Finish Contra

Hand-animated run-and-gun chaos; the prettiest sprites the arcade ever produced.

Four turtles through history, throwing Foot soldiers at the screen.

Alucard explores Dracula's castle, then the castle upside down; the other half of Metroidvania.

Simon Belmont, a whip and stairs that will kill you; the 1986 original.

Branching paths and three companions; the best of the NES Castlevanias.

Richter Belmont, branching stages and Maria as a second character; the PC Engine game the West never got.

The whip finally aims in eight directions; the 1991 remake of the first game and its high point on the SNES.

The Mega Drive entry: 1917 Europe, two playable hunters and a stage that walks up the leaning tower of Pisa.