Run and gun

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A run and gun (also known as run 'n gun or for some variants, overhead shooter) is a sub-genre of video games that incorporates elements from shoot 'em up games and platform games. These games, which are a type of multi-directional shooters, have been very popular throughout the last twenty-five years with titles such as Contra, Commando, Gunstar Heroes, Metal Slug, and Ikari Warriors. The games are particularly remembered for trademark two-player simultaneous gameplay. There are two basic types of run and gun games: side-view and overhead/isometric view. Side-view games emphasize jumping as the primary means for evasion, while overhead or isometric games focus on strafing and the use of natural barriers as defenses.

The spiritual successor of run-and-gun games are third-person shooters and first person shooters.

Contents 1 Gameplay characteristics 1.1 Weapons 1.2 Health and powerups 1.3 Vehicles 1.4 Multiplayer 1.4.1 Scrolling death 2 Side-view run and guns 3 Overhead-view run and guns 4 Hybrid games 5 External links

[edit] Gameplay characteristics

Run and guns are essentially a special case of multi-directional scrollers; in order to qualify, the player must be able to move and fire the protagonist in any direction, although not necessarily simultaneously. Games in this genre are characterized by protagonists that are individual people or small vehicles. The player takes up a larger percentage of a screen than in shoot 'em up games (also known as shmups). Correspondingly, the gameplay focuses on a much smaller game setting; instead of attacking an entire enemy war machine, the objective might be traversing a dirt path to one particular enemy installation. Like shmups, the protagonist is normally given a default weapon with infinite ammunition. In addition, there is usually a boss present at the end of each level that is much larger and has more firepower than the protagonist.

The biggest single distinguishing factor of this sub-genre is the need for evasion from enemies and their fire. Contrastingly, in scrolling shooters, the player is given much more room, relatively, to maneuver. The increased size of the protagonist relative to the enemies in run and guns implies there is simply less room to "run away" from enemy bullets and projectiles. Thus, there is a need for alternative means.

Unlike shoot 'em ups, where all bullets are fired in a straight lines from the protagonist, run 'n guns place a great deal of importance on aiming at enemies in disparate directions. The usual aim and movement control scheme used is that both functions are tied into the same joystick. Side-view games typically allow unrestricted movement and jumping while firing, even though this may not be realistically possible. Overhead games either allow independent movement and firing such as in Guerrilla War, or movement while firing is restricted to strafing perpendicular to the direction faced as in Gun.Smoke. Independent movement and firing is usually accomplished with the use of two joysticks.

[edit] Weapons

A typical run and gun initially gives the player a slow-repeating pistol or rifle as an initial weapon. Several games give the player a melee weapon (usually a knife) to dispatch enemies from very short ranges, including the Metal Slug series and Bloody Wolf. Rush'n Attack and its sequel M.I.A.: Missing in Action are side-view games that concentrate heavily on melee action, with ranged attacks being a secondary attack. However, the incorporation of melee attacks are more rare as this sub-genre focuses on shooting action as the primary method of dispatching enemies. There is usually an assortment of different ranged and powered military-themed weapons available either by eliminating certain enemies, picking up power up icons, or finding them in containers. These additional weapons can be either limited by number of rounds (as in Metal Slug) or have infinite ammunition until the player's death. Of particular note is Gunstar Heroes, which allows the player to create weapons by combining different firing modes together.

There is a typical set of weapons included in these games in one variation or another:

• Machine guns – Heavy Barrel, Contra
• Three-way , "spread" guns, or shotguns – Commando, Shock Troopers, Sunset Riders, Contra
• Flamethrowers – Gunstar Heroes, Contra: Shattered Soldier,
• Rocket launchers – Bloody Wolf, Zombies Ate My Neighbors
• Narrow-beam laser guns – Metal Slug, Contra, Crusader: No Remorse
• Enemy-chaser/homing missile weapons – Gunstar Heroes, Contra III: The Alien Wars, Contra: Shattered Soldier, Metal Slug 2

Weapons are certainly not limited to this theme. For example, Ikari Warriors II: Victory Road has several historical weapons such as boomerangs] and bows and arrows. The famous Gauntlet features mythical weapons and magic. Even more absurd, the infamous Michael Jackson's Moonwalker utilizes fantastic weapons including high-powered fedoras to defeat enemies.

[edit] Health and powerups

Most run and guns games have elected to have one hit by an enemy result in instant death. Usually, the player can instantly respawn from the point where death occurred, although any special weapons acquired are discarded. Other games, such as Gunstar Heroes and Blaster Master use a hit point system. Games with this system often, although not always, use the hit points as a replacement for several one-hit lives.

Many titles, such as Metal Slug incorporate a number of grenades or other special attacks that the player has with each life. These stronger weapons allow the player to inflict more damage and attack multiple enemies. Some games, such as Contra III: The Alien Wars and MERCS, give the player a screen-clearing bomb, highly reminiscient of traditional scrolling shooters.

[edit] Vehicles

In run and gun games, vehicles are often used as a powerup in terms of both durability and firepower. Typically, the vehicles allow the player to absorb several hits before becoming disabled, which is important as vehicles are often larger targets. Depending upon the circumstance, vehicles may grant additional abilities such as charge-up attacks or the ability to fly. Games with powerup vehicles include the Gunforce and Metal Slug series. In addition, several games put the protagonist in control of a vehicle for the entire span of the game, such as Jackal and Moon Patrol. Other titles, such as Blaster Master, have unique vehicular and personnel combat modes.

[edit] Multiplayer

Run and gun games are particularly noted for their fast-paced cooperative simultaneous gameplay. Many run and gun games, particularly arcade and their corresponding ports, ramp up the strength of bosses when in two-player mode. Like in beat 'em ups, players often share a pool of continues, thus it is possible for one worse player to utilize most or all of these continues. Games that utilize "power-up" vehicles add another element to cooperation; the player with the vehicle is more heavily armored and should take a more dominant role in gameplay.

Typically games of this type are much easier when playing with another player, as positions forward and behind the players can be covered by constant firing. This is in contrast to single player, where the player may have to often alternate between covering the rear and advancing enemies from the front.

[edit] Scrolling death

Both players occupy the same screen and must coordinate their actions, particularly in respect to the scrolling screen. If the scrolling is limited to forward directions only, players can potentially cause the death of each other. For example, one player lagging behind could cause problems for his partner, as the screen will not scroll onward. A slow player could be fatal to his partner's attempt to complete a jump over a chasm if the chasm appeared on the screen but the other side did not. In vertical levels, one player can scroll up too quickly and inadvertently kill the other player in the process, as the other player would literally have the ground beneath him disappear.

Overhead games have similar problems with scrolling in multiplayer, but is much more of a rare occurrence. The typical case of scrolling death in this type of game is when one player gets stuck behind an obstacle and cannot escape because all passages have been blocked by scrolling. Once the player clips the screen edge, death will occur.

[edit] Side-view run and guns

As stated previously, side-view games emphasize jumping and crouching as the primary methods of evading enemy fire. These games primarily force scrolling from left to right, but some allow backtracking to previous areas. Because jumping is an essential part of the game, levels often feature pits and crevices which must be carefully jumped over in order to avoid instant death. This can be a big problem in multiplayer games when the screen becomes too busy for the player to notice the hazard. Also, upon respawning, games can place the character right next to or above such pits. Environmental features can often be used to obtain strategic firing positions; these include ladders which can be climbed, rails which can be held onto, etc. Several side-view games, most notably Turrican and Super Star Wars, feature large levels that emphasize exploration. These levels are often five or six screens tall and contain multiple routes to the end of the level. The environments in side-view games are incredibly varied, ranging from warehouse interiors, to jungles and mountains, and even to outer space environments like in Midnight Resistance.

Example side-view run and guns – Contra series, Metal Slug series, Abuse, Soldat, Gunstar Heroes

[edit] Overhead-view run and guns

Overhead-view games put less emphasis on platforming aspects, but put additional emphasis on using the environment to effectively shield fire. This is especially important during boss fights, as the massive amount of firepower involved makes it relatively easy for the player to die. It is common to see level layouts composed of sandbag bunkers, boulders, trees, and observation towers – all of which all make useful barriers. In overhead games, there is generally a lesser amount of indoor environments, as normal floorplans would restrict the open-spaces necessary for overhead games. Thus, the majority of overhead games take place in outdoor environments. Like side-view games, there are several titles that put additional emphasis on exploration, such as Zombies Ate My Neighbors and Fester's Quest. These added-depth titles feature levels that scroll in both directions, feature indoor and outdoor environments, and tend to have several objectives like rescuing civilians and finding keys. The majority of these games scroll vertically at an automatic pace. Today, modern overhead games, like Neo Contra, have incorporated three-dimensional graphics, although generally a semi-fixed camera is used to avoid occlusion problems.

Examples of Overhead "Run and Gun" games: Ikari Warriors, Heavy Barrel, Ninja Commando, Jackal, and Guerrilla War.

[edit] Hybrid games

Although it is not common, several games of this genre include both side-view and overhead levels. This does not imply that the player has the same abilities in both levels. For example, in Super Contra, the player cannot jump in the overhead levels, but can strafe instead.

Example hybrid run and guns – Blaster Master, Bloody Wolf, Contra III: The Alien Wars

[edit] External links

• Sega 16's Genre feature on Run-'N-Guns for the Sega Genesis.