CrossFire

A side-scrolling action shooter for the NES developed by Kyugo Boueki and released exclusively in Japan. Players take on the role of lone warrior Erick, carrying out counter-terrorism missions in locations such as Vietnam and Colombia. Starting with only punches and grenades, players smash crates to collect firearms and upgrade their arsenal — from submachine guns to shotguns to rocket launchers. Unlike similar titles, the protagonist has a health bar rather than dying in one hit, and picking up weapons or medals restores HP. The pace is slightly slower than Contra, lending the game a measure of strategic depth.