Recs.
Updated
Metal Storm is a 2D side scrolling platformer that uses a unique mechanic of reversing gravity.
Specs
Pros
Pro Unlimited continues and passwords
There is no save state for the game but there are passwords the user can utilize in order to get back to the last stage they progressed to. On top of this the game has unlimited continues, so when the player dies (of which this game is a one hit kill game) they are able to start back a the beginning of the stage as many times as they want. Which quite frankly will happen a lot.
Pro Reverse gravity mechanic
One of if not the first game to utilize reverse gravity in a platformer. The reverse gravity mechanic is used in the game in order to solve puzzles in certain places in certain stages. By reversing the gravity the player is able to walk on the ceiling of stages and platforms, which is necessary in order to progress in the game. Later games like Megaman 5 also used a mechanic like this, but Metal Storm was released a year earlier.
Pro Faux parallax scrolling
The game features a unique mechanic for a NES game in that it fakes parallax scrolling. The NES was not capable of this technique, but what the developers did was fake it by redrawing the background every frame the character moves in order to make it look as though the background is moving.
Cons
Con Brutal difficulty
This game is tough, extremely tough. Touching an enemy kills you, touching moving doors kills you, falling off the stage kills you, every bullet in the game kills you. Everything pretty much can kill you. It will take much practice to progress in this game, though luckily there are unlimited continues.