Turrican 3 (1993)

Turrican 3 comes out of left field to impress not just with removing the largest issues that the core gameplay of Turrican and Turrican II had, but offers some tighter, more directed levels that makes a legitimately fun action title.

Bren McGuire returns again to fight (Galactus cough cough) The Machine, who threatens to destroy dozens of planets and enslave their peoples. Manning the Turrican suit once more, you run n' gun your way through five worlds with slightly more interconnected stages that are dramatically less confusing and more linear than the previous games. This may come as a downside to some but helps focus on the action and takes out a lot of needless dead ends (don't worry, there are still dead ends).

The shot types consist of the multiple shot, a direct laser shot, and a new shot that travels along the ceiling and floor. The wheel mode returns as long as the player has enough special meter, and a Bionic Commando style grappling rope helps the player jump up areas they couldn't get to by jumping. It's a bit tricky to use but it doesn't break the enjoyment factor.

The music is top-notch as always (perhaps not as bopping as Turrican II, but it's got some great tunes) and the graphics, while somewhat lesser than the previous games, still finds some breathtaking displays and fun areas (that train segment in World 4, swimming in flooded levels). Enemies no longer drain health and actually have decent knockback, rendering the janky combat beforehand obsolete. Bosses are now a tad bit more creative and fun, with blobs that force the player to swing over and get weak spots, a giant robot torso that pulls open a shutter to take pot shots, a flaming cyborg corpse and a gauntlet of bosses - all leading up to the final battle against the Machine.

It's a wonderful thing to see games like these improve, and while Turrican 3 might not wow with its visuals or tunes, it improves in nearly every other way and makes a much more commendable effort.