The Gamer's Quarter

player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

So with the release of Gunstar Super Heroes I kind of am getting back into run & guns. So far, I'm enjoying Contra: Hard Corps (J) a hell of a lot. It's got a speed and certain air of craziness about it that just... wow. Metal Slug and even the original Gunstar Heroes don't have it, but they're good in their own right.

Anyways, list and nostalgize your flavourite run & gun games. The more obscure and more insane the better. Fast, too.
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Wii #: 8749 9109 9732 3653

"It is a peaceful way of understanding life, to play"
_Marcel Duchamp

Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

Rolling Thunder is by far my favourite run and gun game, though I can't honestly say that there's much running involved. I like it because of its style, its merging of super spy and supernatural elements, giving it a kooky but ambient feel, the animations, and because it is challenging, but not in a cheap manner. The thinking man's shooter, perhaps?

Elevator Action Returns is also one of my favourites, and I do find myself retreading the Metal Slug games fairly often.
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"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!"

Bai · . Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 24

Jazz Jackrabbit! Fast, fluid and best of all, free!

I also liked Jill of the Jungle.

seryogin · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:33 pm Post subject:

One of my next articles will deal with Contra: Hard Corps and why it's the finest action game ever made.

Hard Corps is one of the few action games that makes me feel engaged every moment. It's pacing is perfect, even if the level design is a bit bland.

Contra: Hard Corps is what Metal Slug and every Treasure game wanted to be.

(Though, to be fair Treasure went much farther than Hard Corps in certain respects)

SuperWes · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 5:41 pm Post subject:

Cybernator bitches!

Cybernator mixes running and gunning with straight shooter stages and awesome heavy-feeling 2D sidescrolling mech action. It was remade for the Playstation 2 last year and somewhat ruined, or at least it altered from my memories of it. It's possible that the US version was hacked to bits and reassembeled for US consumption from the Japanese original in a way that I like bettter, but I'm not sure. I've heard that the ending was changed, but the US version just seems easier than the PS2 version.

Whatever the case you should all play it!

And I should apparently play Front Mission: Gunhazard.

-Wes
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Dracko · . Joined: 10 Oct 2005 Posts: 2613

What was different in the PS2 version? I felt that the SNES version was pretty damn complete and brilliant as it was already.
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"This is the most fun I've ever had without being drenched in the blood of my enemies!"

player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

Don't you guys think that those Mech games are too... slow? It's so not the point. At least, for me. I kind of like the fluidity of Metal Slug, but they seem off, too.
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Wii #: 8749 9109 9732 3653

"It is a peaceful way of understanding life, to play"
_Marcel Duchamp

SuperWes · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:47 pm Post subject:

dessgeega · Posted: Mon Oct 10, 2005 7:57 pm Post subject:

elevator action returns is a pretty incredible game. i like the little details in particular - shooting out the electricity or dropping a light on an enemy's head.

metal slug, for me, exists as metal slug 1 - a deliberately and perfectly paced shooter - and metal slug 3 - an extravaganza of credit-feeding 2D mayhem (with occasionally chubby protagonists).

i have been playing gunstar super heroes obsessively since its japanese release and i'm pretty close to a single-session on normal difficulty. this game reminds me of the way i used to play games - every time i play, i know i am getting better or figuring out something new.
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player 2 · . Joined: 10 Jul 2005 Posts: 585 Location: Madison, WI USA

Both Rolling Thunder and EAR don't really seem like "run and gun" games to me. There's an aspect to R&G games that you feel in something like, say, basketball or soccer. It's the constant motion. The constant influx of enemies in Contra, despite its unrealistic nature, is actually beneficial to the series because even if you're "not moving" you still have to be active. Constantly thinking, watching your opponent. Even if he's doing something as routine as bullshitting you (via spawning enemies), you still have to deal with it...

I think this is the same feeling you get from the Gate Captains in Dynasty Warriors, except, it's fairly immature there. It's not developed in an interesting way, not like Contra.

Oh god.
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Wii #: 8749 9109 9732 3653

"It is a peaceful way of understanding life, to play"
_Marcel Duchamp

Mister Toups · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 10:59 am Post subject:

Bionic Commando!!!
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Lackey · . Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 1107 Location: Canada

Does Space Harrier count? I mean, it has a sense of constant motion, constant action, running and gunning. I think it's beautiful, really.
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dessgeega · Posted: Wed Oct 12, 2005 11:14 am Post subject:

space harrier always counts.
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Lackey · . Joined: 11 Jul 2005 Posts: 1107 Location: Canada

A man in a track suit running across an infinite checkered grid seems to be the ultimate embodiment of the videogame experience. Also, he has a laser gun.
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disneyland · . Joined: 16 Jun 2005 Posts: 131 Location: Shinsei

Also be sure to play Contra 3 again. Play 4 levels, at least.
I'm serious: go play four levels of Contra 3 right now. Thanks.

You can feel every Konami team member on that game saying, "Yeah, this Super Famicom is some interesting shit."

dessgeega · Posted: Thu Oct 13, 2005 9:39 am Post subject:

speaking of gunstar super heroes (and i will be, emphatically, for a while), the ost has the best cover art ever.
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