Gun Nac (1990). Play online

Summary

Gun-Nac drops you into the gleaming, artificial solar system of IOTA Synthetica, where a bizarre cosmic energy field turns ordinary objects into hostile, oversized creatures. As the renegade commander, I pilot a ship that can snag a “wing” upgrade—turning a one‑hit ship into a two‑hit tank and unlocking higher‑level firepower.

The game dishes out five core weapons—from a plain laser to a flamethrower and even a guided boomerang—each powered by unlimited ammo collected via numbered circles. Matching circles boost the weapon up to five levels, while lettered circles give you four types of bombs that can be upgraded for double damage at the cost of double ammo usage. Random cash drifts across the stages, letting you purchase tweaks in the between‑stage shop.

The North American version trimmed some content, cutting the intro, the ending, and part of the final boss’s first phase. Critics loved it; AllGame called it perhaps the best NES shooter, while Famitsu awarded a respectable 26/40.

Storyline

In the far‑future, Earth's supplies have run dry, prompting humanity to colonize the artificial planetary system IOTA Synthetica, a flagship creation of the Galactic Federation. Suddenly, a mysterious wave of cosmic radiation sweeps the system, imbuing ordinary objects with life and turning them into hostile attackers. The Federation quickly realizes the threat is beyond its own forces. They summon Commander Gun‑Nac, the son of the legendary hero Xan, to intervene. Armed with his powerful ship, Gun‑Nac must battle the animated menace and restore peace to IOTA Synthetica.