Summary
Arcades have sadly been on the verge of complete obliteration due to the ever-changing times and evolution of video game hardware since their heyday. One of the shining stars of this scene was the light gun game, which allowed players to use a peripheral to actually aim at the screen.
Some of these games made it into homes along with peripherals. The genre has since left the limelight, though some could argue that traces of itare in many VR titles. The following classics listed below all make us yearn for the fun arcade days. Maybe they will come back in the future but until then, enjoy what is considered some of thebest light gungames around.
Updated August 01, 2025, by Jason Wojnar:Though arcades are a thing of the past for most gamers, it seems like every so often a new technology comes along that makes the prospect of light-gun games appealing. In the mid-2000s, it was the Nintendo Wii followed by the PlayStation Move. Now VR is technology making aiming a more organic process related to body movements. Maybe some of the games will be brought back in a new way thanks to this platform. This update ponders that while also adding a few new entries.
23Luigi’s Mansion Arcade
A Rare Arcade Adaptation Of Luigi’s Solo Journey
There are some unique peripherals on this list, but nothing as unique as a vacuum cleaner. This should come as no surprise to anyone who has playedLuigi’s Mansionon theGameCube, since it is the character’s main defense against the ghosts.
In the arcades, players aim it like a gun to suck up the ghosts attacking Luigi. The game was well received, but did not have a large presence in the United States when it initially came out. As such, it will be hard for any fan to track down a cabinet these days.
22Crisis Zone
Time Crisis, But With An Automatic Weapon
Though it is technically a spin-off toTime Crisis,Crisis Zoneplays differently enough to warrant its own entry. Players still go in and out of cover with the pedal, but this time they are equipped with an automatic weapon and the arcade title has no cooperative options.
The structure is also a bit different from theTime Crisisseries, with more freedom given to players as to how they want to tackle the levels. Though it was released in 1999, the PS2 port did not come out until 2004. This port included a multiplayer mode, a new level, and improved graphics.
21CarnEvil
Shooting Through A Possessed Carnival
If zombies and dinosaurs do not scare the player, then maybe an evil carnival will keep them up at night. The game takes place in a classic horror trope, but at least this time it gives the protagonist a means to fight back. The peripheral here is a shotgun, so it gives players a classic 80s horror movie vibe, likeThe Evil DeadorPhantasm.
The game was developed by Midway, with the violence and gore fitting in with the company’s reputation. Even if the graphics are primitive by today’s standards, it almost elevates the terror.
20The Lost World: Jurassic Park
Relive The Movie Through A Railshooter
Jurassic Parkwas one of the most successful franchises of the ’90s, and when the first film was released, the inevitable video game tie-in followed. But it was the second arcade game released by Sega that really impressed fans and critics.
The aim of the game was to find Ian Malcolm and Sarah Harding, so they could get the player off the dreaded island. The gamer plays as two hunters on Site B, which was an interesting angle to take for the game. To escape, the player must fight a bunch of deadly dinosaurs that live on the island. Upon finding Ian and Sarah, the player has to help them get the injured Tyrannosaurus Rex to the trailer to be treated. The next aim of the game is to defeat its parents.
There was talk of a console port in the late 1990s but it never came to fruition, meaning it is only possible to officially play this game in an arcade.
19Lethal Enforcers
The Closest We Get To A Dirty Harry Light Gun Game
These days a game calledLethal Enforcersabout cops shooting up residential areas probably would not fly the same it did 30 years ago. However, the ‘90swere a different time,and it is difficult to ignore this title when talking about 90s nostalgia.
The primitive digital sprites only add to the game’s charm. Home console versions also had a peripheral to use that was pretty advanced for its time.
18Alien 3: The Gun
More Action-Packed Than The Movie
TheAlienfranchise constantly switches between spine-tingling horror and bombastic action. Where theAlien 3film is more in line with the debut entry than the first sequel because the protagonists face off against just one monster, the game is a light-gun title released exclusively in arcades.
While it may not follow the movie closely, it received high critical praise. The quality of games based on the franchise is hit or miss, so every solid entry needs to be recognized and celebrated.
17Duck Hunt
The Original Light Gun Peripheral
First-person shooter games in the 80s didn’t get better thanDuck Hunt. Like most games from that era, it is dated now but was great fun to play back in the day. It sold 28 million copies and is largely responsible for the popularity of light gun games.
The aim of the game is to shoot ducks and clay pigeons and hit a minimum amount of targets to progress to the next level. The game gets harder with each level with faster targets and an increase in the minimum number to hit.
Because of the way the NES Zapper works, it does not function on modern televisions. Anyone hoping to play it has to find an old-fashioned CRT Television.
16Revolution X
Save Aerosmith With Giant Miniguns
It is hard to imagine the gaming demographic of the 1990s being enticed to play one game over the other in the arcades because Aerosmith was predominantly featured.
Whether the story about the protagonists rescuing themembers of the popular rock band boosted sales or not, the game was massively successful and is considered a classic of the light-gun arcade shooter. The sturdy light-gun peripheral mounted to the cabinet also made playing the title just feel so good. Console versions also exist, but they are of poor quality compared to the arcade original.
15Link’s Crossbow Training
A Shockingly Good Use Of The Wii’s Motion Sensors
Link’s Crossbow Training was a great light gun game published by Nintendo and released on the Wii video game console. It was released in 2007 and became an instant hit with fans and critics alike.
It is set in the style ofThe Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princessand the player takes on the role of Link from the series. After completing each level, the player gets a medal based on their score. The aim of the game is to shoot down targets and enemies. There were 9 playable levels and each level was an exciting, adrenaline-fueled activity that made the player long for the next one. They don’t make games like this anymore.
14Die Hard Trilogy
Part Third-Person Shooter, Part Driving Game, Part Light-Gun Game
This is not exclusively a light gun title.The game covers the three moviesand divides them into separate genres. The second movie is turned into a light gun game while the first is a third-person shooter and the closer is a driving game.
Even though it is only one part of the package, players could use a peripheral to play the section in a more immersive way. The game received a sequel that told its original story while utilizing the same format.Die Hardhas been pretty dormant for years, and it never had a lot of great games, soDie Hard Trilogyremains one of the best based on the franchise.
