Man, I look back at my life and realize that I have spent a lot of money being a gamer, so much lost in games that are just collecting dust and another fortune lost in those wooden cabinets containing such sweet sweet escape from real life for a few minutes for just a couple of quarters.
Tonights list will attempt, like
this list, to list a top 10 arcade cabinets of a different genre. I'm speaking of those games where you rarely get to see your character and were probably responsible for the advent of the First Person Shooter. Tonight is the Top 10 Arcade Gun Games, see you at the end.
Honorable Mentions
Carnevil
Ghost Squad
Police Trainer
Terminator 2: Judgement Day
The Ocean Hunter
Jurassic Park
Area 51
GunBlade NY
Police 911
Police 24/7
Gogol 13
Any American Laser Games Game
Ahh, the masters of live-action shooter games. Actually most of these were generally pretty shitty games, but they do get an 'A' for effort. You had gems like
Mad Dog McCree,
Mad Dog McCree II,
Space Pirates, and
Who Shot Johnny Rock? The company was pretty ahead of its time and were one of the first companies to have their light games ported to the PC. Not great, but purely for nostalgia reasons it tops the list at #10.
Alien 3: The Gun
The only reason this game made it on the list at all: Pulse Rifle. The gun that was in the arcade mimic-ed the pulse rifles that were shown in Aliens, and the only movie prop that I would ever buy. Not a bad game really, but it was fun as hell playing a Marine trying to clean the planet from Alien 3 up along with Weyland Yutani Corp. troops.
Virtua Cop Series
Sega's attempt to enter the 3-D Light Gun generations was well received by arcade patrons, so much so that there were 2 sequels for the series. Sure, it had the usual on the rails type gameplay and the exploding red barrels so prevalent in shooter games, but it introduced the a timer that zooms in on the next enemies that shows how much time you have to blast the bad guy before he blasts you.
Point Blank Series
Dr. Don and Dr. Dan are on a mission, to shoot shit up. This great arcade game was one of the only games that I ever did the "one hand holds the gun while the other hand uses one finger sticking straight out moving rapidly" trick to try to shoot as many targets as possible. Sure it was an easy game and what seemed like a collection of mini games, but it had what many games didn't, FUN!
Operation Wolf Series
Oh man, I get to re-live the days of being back in Vietnam? This game was so fucking cool when I was a kid, it had that shitty stationary Uzi that rattled when you shot it and the little red button that launched a grenade. Holy crap I want to track down this game to play it in the arcade again! Isn't amazing that the difficulty of the game increased as you panned along the peaceful jungle village?
Lethal Enforcers Series
The beginning of the pink and baby blue guns in the arcade. Another of the live action type game, except this had no actual "live action" but a whole bunch of pictures of characters popping up in static environments. It was just the best when you picked up the shotgun, then you really got to blast them criminals.
House of the Dead Series
How fucking cool was it being able to blow holes in zombies and other types of baddies all the while gore splashing across the screen? The only bad part is that the bosses were really cheap and they all had glowing/flashing weak points, which we've all learned are just too cliche.
Silent Scope Series
Dude, sniper rifle. I shouldn't have to say more than that. X-ray Scope, and Thermal Scope = ulitmate win.
Lucky & Wild
I bet there are a whole bunch of you out there just did a double take, a wha-wha-what? That's right, it's my list and Lucky & Wild (the cheap man's Tango & Cash) is one of my all time favorites. In the deluxe arcade cabinets, you had a bench/faux-car that you sat in. Player one, got the wheel and the first pistol, player 2 did nothing but shoot at shit. Though if you played with me, player one did the driving, player 2 got both gats. Though many would argue that it's more of a driving game, how many driving games did you play that had a gun you could point and shoot? The cool part is that you could see your character in the rearview mirror of the car the whole time. Great damn game.
Time Crisis Series
The game that flipped the shooter game series on its ear, with the simple addition of pedal to pop in and out of cover, Namco captured the hearts of a new generation of arcade gamer. The faster you plugged the baddies in the area, the better the time bonus is. Its named Time Crisis mainly due to the fact that to die in this game you don't necessarily need to have your health taken away, but if you'd run out of time. A great concept that is annoying, but addicting at the same time. It seems the minute that you put the words "Time Trial" in a game, you get immediate fanboys. Oh yeah almost forgot that the Guncon was the most solid arcade gun I ever used, it was great when you fired and the gun slide would kick back.
Revolution X
Aerosmith + Video Game = What the fuck was Midway thinking? The game takes place during a dystopian 1996, against an enemy that is fairly boring. You got a gun that shot CDs! You're fighting the Gubment to save the right to rock! Wow! Oh, Aerosmith is not a Gen X band, they're from the early seventies for christsakes! Seriously, this game is going to make it to the list of worst games ever...
Many thanks to
Hoygeit for submitting the idea for tonight's list.
That wraps up another edition of A Weird Kid's Top 10. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed putting tonight's list together. As always, let me know if you have a particular top 10 that you'd like to see, and I'd be happy to oblige. And for all of you that have submitted ideas, I promise I'll eventually get around to yours. Thanks for reading!!!
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no poliece training? LOL
good list as usual.
operation wolf! i loved that game so much... and then i hated it when it was ported to the NES
Still using number 0, awesome. This reminds me of this awesome arcade shooter I played once but I don't remember it argh. Good list.
I love Time Crisis!
Ok sorry guys, I got ahead of myself, honorable mentions have been added...though there was this one game where you were on a helicopter mounted to this big .50 cal machine gun and you had to blast these big mechs on the ground as you flew around, I'll be damned if I can't remember the name of it though.
Have you done Top Ten Beat 'Em Ups? Because if not, I'm suggesting it
@ kwaselow
-click-
Yeah dude, click on the link above. I'll have to make a quick link to all the ones i've done already.
thank god revolution x made the list.
I remember pouting money to an Arcade Gun Game that featured a helicopter and 2 guys on the sides with big guns. Had some guns similar to the Alien 3 one, but canīt remember the name of the game.
Iīm getting old :(
Then might I suggest the top ten best sidekicks
I still think Area 51 should be in there somewhere, as in not an honorable mention but in the top ten.
Not sure what it should replace, but that was just too prominent and good not to be.
Mad Dog McCree was one that took many of my quarters when I would find myself in a bowling alley. I thought I was in the fucking future when I played that thing.
@ Exremento
you talking about Gun Blade NY?
Honestly you could have had Operation Wolf 10 -> 1 and I would still have liked the list. But as always, the time and thought you craft into these is awesome!
Vegas you rock, thatīs the game i was trying to describe.
I was going to cry trying to remember the name of that game.
@ Vegas
Thank you!!! That's what it was called! Damn you saved me from a night without any sleep cause I'd be up trying to think about what it was called.
Lucky and wild was great, driving and shooting thats how a real man does it.
@ Kwaselow
All of my Top 10s are now listed in my profile to the right of the blog post.
ah no problem sir, I remember playing that game at my Dave and Busters.... spent over half of my damn $20 card on it.
I should go to arcades more, so many classics.
...hey, what about that western shooter where you got to jump on trains and horses n shit..i think it was 4 players but i cant recall the name
Ok in an arcade in London I played this gun game where it had sensors around you and could tell when you dodged left or right or down so you saw where the bullets would hit and had to dodge the correct way all while shooting the gun. The also had a cool sword fighting one like it. Haven't seen it since but it was pretty awesome.
Umm the live action ones were the greatest inventions ever. I loved how the screen would flash every time you hit someone becuase the new cinematic was loading. Also I can't agree with your virtua cop placement I would have bumped it higher.
Ok in an arcade in London I played this gun game where it had sensors around you and could tell when you dodged left or right or down so you saw where the bullets would hit and had to dodge the correct way all while shooting the gun. The also had a cool sword fighting one like it. Haven't seen it since but it was pretty awesome.
Umm the live action ones were the greatest inventions ever. I loved how the screen would flash every time you hit someone becuase the new cinematic was loading. Also I can't agree with your virtua cop placement I would have bumped it higher.
@ Cowzilla3
Police 911 and Police 24/7, can't remember the sword game though...
@ Cowzilla3
The sword game has been found, TSURUGI!
Dude, thanks for listing all your Top 10's on your blog, now. Your lists are so good, but there's a few I've missed.
As someone who worked in an arcade for a few months and had to sit next to a Revolution X machine for hours on end, I can say that the game still haunts my dreams.
Awesome, awesome, awesome. You deserve cake.
Alright, I was trying to think of this game I used to play all the time at the movie theater in the mall. You had a shotgun, but shot rifle bullets, not surprisingly, and it had a western theme. I remember the second stage when you got in the saloon, and there would be guys running across the 2nd floor and i think a barrel may have rolled down the stairs. Anyway, i can't think of the name for shit. Anyone know of this?
i love reading these top 10's. they bring me back to when arcades were still decent. I still like Police Academy, and i def had mad dog mcree on PC CD. good times...
@ Nex
That sounds great, I was a huge fan of the Anime that was brought out here by Orion Home Videos back in the 80s. I love the Gogol 13 game on the original NES as well. Great find!
actually, now i remember choosing which level you wanted, i think the saloon was just the most fun.
Hey, TSURUGI was freakin awesome.
I suddenly remember this weird little 3D arcade game. It had a table sort of with blocks on it, and 3D projections... don't think it was a shooter, but anyone have any idea what I'm talking about? It's by the Mad Dog McCree people if I remember right.
great post!! Speaking of Time Crisis, is anyone else picking it up for the PStriple? Besides me
Fuck yes to Mad Dog McCree.
@ Lucashoal
Were you talking about something like this?
@Excremento
FUCKYES that's it. I remember playing it at Magic Mountain, and failing miserably at it.
@ Lucashoal
That game fucking sucked, they touted it as a holographic game, but it was just a game projected off of a bowl mirror, what a lame concept. I'd much rather play Dragon's Lair for the 80th time through.
@ Kryptinite
As soon as I get a PS3 i'm planning on picking it up. It looks to be a great port, not to mention, they're adding a "first person" mode that the arcade version doesn't have.
Great list, i remember a lot of those and 8,5,4,2,1 and 0 are still working on arcades near me.
The American Laser Games ones where fun when i was a kid, i guess i should leave it like that and never play them again as an adult.
My dad's favorite arcade game used to be Lethal Enforcers. Ah, the good ol' days. Man, I remember when Silent Scope first came out. It blew my mind. "OMG, it's got a tiny screen like a real scope!!!"
great list! the memories of uncalibrated guns are rushing through my head...[tear]
Oh man, so many I almost forgot! Some of these never made it to Europe, but these kind of games and lightsabers are the main reason I bought a Wii. Suberb list :)
Vs. Duck Hunt: You can shoot the dog!
I remember wasting hours in the E Club playing Area 51. I always hated it when the games weren't cared for properly, and you had to aim off the screen to hit anything near the edge of it.
Lucky & Wild! oh man i used to play that all the time ..
i didnt think anyone else had ever heard of it!
Awesome list. Gun games are my favorite arcade genre and I'm glad to see someone other than me remembers Lucky and Wild.
Nex, next time I'm in Portland you have to take me to this Golgo 13 game that you speak of!
Dude! How could you make a list of great Lightgun games without LA Machineguns: Rise of the Machines?
http://www.1up.com/do/gameOverview?cId=3156015
It's a quais-sequel to Gunblade NY, with a similar style, but a thousand times more awesome. Like three arcades in my area (Philadelphia) have it, and I play it every time I can. It and House of the Dead 2 are games I play religiously with my brother every time we go to Dave and Busters of the Big Kahuna.
Does anyone remember a "COPS" light gun game?
It was live action and I believe I remember the Cabinet was split for the left side of the bench having a steering wheel and the right side having a gun. One side for the Driving portion of the game, where you chased the perp, and one side for the light gun portion where you had a shootout.
Very nostalgic, probably a pretty crappy game. cant find anything about it on the intranets.