Insanely Fun, Beyond Reason
You've seen it many times before. You are the lone pilot (unless you played with a friend) traversing space and time to strike back at presumably evil outer space creatures. . . your only companions, were your wits, your reflexes, and your attention to detail.
The concepts for the bosses were somewhat repetitive, while still being reflective of what the competition was doing at the time. Each had their pattern, which if you patiently studied, could best with both a measure of careful timing and developed skill. Whether they be a giant brain in outer space or a cosmic dragon (no wishes from him), the bosses provided a challenge worthy of the difficult levels you traversed to reach them.
The challenge was not only one of the hallmarks of the game, but also one of the defining characteristics for many players. Because you had to plot your course through organic, neural webs just right to get the power-ups you needed, or time your movements though arcs of solar flares to persist to the end of the level some mistakenly believe this game to be not all that it was.
The very level designs were thematic, enjoyable, and sometimes plain. As mentioned, timing was everything, and so were most of the graphics. By 1988 Konami knew the NES capabilities well, and used quite a bit of the hardware potential to create out-of-this-world designs, and meteors which attacked at punishing speeds. The obstacles and enemies which populated the levels created a formulaic opposition to your progress. Like the bosses, once you knew the pattern, you could devastate all who opposed you.
With time, patience, and an avid appreciation for the shooter genre, one can clearly see this game is on par with the other games of its time. And at today's prices, every shooter fan should have this one in their collection.