Power Blade

Released by Taito in 1991, Power Blade is a side-scrolling action platformer for the NES — a substantial rework of the Japanese title Power Blazer for Western markets. Set in the year 2191, Earth's central computer has been seized by a malicious virus. Muscle-bound agent NOVA, armed with a futuristic helmet and a deadly boomerang, fights through seven stages to destroy six master control towers before squaring off against the computer's core. The boomerang upgrades with level, gaining dramatically improved range and penetration. Stages can be tackled in any order, the controls are crisp, and the driving soundtrack keeps the energy high. Long regarded as one of the late NES era's most underrated action games, it is frequently mentioned alongside Ninja Gaiden and Mega Man.