Shin'en squeezed an absurd amount of sound out of the DS hardware for this one. Nanostray is a vertical shmup from the mid-2000s, and every stage theme hits like it belongs on a more powerful system. "Chuuroh City" has this driving, metallic energy with layered synth lines that feel way too dense for a handheld.
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"Mokuzu Depths" drops into deeper, more ominous territory with a bassline that vibrates through the tiny speakers. Then "Boss Encounter" just goes full aggression. "Sunahara Desert" opens the game with this dry, pulsing rhythm that sets the tone immediately.
The whole thing sounds like Shin'en was trying to prove something about what the DS could do. If you collect shmup soundtracks, this one deserves a spot.