Released in 2017, Cuphead is the perfect blend of retro run and gun action and fresh new ideas. The game is both an homage to the classic genre and to old cartoons from the 1930s. The gameplay is so smooth and addicting, you are probably looking for something more to play after finally beating all the bosses.
Play any of the ten games below for similar thrills. Most of them are side-scrolling, but a few take the hectic action into a 3D space or top-down perspective. You'll have plenty of time to play most of these before the long-awaited DLC, The Delicious Last Course, comes out.
10 Sunset Riders
When it comes to westerns, most only pay attention to Red Dead Redemption 2. However, you should not ignore the side-scrolling run and gun mayhem of Sunset Riders. Initially an arcade game, it also came out for consoles and has recently been released on PS4 and Switch.
Don't expect a meditative, slow-paced experience for which the western genre is known; Sunset Riders is bombastic, hectic, and haphazard. It is also where the phrase "bury me with my money" became famous within gaming.
9 Bionic Commando Rearmed
What is a run and gun game without jumping? Many may say sacrilegious, but others may say it is Bionic Commando Rearmed, a remake of the NES classic. Players use Nathan Rad Spencer's arm to zip and zoom from platform to platform. The colorful art style is appealing.
While you're at it, do not ignore the reboot from 2009. It is not run and gun, but it is a direct sequel to Rearmed, taking place many years afterward but following the same characters.
8 Mega Man
Many may not directly identify Mega Man as a run and gun game, but all elements of the genre are present. Just as important, it is also extremely difficult. The difficulty is curbed slightly by the multiple levels available from the start.
If one area is too challenging, just try another level. Maybe a weapon you receive in one stage will make others more manageable. With 11 mainline entries and numerous spin-offs, there is plenty of content to dig into here.
7 Gunstar Heroes
Back in 1993, Gunstar Heroes was a great Sega Genesis exclusive and the console's answer to Contra. Fortunately, the game was ported to 3DS in 2015, making it more accessible. Gunstar Heroes was the first game from developer Treasure, who would go on to make other celebrated shooters like Ikarua and Sin and Punishment.
The game has a cuter, brighter aesthetic than most other run and gun games of the time.
6 Huntdown
Huntdown's run and gun action is set in a dystopian cyberpunk future with a retro 80s vibe. While this kind of aesthetic has arguably been played out, the gameplay more than makes up for it. The level design and art direction are fantastic.
Even if the look is relatively generic, the game has plenty of personality to feel original. Don't be put off by the retro look if you are not into the throwback style; Huntdown offers plenty to enjoy besides the grab at nostalgia.
5 Enter The Gungeon
The only roguelike on the list, a run in Enter the Gungeon already begins intensely and only ramps up from there. As the name implies, the game is absolutely obsessed with guns and firepower. Even many of the enemies are literal bullets and shells holding guns.
The game is played from the top-down perspective, so bullets are coming at you from almost every angle at all times.
4 Super Turrican
Before Factor 5 wowed gamers with some of the finest Star Wars games on the N64 and GameCube, they made Super Turrican -- a cult classic Run and Gun for the SNES.
A director's cut of the game came out on the Super Nt, which features new levels and additional enemies not in the original release. The graphics are also fairly impressive for the SNES. Unfortunately, the game is not available on other modern platforms at the moment.
3 Total Carnage
This top-down shooter is also a spiritual sequel to Smash TV, another classic Midway title. Unlike Smash TV, levels are larger and are not just set in separate rooms; it also has smoother transitions.
The aesthetic is about as machismo as one can get, with both playable characters rampaging their way through the stages without shirts. You are rarely given a chance to breathe as waves of enemies keep coming. Fortunately, at home, you don't have to worry about running out of quarters like in an arcade.
2 Super Star Wars
Run and Gun games are generally known for their difficulty. Even with this considered, Super Star Wars is just ridiculously cruel. Furthermore, some of the enemies and level designs barely make sense for the Star Wars universe.
Even so, it is considered a classic and was successful enough to receive two sequels following the events of the rest of the trilogy. It was really one of the best Star Wars games for many years.
1 Alien Hominid
Just like Cuphead, Alien Hominid features an art style that does not reflect its challenge. It is ultimately way bloodier and more violent, however. You play as an alien who has crash-landed on earth and is being chased down by government agents.
The original release also features a fun platforming minigame where you can create your own levels. It offers more content than the average run and gun game, with numerous unlocks to be earned throughout the campaign. A remake is currently in development from the same studio, which also made Castle Crashers.