Play Europe Sensen (Japan) Online

Europe Sensen (SNES) is one of those games you stumble on and think, "How did I miss this?" It’s a side-scrolling shooter, but not your typical run-and-gun—everything’s drenched in this weirdly charming European aesthetic, like someone took a history textbook and cranked the chaos up to 11.

The pixel art’s gorgeous, all cobblestone streets and gothic spires, but then you’re blasting through waves of enemies with weapons that feel way too satisfying for a 16-bit game. Controls are snappy, and the difficulty’s just right—challenging enough that you’ll retry a level a few times, but never cheap.

It never left Japan, which is a shame, because it’s got that same energy as Contra or Metal Warriors, just with more… I dunno, Renaissance flair? If you’re into retro shooters, this one’s a no-brainer.