Play Cybernoid Online

Cybernoid is one of those NES games that looks simple at first—just a little ship flying around blasting pirates—but then suddenly you're dodging homing missiles, weaving between indestructible drones, and desperately trying to grab power-ups before they vanish. The screen jumps instead of scrolling, so each new area feels like its own little puzzle. Some rooms are packed with turrets, others have these weird floating mines that home in on you, and good luck figuring out the timing on those fixed-path enemies.

You start with basic shots, but grabbing upgrades changes everything—like this ridiculous spiked ball that orbits your ship, smashing anything it touches. The pirate ships drop jewels (and sometimes weapons), but half the challenge is actually reaching them without getting blown apart. Oh, and there’s a timer, so you can’t just camp in a safe corner forever.

Fun detail: The devs snuck in a joke about a British sitcom on the title screen. Not something you’d expect from a spaceship shooter, but it gives the whole thing a weirdly charming vibe.