Replay #1: Mega Man V (Game Boy)
The Game Boy Mega Man games had an interesting journey. Starting as mashup remixes of the NES games with some original endgame elements, they were certainly not without their sore spots. I was a rough game that was much too difficult, II had a different developer and was much too easy (while also having some shrill music), and III was back to the first developer and had more polish but was also very difficult. But I feel like they finally started to hit their stride with Mega Man IV. Better balanced level design overall, a shop system for buying upgrades before the main games integrated one, and a killer final stretch.
Mega Man V takes this structure and goes for a fully original adventure. No bosses return from the NES games (though we do get the return of original bosses from the earlier Game Boy titles) - instead we have eight (plus one) new bosses themed after the planets, with original enemies and stage hazards and special weapons to play with. Even Mega Man's Buster gets a tweak, becoming a new fist-launching weapon that can get upgraded to latch onto foes and grab items. The special weapons aren't my favorite in the series, but there's some highlights - a slower but more powerful Buster shot that can heal you, an aerial bubble bomb that travels along ceilings, a destructive black hole, and an absolutely devastating homing laser given to you in the endgame. While the other Mega Man games on Game Boy are only really for the fan who wants to say they played every classic game, Mega Man V gets a hearty recommendation as a game that can stand on its own and has unique aspects that make it worth a look.
For those who might be put off by it being a monochrome Game Boy title, fear no more -
a recent colonization hack has been released! This is the main reason I replayed this one - the hack does a great job overall at adding a new coat of paint, and there's even removal of slowdown! I don't see myself returning to the original while this hack exists.