Play Twinkle Tale (Japan) [En by MIJET v20070328] Online

Twinkle Tale is one of those weird little Genesis gems that never made it out of Japan—which is a shame, because it’s way more fun than it looks at first glance. Yeah, the graphics are bright and almost cutesy, with wizards and knights instead of soldiers, but don’t let that fool you. This thing plays like a mashup of Commando and a bullet-hell shooter, especially when the screen fills up with enemy fire.

The first level eases you in with some basic run-and-gun action, but by the time you hit the first boss (a massive dragon that takes up half the screen), it flips into full-on shmup mode. You’re dodging fireballs while frantically shooting back, and the controls somehow stay smooth even when everything’s going nuts. There are nine stages total, and each one throws something new at you—enemy swarms, terrain hazards, those ridiculous screen-filling bosses. It’s tough, but not unfair, and the sprite work is gorgeous for a Genesis game.

Honestly, it’s a crime this never got a US release. If you’re into retro shooters, it’s absolutely worth tracking down.