Run and Gun Recommendation Thread

[insektmute]

Branched off from the SHMUP Recommendation Thread. For those totally in the dark about this genre, run and gun games differ from beat 'em ups and shoot 'em ups, mainly in that they rely predominantly on singular characters firing guns. No ships flying around, no bullet patterns, and very few (if any) physical attacks.

Feel free to go all-out with as many suggestions as you want, but try to avoid posting duplicates. I'll keep a main list of everything sorted up top here, as I'm able to.  If a game has multiple releases, try and list the best version you know of. Metal Slug X, for example, has a PS1 port, but it's generally considered inferior to the Neo-Geo original.

Starting us off:

Arcade
- Contra
- Dolphin Blue
- GunForce 2
- Gun.Smoke
- Robotron: 2084
- Smash T.V.

Game Boy
- Contra: The Alien Wars
- Operation C

Game Boy Advance
- Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX
- CT Special Forces
- CT Special Forces 2: Back in the Trenches
- Gunstar Super Heroes
- Metal Slug Advance

Genesis
- Alien Soldier
- Calibur .50
- Contra: Hard Corps
- Gunstar Heroes
- Mega Turrican
- Mercs
- Sunset Riders
- Vectorman
- Vectorman 2

Neo-Geo
- Cyber-Lip
- Ikari Warriors
- Metal Slug
- Metal Slug X
- Metal Slug 3
- Ninja Commando
- Shock Troopers: 2nd Squad

NES
- Commando
- Contra
- Rush 'n Attack
- Super C

Nintendo DS
- Contra 4
- Metal Slug 7

PlayStation
- Apocalypse
- Contra: Legacy of War
- CT Special Forces [EU]
- CT Special Forces 2 [EU]
- Gunners Heaven [JP]
- Metal Slug X
- ONE

PlayStation 2
- Contra: Shattered Soldier
- Gunstar Heroes Treasure Box: Sega Ages 2500 Vol. 25 (Gunstar Heroes + Alien Soldier)
- Metal Slug Anthology

Saturn
- Assault Suits Leynos 2 [JP]

SNES/SFC
- Assault Suits Valken [JP]
- Contra III: The Alien Wars
- Sunset Riders
- Super Turrican
- Super Turrican 2

Wii
- Contra Rebirth
- Metal Slug Anthology

XBLA
- Hard Corps: Uprising
- Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team

Xbox
- Metal Slug 4 & 5

[scott]

Arcade
Contra
Robotron: 2084

NES

Rush 'n Attack
Contra

[scott]

XBLA

Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team

[burningdoom]

A few that haven't been named:

NES:
-Super C

SNES:
-Contra III: The Alien Wars
-Super Turrican

Sega Genesis:
-Contra: Hard Corps
-Gunstar Heroes
-Mega Turrican

PS1:
-Apocalypse (Starring Bruce Willis, and flamethrowers!)
-Contra: Legacy of War
-Metal Slug X

PS2:
-Metal Slug Anthology (and on Wii)

XBox:
-Metal Slug 4 & 5 (both on 1 release)

Nintendo DS:
-Contra 4
-Metal Slug 7

[scott]

Crap. I totally forgot Contra 4 was released on DS...

[insektmute]

Crap. I totally forgot Contra 4 was released on DS...

I keep wondering if it's really any good. Sooo many mixed reviews on all the somewhat recent Contra and Metal Slug games.

[burningdoom]

Crap. I totally forgot Contra 4 was released on DS...

I keep wondering if it's really any good. Sooo many mixed reviews on all the somewhat recent Contra and Metal Slug games.

If you like 2D run-n-gun games, you'll love it. If you like the Contra and Metal Slug series, then you'll love them. I have a feeling it's the younger crowd that's not too keen on 2D gaming that may be putting those reviews.

[burningdoom]

Does Bionic Commando on NES count as a run-n-gun, or an action-adventure? If it does count as a run-n-gun, then it definitely belongs up there. One of the best games ever made.

[insektmute]

If you like 2D run-n-gun games, you'll love it. If you like the Contra and Metal Slug series, then you'll love them. I have a feeling it's the younger crowd that's not too keen on 2D gaming that may be putting those reviews.

Cool, I'll have to check it out. Most of the reviews I've seen are actually from the hardcore 2D crowd, but I think a lot of them are much more jaded about this stuff than I am, or expect all of them to be as difficult as say, Contra: Hard Corps.

Does Bionic Commando on NES count as a run-n-gun, or an action-adventure? If it does count as a run-n-gun, then it definitely belongs up there. One of the best games ever made.

It's probably open to debate, but I'd say no, mainly because of pacing. It's a great game, no question, but so much of it is centered around platforming and evading enemies that I'd put it closer to action-adventure style games like Metroid or Castlevania than frantic shooters like Contra or Metal Slug.

[darko]

Cybernator & Super Turrican 2 on the SNES get my vote.

[burningdoom]

Apocalypse for PS1 doesn't make the list?

[insektmute]

Apocalypse was added hours ago. Cybernator *technically* was added by me, but under the Japanese version, Assault Suits Valken, since the US release was censored like crazy.

[darko]

I didn't realize Cybernator was the same game.

I'd like to add Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX (GBA). It isn't a pure port of The Alien Wars on the SNES. It has added levels and such (I actually think it's superior to the SNES version after playing it for the first time this week).

[insektmute]

I didn't realize Cybernator was the same game.

I'd like to add Contra Advance: The Alien Wars EX (GBA). It isn't a pure port of The Alien Wars on the SNES. It has added levels and such (I actually think it's superior to the SNES version after playing it for the first time this week).

I didn't for a long time either, up until I started checking more into the Assault Suit series after playing Leynos. Sad that we never got an un-fucked version of Cybernator/Valken in NA

The GBA's an oddly great system for run and gun goodness, though. Metal Slug Advance is awesome, and and I actually like Gunstar Super Heroes better than Gunstar Heroes (blasphemy?).

[kingrat101]

GBA- CT Special Forces both 1 and 2 awesome run n guns that look a lot like Metal Slug, released on the Playstation as well,only in Europe though.
Wii-Contra Rebirth
PS1-ONE
SNES-Sunset Riders
If we're doing top down as well...
NES-Commando, Ikari Warriors
Genesis-Mercs, Calibur .50
Arcade-Gunforce 2, Gun. Smoke