We’re back with part 2 of the best light gun games of all time. Here you’ll find the remaining 5 games on the list, including my all-time favorite. No skipping ahead, here they come:
6.) Silent Hill: The Arcade
The Silent Hill arcade game is another title that I’ve not spent as much time on as I would have liked (see part 1). That’s not to say I haven’t put a good number of hours into it, I have, just not enough. We had one of these close to me for a while, but it broke and never returned, just like my sense of optimism.
Silent Hill: The Arcade first release in Japan in the relatively recent year of 2007. Despite being in the recent past, 2007 was a time that saw Konami interested in their franchise outside of pachinko. It will be back at some point; I’m just bitter for now.
The arcade version of Silent Hill is absolutely nothing like the console counterparts. Survival horror and item management are gone entirely, replaced by an on-rails shooter blastathon. What we have here is House of the Dead, reskinned with Silent Hill assets.
To me, this isn’t a bad thing. I enjoyed the game and will take any excuse I can get to spend some time in the world of Silent Hill. Well, maybe not an interactive VR version as it may induce involuntary bowel movements, but I do love the world.
Some players have heavily criticized this game, and I understand that it is not for everyone. I like it, and this is my list, so take your judgments elsewhere, or at least to the comments section so I can defend myself.
7.) Music GunGun 2
Music GunGun 2 hit the arcades of Japan in 2011 and is quite the departure from your typical lightgun experience. I cannot speak highly enough of it.
As I have said, this isn’t a numbered list, although if it were Music GunGun would be placed very highly on it. I don’t think I have ever played it without a huge beaming smile on my face, and I’m someone who looks miserable most of the time (I’m smiling on the inside).
What we have here is a cross between a shooter and a rhythm action game, it just shouldn’t work, but it does with the fantastic soundtrack going some way to add to the enjoyment.
Just try and tell me that you don’t want to shoot things along to Mario or Zelda songs, you can’t, and if you try, I shall call you a liar.
Played either solo or two players, Music GunGun 2 has targets that appear on the screen that count down and must be shot in time with the music, meaning that not only do you have to shoot straight, but you also have to do it with the right timing as well.
I count myself as pretty good at both light gun games as well as rhythm-action. Still, some of the more difficult songs are almost impossible, especially to us non-Japanese people; however, even when I failed a song, I again found myself having a great time and feeding more money into the machine.
I spent many a yen on it and wouldn’t hesitate to do so again, it’s my light gun version of Taiko no Tatsujin, and I love it. Buy me a cabinet, and I’ll be your friend forever, I even promise to let you play, as long as you bring money.
8.) The House of the Dead
I honestly don’t know which House of the Dead to pick here, even as I begin to type I’m not sure. It’s a toss-up between the first two games, and either of them is worthy entries onto anyone’s list. I should probably pick the first entry as it is a classic and, in my opinion, House of the Dead 2 wasn’t as much of a jump forward as Time Crisis 2 was for its series.
House of the Dead hit arcades back in 1996, and once again, we had to wait for an age for it to release in the West. That wouldn’t come until 1998.
I don’t even know what I can tell you about the game that you don’t already know.
Zombies and Monsters. Check.
Light Gun. Check
Do you need more than that? Fine. House of the Dead helped to bring Zombies back into the mainstream with a brilliantly fun on-rails shooter from the same guys who brought you Super Monkey Ball, Sega.
Swarms of monsters will attack the player and need to be fended off with rapid light gun shooting, with a quick shot away from the screen acting as a reload. The shooting was fun, the story was ridiculous, and the voice acting was abysmal.
Just like another excellent Zombie game from the ’90s, Resident Evil, it seems as if the voice actors have never spoken a word of English before and have certainly never acted in their lives.
This is not a criticism. I adore the terrible voice acting in both series; it’s what helps to make them what they are. I’d happily just watch let’s play videos all day just to listen to it in all its glory.
In conclusion, House of the Dead is great, and you all knew that anyway, and it’s not like you can kill zombies with a keyboard, is it?
9.) Lethal Enforcers
Lethal Enforcers was ridiculous and is another game on my list thanks to the wonderful goggles of nostalgia. Released by Konami in 1992, many years before they ruined Silent Hill (I’m still bitter), it was a pretty great game for its time.
The console ports of the game were played with the Konami Justifier, a bright blue or red (apparently pink) light gun with the looks of a colt python. Playing at home or in the arcades was great.
Lethal Enforces caused some controversy at the time as the stages consisted of areas made from digitized photos. This made the stages seem slightly more realistic as enemies popped up, ready for their faces to be blown off.
By today’s standards, the whole thing is laughable, and they look about as realistic as $1million in my bank account, but at the time, it was a big deal and probably part of the reason I loved playing it so much.
What wouldn’t eight years old enjoy playing the forbidden game?
10.) Point Blank
Point Blank is insane in the best possible way. I’ve been told I’m not allowed to swear, so let me tell you this. Point Blank is good, flippin’ good. It’s the last game on my list and my favorite, for a good reason. It is, and always shall be, the greatest light gun game of all time.
Known as Gun Bullet in Japan (way cooler name), Point Blank hit the arcades in 1994 and would later find its way over to the PlayStation and Nintendo DS, although I’m not really talking about the DS version.
It wasn’t your typical “Shoot all the bad guys” light gun game. Here, speed and skill were your best friends, and both would be put the test in several short levels that could be taken on solo or competitively in 2 players.
The levels were exceptional and could involve shooting a set number of things the fastest, shooting targets in order, or even shooting a falling leaf with only one bullet in the chamber. They were just great, and I adore this game. I want to do a retrospective on it but can’t unless any of you kind fellows wish to lend me a CRT TV.
I could honestly write about Point Blank for hours, I won’t, but I could. Get over to youtube and take a look at a let’s play of it. I’ve taken up enough of your time as it is.
What more do I need to say? Point Blank is the greatest light gun game of all time, and I shall not argue the issue.
With that, I have reached the end of my ramblings. Let me know in the comments what your favorite light gun games are, besides Point Blank. Chances are I will love them even if they weren’t in my top 10.
