Air Gallet (older, Europe)

Air Gallet is a 1996 vertical-scrolling shooter that hit arcades courtesy of Banpresto. This is the European release, so if you're playing online through something like Retrogames you're getting the PAL region build. Banpresto were more famous for their licensed fighting games and anime tie-ins, so a straight-up shooter like this is a bit of a departure for them. It arrived in the mid-'90s when the arcade shooter scene was still strong but starting to fade, so it's a solid representative of that late-era genre.

You pilot a fighter jet through six stages, each one a major city under attack. Your goal is to shoot down endless waves of enemy fighters, tanks, and turrets while dodging a steady stream of bullets. Along the way you pick up power-up items that change your weapon type - spread shot, laser, homing missiles, that sort of thing. Each level ends with a boss fight, and these bosses are typically large vehicles or heavily armored machines. The core loop is straightforward: blast everything, grab upgrades, survive the boss, move to the next city. The game doesn't reinvent the wheel, but it executes the formula competently.

I'd recommend Air Gallet if you're a fan of the genre and have already played the classics like R-Type, Gradius, or Mars Matrix. It's not a landmark title, but it's a fun, fast-paced shooter with decent sprite work and a satisfying difficulty curve. The European version might have slight differences in difficulty or timing compared to the Japanese original, but nothing that ruins the experience. If you're looking for a short, intense session that doesn't overstay its welcome, this is worth a credit or two.