Run and Gun Games |
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| Run N' Gun games, some of the most intense, adrenaline fueled, and just plain difficult games out there, masses of enemies, explosions, big guns and even bigger giant robots/monster boss battles are the order of the day. Strangely enough after I set out to make this feature I found it difficult to pin down a clear definition of the genre anywhere, everyone seems to disagree on what does and doesn't constitute a Run N' Gun so after awhile I realised that I was going to have to try to work out a clear criteria myself based on what's generally agreed on. My criteria are as follows - Must have multi-directional firing, must have a higher emphasis on shooting than platforming, must have an element of powering up and improving weapons, must have a fairly linear level structure with no backtracking, there can be a very small element of puzzle solving but it must be non-intrusive and must not disrupt the flow of the game. Phew! what a load of pointless rules, oh well lets get on to the games. |
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Adventures of Batman and Robin |
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2 Player |
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Stand out versions - Mega Drive |
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This game really throws you into the deep end from the get go, loads of enemies from every direction will attempt to pummel you whilst others try to shoot you from safe spots so expect to die a good few times before you get the general hang of it and start to progress through the levels, and what levels they are! easily some of the most attractive graphics and effects on the system and the music also does a very good job of raising the action, I will admit that it can feel a little lacking in variety early on but i'd keep with it to see all the set pieces and intense sections later on. |
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Alien Soldier |
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1 Player |
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Stand out versions - Mega Drive |
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This game is pretty much action packed boss battle after boss battle with only a small modicum of shooting between, it has a fantastic way of keeping you on your toes by having a system where if unharmed you get to do a powerful dash move that decimates the bosses in a few hits (which forces you to be extra careful during the between boss sections), one thing I really like about this game is that it absolutely inundates you with all the control options you could ever want. |
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Atomic Runner |
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1 Player |
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Stand out versions - Mega Drive |
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What a unique and likeable game this is. It's like any other Run N' Gun except in this case the screen has an automatic scroll to force you to keep moving. I personally find the small, detailed graphics quite endearing and the music is excellent too, it has one of those infectiously toe-tapping beats that drills into your skull. |
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Contra/Probotector/Gryzor |
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2 Player |
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Stand out versions - NES |
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This is the most important run and gun game ever made and the first in the long line of classic contra games, it's loads of fun and great for 2 players (though a second player always seems to make it harder than ever) |
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Contra III |
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2 Player |
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Stand out versions - SNES |
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Great update that not only worked on making everything bigger and better but also tried to lessen the little annoyances present in earlier incarnations, you now have two weapon slots so there's no more putting all your eggs in one basket only to die and lose everything at once and a bomb to get you out of tight situations that may unfortunately occur. |
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Contra: Hard Corps |
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2 Player |
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Stand out versions - Mega Drive |
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Hard Corps is quite simply Contra taken to absolute excess, it's more intense, faster and harder then most other Contra games and as it's name infers it's pretty much squarely aimed as a fan service to the most hardcore of the Contra audience out there and as such is probably the least accessible for newcomers. |
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Cyber Lip |
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2 Player |
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Stand out versions - NEO GEO |
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One thing I find with Run N' Gun games is that there's usually one weapon in the game that's pretty much the one you want to collect and stick with (such as the spread gun in Contra) not so with Cyber Lip as each weapon is balanced out extremely well with pros and cons meaning that to play well you'll have to keep switching between weapons for different occasions. There's also some cool voice samples and a nice emphasis on climbing and hanging in many of the level designs. |
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Demolition Man |
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1 Player |
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Stand out versions - Mega Drive |
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Really fun and action packed, Demolition Man has it's fair share of impressive set pieces from the get go, jumping out of helicopters on bungee cords and escaping from explosions, also notable are the great voiceover work and sound effects. Avoid the SNES version as it controls like a brick, has slowdown and has muffled sound. |
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Dinosaurs For Hire |
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2 Player |
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Stand out versions - Mega Drive |
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There are certainly a few better run n' guns out there but you could do a lot worse than Dinosaurs for Hire with it's nice 2 player mode, cool boss battles, and just generally good but unremarkable run n' gun gameplay, one unique thing of note is the useful melee attack that helps to deal with enemies if they get too close. Solid co-op entertainment. |
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Earthworm Jim |
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1 Player |
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Stand out versions - MegaCD, SNES, MD |
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Earthworm Jim is a remarkably likeable game with great graphics, animation and a sense of humour throughout the whole game, it never stops throwing new ideas at you from start to finish too. |
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