Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus #BestOfSaturn

Shmup fans are well-catered to on the Saturn, having access to fresh titles as well as compilations of past-generation games. Enter Salamander Deluxe Pack Plus: Salamander (1987), LifeForce (the 1988 rebranding of the original game) and Salamander 2 (1996).

The game is a relatively no-frills compilation of the Gradius spin-offs featuring the Vic Viper taking on hordes of enemies from the planet Salamander. The levels alternate between side-scrolling and vertical, with some enemies leaving behind power-up capsules that add various weapons to your Viper.

The visuals of the first two games are decidedly 8-bit, with Salamander 2 looking unmistakably more advances. Great little games.