Space Channel 5

Save the world by dancing? In Space Channel 5 it's the most natural thing under the sun. This 1999 rhythm game from United Game Artists slips you into the pink hair of reporter Ulala, who faces an alien invasion in the most stylish way imaginable — through precise dance sequences in the spirit of Simon says.

The gameplay is built on repeating commands. Enemies perform a string of moves and directions, and you have to echo them back in the right rhythm and order. As you progress, the sequences grow longer and faster, so what begins as playful dancing turns into an increasingly demanding test of focus and timing. Every duel you pull off is a little performance that makes you want to bounce right along.

Where Space Channel 5 truly stands out, though, is its inimitable atmosphere. The game is wrapped in a retro-futuristic sci-fi style cut straight from the 1960s' vision of what the future would look like — pastel colors, cosmic stations, a fashion show in zero gravity. It's a feast for both eyes and ears, one with its own distinctive personality.

A special mention goes to the fact that the game features a cameo by Michael Jackson himself, who appears as a character. Given his relationship with dance and music, it was an entirely logical and flattering tribute to the very style the whole game is built on.

Space Channel 5 was never a mass hit, but it built a solid cult following and to this day counts as one of the most distinctive and charismatic titles the Dreamcast had to offer. It's a game that breathes joy and style in every single frame.

Why play it: A stylish rhythm game full of retro-futuristic charm where you fend off aliens with dance — a quirky, charismatic cult favorite with a Michael Jackson cameo.