Star Soldier for the NES was one of the first space shooters I played when I was a kid. I remember it being a flea market find I was thrilled with. It was super tough, but the music, atmosphere and advancement mechanics kept me coming back.
The game is available through Nintendo Switch Online and it’s much enhanced by the ability to use save states to progress.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JHeL1xoZfPI[/embedyt]