Real Talk By: KJ

Dubbed the “First Space Western Game” by Natsume (a company that is still going strong), we have a game that is true to its billing. Players will either control Clint or Annie. Each can wear different costume colors. All six stages, have something different to offer. Shootouts happen in factories, desert landscapes, bars, and other exciting places. Each area is detailed, giving the player the freedom to muck-up the environment as well. Signs, Bottles, chairs. Nothing is safe. Sprites like the stages, are detailed. The grittiness of this western tale is conveyed in a major way. Bandits, and Robots, and Bartenders, are just a few of the enemies who will try to take you down. The game looks great for an SNES title for sure. Apparently those who own an unopened copy, can sell it for hundreds. For everybody else Wild Guns is available for purchase in the Virtual Console on either Wii system.

Control wise, the development crew did the best that they could, considering it was a mid 90’s release. While your character can move from left to right, the enemies and levels are definitely on-rails. Shoot everything. It is beneficial to the player. Breaking things in the foreground will reveal upgrades. These will enhance weapons or give your more bombs. Triggering bombs is incredibly useful in boss fights, and wipes the screen clear of regular enemies.

Generally thugs keep coming, as you try to outlast the onslaught. When the time meter runs out below, the boss for that area emerges. Some really cool looking ones at that. From big Robots, to well dressed sharpshooters, you look forward to the next confrontation.

The enemies can be crafty. Rolling across the screen dodging bullets. Ducking behind Bar counters, even rushing the player head on. When close like that, melee attack them with your gun. Folks who have played the sin and punishment series, this will feel familiar. It is great that the character you use can double jump, and roll as well.

Weapon pick ups include: The Shotgun (Wider range), Machine Gun (Quick fire rate), Grenade gun. This shoots faster than I expected it to, does a lot of damage. Explosions look cool in Wild Guns. The following is a super gun of sorts. Introducing: The Vulcan Gun. Shooting enemy bullets is not only satisfying to do, a meter will begin to fill up. Your outlaw will glow yellow and become invincible. This gun is ultra powerful, so make the most of it while you can.

Control options on the Wii U let you use, the Gamepad, Pro, Remote, and Classic configurations. It all comes down to having good aim. It gets tough only being able to move left and right, and aiming all with the same cursor. It feels about as smooth as it’s probably going to get on the Super Nintendo. Wild Guns was simply before its time. Two analog sticks was needed.

This title is a difficult one. Three hits on Normal Difficulty and it’s game over.  Reflexes have to be fine-tuned to stay in the fight. A game that feels one hundred percent ripped from an arcade cabinet. Thankfully there is a two player mode, making WG more fun, and doable. Vs Mode gives the option to compete with another player, or computer. This is a fun diversion from the more chaotic story mode. Play through three levels, trying to hit more targets than the other person. The computer is insanely accurate, but that makes it fun. This could be viewed as a practice mode, like something from the ‘Point Blank’ Series of old.

Wild Guns is a great-looking arcade-style shooter. A game that was ahead of the hardware it landed on. This had to have inspired the makers of Sin and Punishment. Exciting from start to finish, this is one space western worth checking out.

 

 Wild Guns Gets

4 out of 5

 

What’s Legit?

+Fun Gameplay

+Destructible Environments

+Detailed Graphics

What’s Perpetrating?

-Having Aim/Movement mapped to the same stick can be challenging

 

@PlayLegit #WildGuns