Nebs ’n Debs is an NES platformer developed by Dullahan Soft, released in 2019 and also available as a physical cartridge from Broke Studio. The game features Nebs, a girl with an octopus on her head, on a quest through 12 challenging levels to find her lost dog, Debs.

The main mechanic revolves around a dash ability that recharges when you dash through enemies or land on the ground, promoting fast-paced, continuous movement. Known for its high difficulty and one-hit deaths, the game appeals to speedrunners and fans of tough platformers. While it boasts polished graphics and sound reminiscent of classic NES titles, its steep learning curve and unforgiving mechanics may not suit all players.

Looptris is a Neo Geo puzzle game developed by Blastar, offering a unique twist on Tetris by utilizing a cylindrical playing field where the left and right edges loop together. This design means you can only see half of the playing area at a time, requiring you to remember the unseen portions, which adds strategic depth.

The gameplay retains classic Tetris mechanics—moving and rotating tetrominoes—but lacks modern features like hard drop and piece holding, giving it a traditional feel. Controls are intuitive despite the unconventional field, making it easy to pick up.

The game shines in two-player mode, its main focus. Competing against another player or the CPU, you send “garbage” lines to your opponent by clearing multiple lines, similar to classic competitive Tetris. While the CPU may not challenge seasoned players, it’s ideal for head-to-head battles and suits arcade settings well.

Visually, Looptris fits the Neo Geo aesthetic, complete with an engaging attract mode for arcade cabinets. The music features a single, fitting track. Developed a decade ago but released recently, it’s available as a free download on Blastar’s Patreon page, making it accessible for Neo Geo fans seeking a fresh spin on a classic.

Apotris is a Gameboy Advance game that aims to provide a definitive Tetris experience for enthusiasts. Developed by Kouzou Koukios, the game allows players to customize nearly every aspect, including rule sets from various Tetris versions like the NES original and Tetris: The Grand Master. You can adjust the game’s appearance, colors, and even the mechanics to match your preferred style of play.

The game features multiple modes such as Combo Mode, Dig Mode, and Survival, each offering unique challenges. It also keeps detailed statistics on your gameplay, tracking elements like finesse and piece rotations, catering to players looking to improve their skills. While the single-player experience is robust, the multiplayer mode is limited, offering basic features through a link cable connection.

However, Apotris has faced legal issues due to copyright infringement claims by The Tetris Company. This has led to the suspension of its GitHub repository and itch.io page. Despite these setbacks, the developer continues to work on the game, and it remains available through alternative channels.

Developed by Retrotainment HQ in Pittsburgh, West Virginia, this NES game offers an ambitious adventure with gated exploration mechanics. You play as a bearded father whose son has been kidnapped, embarking on a quest through vast forests filled with eerie and mysterious creatures.

Featuring a large, undiscovered map, the game requires extensive exploration. A unique day-night cycle affects gameplay—you must find safety before 2 AM to avoid being killed by a mysterious entity. Progress involves activating relays by finding and inputting Morse codes scattered throughout the game, aiming to restore quiet to the forest.

Visually impressive for the NES, the game boasts detailed art and parallax scrolling that reveal different locations you’ve visited. While controls allow for actions like jumping, shooting in multiple directions, crouching, and performing a dodge roll, some players may find them occasionally difficult during precise actions. Despite minor shortcomings and the need for meticulous exploration, this game is recommended for its ambitious scope and rewarding gameplay.

Developed by Vector 5 Games, a Finnish company, Space Station 23 is a Commodore 64 game that captures the classic essence of the platform. It’s a map-based collector game presented in a semi top-down view, where you explore different areas of a space station hit by a meteorite. The gameplay is reminiscent of titles like Countdown to Meltdown, Impossible Mission, and Paradroid.

Your mission involves recovering radioactive canisters and tools depicted as hammers across 10 levels, each consisting of multiple screens. Levels include both indoor and outdoor environments with different mechanics. Challenges arise with jammed sliding doors, corridors blocked by laser barriers, and debris. To progress, you must find an operating system disk to restore the mainframe computer of each level, activating terminals that allow you to open doors and disable barriers. Bombs are needed to clear debris, and limited bullets are used not only to combat aliens but also to open certain passages like damaged walls and vent doors.

Resource management is crucial, as wasting bullets can potentially soft-lock you in a level. Outdoor levels introduce an overheating mechanic, requiring you to find terminals to cool down or risk losing health. Aliens spawn from specific tiles and move randomly, adding to the challenge. While the collision mechanics can be slightly frustrating, the game offers a well-balanced and engaging experience with disorienting maps that encourage exploration.