Alien Soldier

Alien Soldier is the Mega Drive's testament. Treasure announced it with a phrase printed on the Japanese cartridge: 'For Megadrivers Custom' — dedicated to the most devoted Mega Drive players. And delivered. The game was essentially a boss rush: 25 boss encounters with briefest platform sections between them. Protagonist Epsilon-Eagle had six weapons swappable on the fly, a devastating dash move (Zero Teleport) converting health to damage, and a counter-move turning enemy bullets into energy. The learning curve was vertical, but mastering the combat system produced an almost rhythmic experience, like a deadly dance. Never published in North America (Japan and Europe only), Alien Soldier is the game hardcore fans cite when proving the Mega Drive was a serious machine.