Life Force (Salamander)

Life Force, known as Salamander in Japan, is a legendary shoot 'em up from Konami for the NES (Dendy), released in 1988. It is a spin-off of the Gradius series.

The game alternates between horizontal and vertical stages, as your ship flies through the insides of a giant alien organism that has swallowed planets. You collect power-up capsules and choose upgrades such as speed, missiles, lasers and options.

Two players can play together, which makes the tough game a bit easier. It is a classic of the genre.