways, so you’re given a lot of freedom in the moment for how to survive the incredibly enemy and bullet-dense stages! You can even use the launching feature to strategically defeat bosses quickly, something you’ll want to abuse since almost nothing in this game is handed to you otherwise. The artwork in-game is also absolutely beautiful too, it has a gritty, industrial 90’s anime cyberpunk style that is realized with so much impress detail, and some backgrounds are even traced from Akira! The difficulty will be too much for some, but I think the challenge is very rewarding because this is such an interesting and fun game to learn; not to mention seeing more of Last Resort’s unique and incredibly detailed world from stage to stage is its own reward.