Deep Blue

If you want a game that truly captures the surreal, experimental spirit of early Japanese shooters, Deep Blue is a trip worth taking. Released by Pack-In-Video in 1989, this underwater shmup trades spaceships for high-tech submersibles and alien armadas for aggressive, mutated sea life. It’s infamous among collectors for its punishing difficulty and unique "pulse" firing mechanic, but it’s the atmosphere that really sells it—moody, claustrophobic, and filled with some of the most bizarre aquatic enemy designs in the HuCard library. It’s not your typical power-fantasy shooter; it’s a challenging, blue-hued curiosity that looks fantastic on a CRT and belongs in any "weird PC Engine" collection.