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Some of these games made it into homes along with peripherals. The genre has since left the limelight, though some could argue that traces of it are in many VR titles. The following classics listed below all make us yearn for the fun arcade days. Maybe they will come back in the future but until then, enjoy what is considered some of the best light gun games around.
Updated on December 19, 2022, by Jason Wojnar: Even though video games are more realistic than ever, it is hard to beat the feeling and immersion of playing a game with a light-gun peripheral. Games reaching their third or fourth decade still feel good to play on a well-calibrated arcade cabinet. This list takes a stroll down memory lane and features the best of the best light gun games, making fans wish they would get some sequels or a re-release. Re-releases would at least help sate the hunger many players have for the genre.
17 Lethal Enforcers
Release Year: 1992 Available On SNES, PlayStation, Sega Genesis, And In The Arcades
These days a game called Lethal Enforcers about cops shooting up residential areas probably would not fly the same it did 30 years ago. The 90s were a different time, though, and it is difficult to ignore this title when talking about 90s nostalgia. The primitive digital sprites only add to the game’s charm. Home console versions also had a peripheral to use that was pretty advanced for its time.
16 Alien 3: The Gun
Release Year: 1993 Only Available In Arcades
The Alien franchise constantly switches between spine-tingling horror and bombastic action. Where the Alien 3 film has more in line with the debut entry than the first sequel because the protagonists face off against just one monster, the game is a light-gun title released exclusively in arcades.
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While it may not follow the movie closely, it received high critical praise. The quality of games based on the franchise is hit or miss, so every solid entry needs to be recognized and celebrated.
15 Revolution X
Release Year: 1994 Available On SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Saturn, MS-DOS, PlayStation, and In Arcades
It is hard to imagine the gaming demographic of the 1990s being enticed to play one game over the other in the arcades because Aerosmith was predominantly featured.
Whether the story about the protagonists rescuing the members of the popular rock band boosted sales or not, the game was massively successful and is considered a classic of the light-gun arcade shooter. The sturdy light-gun peripheral mounted to the cabinet also made playing the title just feel so good. Console versions also exist, but they are of poor quality compared to the arcade original.
14 Die Hard Trilogy
Release Year: 1996 Available On PS1, Sega Saturn, and Windows
This is not exclusively a light gun title. The game covers the three movies and divides them into separate genres. The second movie is turned into a light gun game while the first is a third-person shooter and the closer is a driving game.
Even though it is only one part of the package, players could use a peripheral to play the section in a more immersive way. The game received a sequel that told its original story while utilizing the same format. Die Hard has been pretty dormant for years, and it never had a lot of great games, so Die Hard Trilogy remains one of the best based on the franchise.
13 Star Wars Trilogy Arcade
Release Year: 1998 Available Only In Arcades
Yet another game covering a whole trilogy, this arcade title goes through the events of the classic Star Wars films. Levels vary between dog fights and on-foot segments. Several boss fights also see players control a lightsaber.
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To be fair, this is not exactly a light gun game since players aim using a joystick, but it works better when considering a chunk of the game has players shooting from a ship. As much as fans would appreciate a home version of this game, it would be hard to translate the feel of the arcade into the living room.
12 Terminator 2: The Arcade Game
Release Year: 1991 Available On The SNES, Sega Genesis, Sega Master System, And Arcades
Initially released in arcades, this adaptation of the legendary film is generally considered the best adaptation. There were several other games also covering the events of the movie, but they were side-scrollers or different genres.
The genre lends itself to exciting levels directly based on the movie’s set pieces. During a time when video game adaptations were looked down upon, it was quite impressive to see this game receive such praise.
11 Point Blank
Release Year: 1994 Available On PS1, Nintendo DS, And Arcades
Where most of the games on this list involve shooting humans or machines, this game is more family-friendly. It came out in arcades before being ported to the PlayStation.
There was a whole trilogy on the console, though few releases happened afterward. The first title was re-released on the Nintendo DS where players used the stylus to shoot the weapons. A fourth game in the series came out in the arcades in 2016 but never made its way to consoles.
10 Time Crisis
Release Year: 1995 Available On PS1 And In Arcades
Perhaps the most popular light gun series, Time Crisis added an extra dynamic of letting players duck behind cover. This added an extra layer of intensity and engagement.
The series had several spin-offs and numerous sequels, all the way up to Time Crisis 5 in 2015. Time Crisis 4 on the PlayStation 3 even had support for the PlayStation Move controller, eliminating the need to buy another peripheral.
9 Silent Scope
Release Year: 2002 Available On PS2, Xbox, And Arcades
In the arcade, Silent Scope utilized a unique sniper rifle peripheral. Players looked into the scope to simulate looking through a real scope within the game.
Translating this unique mechanic to a home console was certainly a challenge, and some argue the home versions never quite captured the same feeling. All the same, the older Silent Scope games are classics. Since Konami published these titles, it is unlikely we’ll ever see a continuation unless it is in the form of a pachinko machine.
8 Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
Release Year: 2007 Available On Nintendo Wii And PS3
Umbrella Chronicles was not the series’ first foray into the light gun game. Resident Evil: Survivor is a game most would like to forget about, however. Umbrella Chronicles takes players through the classic Resident Evil games from a new perspective.
It is also playable cooperatively. The Wii version uses the Wiimote, while the PS3 version supports the Move controller in addition to the Sixaxis and DualShock 3.
7 Ghost Squad
Release Year: 2004 Available On Nintendo Wii And Arcades
Ghost Squad also featured a wholly unique controller in its arcade form. Players clicked different switches on the peripheral, which was shaped like an assault rifle.
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Certain arcade versions even had purchasable cards to save character data and unlock new upgrades and character skins. While there are only three levels, they have several non-linear moments, encouraging replayability. In 2012 the game came to the Nintendo Wii.
6 Dino Stalker
Release Year: 2002 Available On PS2
Add dinosaurs into any mix and the product immediately becomes cooler. The story follows a World War II pilot who is transported to a dangerous land filled with dinosaurs.
After a little while, the game turns out to be a backdoor sequel to Dino Crisis 2, directly following up on the PS1 game’s events. This is great news for people who were disappointed by Dino Crisis 3, which barely resembles a Dino Crisis game.
5 Police 911
Release Year: 2000 Available On PS2 (Only In Japan And Europe) And Arcades
This arcade game was unique for its motion-sensing mechanics. Instead of going into cover with the use of a pedal, Police 911 actually tracked players’ movements, making them duck and shift their bodies in real life to go into cover in the game.
With VR, games like Super Hot have taken this mechanic even further, with players moving out of the way of moving bullets. As previously mentioned, traces of the genre are evident in VR.
4 Area 51
Release Year: 1995 Available On PS1, Sega Saturn, Windows, And Arcades
As the name implies, Area 51 had players defend themselves against an alien menace. Released in 1995 in the arcades, the environments are in 3D while enemies and other NPCs are 2D digitized sprites.
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The arcade version was well-received, but console conversions were not nearly as beloved. After a direct sequel, two first-person shooters bearing the series’ name were made for the PS2 and Xbox and then the subsequent generation. Most fans just want another light gun game, though.
3 Dead Space: Extraction
Release Year: 2009 Available On Nintendo Wii And PS3
Much like Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, the Dead Space series also took advantage of the Wii to craft a unique spin-off. While Extraction works well as a light gun game, it does not capture the intense horror of the mainline series.
Still, it is a fun way to go through the Dead Space universe cooperatively with a friend. With a Dead Space remake coming out, one wonders if older games in the franchise will ever be re-released for the sake of preservation. Even if they were, Extraction would most likely not be first priority.
2 Virtua Cop
Release Year: 1994 Available On Sega Saturn, Windows, PS2, And Arcades
Mario may have had Sonic beat, but Nintendo could not match Sega when it came to light gun games. The Virtua Cop series was easily one of the best things to do in an arcade in the 90s.
The console ports were also considered faithful versions, although the short length was a point of criticism. Virtua Cop 3 sadly never saw release on home consoles, making it hard to find these days in any form.
1 House Of The Dead
Release Year: 1996 Available On Sega Saturn, Windows, And Arcades
Zombies may seem cliche now, but they were extremely exciting for gamers in the 90s thanks to hits like Resident Evil. House of the Dead saw players in the arcade mowing down hordes of the undead. The zombies here are fast, which distinguishes them from Resident Evil’s enemies.
The most recent entry came out in 2018, making for five mainline games and several spin-offs, including the grindhouse-inspired House of the Dead: Overkill. A remake of the first game came out on the Nintendo Switch in 2022.
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