Glen Hall
In the heyday of arcades, light gun games were a thrilling experience, offering players the chance to wield a virtual weapon and take on waves of enemies with pinpoint accuracy. While these games were once a staple of both arcades and home consoles, they’ve become increasingly rare in recent years.
The tactile satisfaction of aiming and firing at the screen has largely been replaced by modern controllers and VR headsets, leaving many gamers longing for the return of these classics. Despite the decline in their popularity, the home console market once saw several standout titles that captured the excitement of light gun gameplay.
As we reminisce about these unforgettable games, we can’t help but hope that one day they might make a comeback. Here’s a look at some of the best light gun games that graced our home consoles, each one a testament to a bygone era of interactive entertainment.
Side notes before we get angry comments in our discord, we know your favourite may not be on the list, but keep in mind this list if for home console releases, so Arcade exclusives like Terminator won’t be on this list. 😉
Duck Hunt (1984)
Now it wouldn’t be a list of the best light gun games if we didn’t include the cult classic Duck Hunt from 1984 released on the NES. Players use the NES Zapper to shoot ducks as they fly across the screen, aiming for high scores while avoiding the taunts of the iconic laughing dog when they miss. The game also features a clay pigeon shooting mode and has become a nostalgic favourite among gamers.
Duck Hunt also inspired the horror themed VR game Duck Season, where the protagonist has had enough of the smirking dog and decides to shoot the dog out of frustration, or even just curiosity… we’ve all thought it. The dog breaks the forth wall and enters the real world to seek his revenge… Thankfully this NES entry is as simple and light hearted as it gets… for killing ducks.
Ninja Assault (2000)
Combining traditional light gun gameplay with cartoon samurais and ninjas, Ninja Assault from the year 2000, players embarked on a mission to defeat enemies while progressing through a storyline set in mythical Japanese settings.
Complete with powerful bosses and a cooperative multiplayer mode for added fun, this game wasn’t afraid of its wacky premise and fully embraced it to provide players a memorable childhood favourite.
The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return (2008)
In 2008 the Wii was treated with a compilation of the arcade classics “The House of the Dead 2” and “The House of the Dead 3” from SEGA. The game was largely untouched and offered players a chance to experience fast-paced, zombie-shooting action using the Wii Zapper attachment, with support for multiplayer co-op.
The Wii was a perfect platform for light gun games as the Wiimote emulated a light gun really well and with 3rd party attachments, it was the perfect platform to host these classic games.
Virtua Cop Series 1 & 2 Elite Edition (2002)
Another compilation and another from SEGA Released in 2002 as a compilation of the first two “Virtua Cop” games. Originally released in arcades and on the Sega Saturn, for the time these games were celebrated for their realistic 3D graphics and precise hit detection, allowing players to take down criminals with pinpoint accuracy.
Considering the standard set in later years, these games are fairly bland in comparison but still hold a nostalgic place in many gamer’s hearts.
Endgame (2002)
This light gun shooter puts players in the role of a secret agent uncovering a global conspiracy.
Although the story for Endgame was short clocking in on average 30 minutes to complete, it was praised for taking a risk in making a light gun game with a serious story and realistic tone… well as realistic as you can get with alien and computer AI from the 2000s themes can be.
Vampire Night (2000)
Our 2nd entry from the year 2000, Vampire Night is a gothic-themed light gun shooter where players battle vampires and other supernatural creatures. Developed by the creators of “The House of the Dead” series, the game features intense action, a dark atmospheric setting, and the option for cooperative play.
The game is well remembered for it’s fast paced boss fights that kept you on edge it’s entire playthrough.
Time Crisis 3 (2002)
Released for the PlayStation 2 in 2002 and the third instalment in the series, Time Crisis 3 is known for its intense action and over the top story lines filled with thrilling set pieces, making it a standout title in the genre.
The game featured a cover system using a foot pedal in the arcades, like the game before it and allowed players to switch between multiple weapons. This pedal cover system could not be done on home consoles so a simple button was added on the PS2 GunCon2 to allow this feature.
