Gun.Smoke (1985). Play online

Summary

Gun.Smoke feels like a bullet‑hurling ride through an Old West wild‑west ever‑moving street. The screen scrolls upward by itself while I juggle three dedicated fire buttons for left, center and right shots, and a handful of combos let me switch the gun’s spread. Hitting barrels rewards gear: a sturdy horse that can take three hits, boots that shave seconds off my turn‑around, faster‑firing bullets and a rifle that extends the reach of each shot. I also chase Yashichi icons for that extra life and grab stars, bottles or even dragonflies for point bursts. The challenge spikes when enemies corner me against the bottom of the screen or when I’m squeezed between an obstacle and the edge. It’s a rare arcade gem that earned top‑slot rankings in both Japanese and U.S. cabinet charts, and its crisp soundtrack by Ayako Mori still rides behind every reload. Those quick‑reaction mechanics keep me coming back whenever I fire up the Switch or PC port of Gun.Smoke.

Storyline

Gun.Smoke puts you in the boots of Billie Bob, a lone bounty hunter roaming the Wild West. Unlike most shooters that use a spaceship, the game’s hero is a human gunfighter tracking down outlaws across dusty towns. In the original arcade plot he simply rides from one criminal hideout to the next, delivering justice with rapid fire.

The NES port adds a specific backstory set in 1849. The ruthless Wingates gang storms the frontier town of Hicksville, murders the sheriff and terrorizes the citizens. Billie Bob rides in, confronts the gang and frees the town from their grip.