Play Xevious - The Avenger Online

Xevious on the NES is one of those shooters that feels simple at first—until you realize how much is actually going on. You're flying the Solvalou, this weirdly shaped ship, scrolling through terrain while dodging enemy fire from above and below. The cool part? You've got separate buttons for air and ground attacks, so you're constantly switching between zapping flying saucers and dropping bombs on tanks. Mess up the timing, and you'll get swarmed fast.

The graphics are barebones by today's standards, but there's something hypnotic about the way the landscape scrolls and those little pixel explosions pop. And that soundtrack? Just these eerie synth loops that somehow make the whole thing more intense. Oh, and if you're into secrets, keep an eye out for the hidden Bacura targets—old-school players still argue about the best way to find them.

It's punishing, but in that satisfying arcade way where every run feels a little better than the last. If you've ever wondered where a lot of modern shooters got their ideas, this is one of the originals.