The SNES in my opinion is the most beloved and successful Nintendo console so far. The SNES produced timeless classics and experiences that you couldn’t find anywhere else. It had everything from platformers to RPGs. In the middle of that sea of awesome games and experiences, there was a game that as soon as I played it for the first time, I was hooked. That game was Wild Guns.
Wild Guns was so different than the rest because it was set in the wild west with steampunk and sci-fi influences. Its game play was in a shooting gallery style that combined elements from third-person shooters and light gun games in a similar fashion to classics like Blood Bros and Cabal. So you can imagine that the original Wild Guns was an unforgettable experience for me. Fast forward from the year of the original release (fun fact about the original development lasted five months on a small budget with a team of only three core members and two support staff), and Natsume decided to bring back Wild Guns as Wild Guns Reloaded for the new generations to bask in the glory of co-op goodness. Wild Guns Reloaded took me back to my younger days in which a game didn’t need DLC patches and all that, just solid, fun game play to keep me entertained for hours.
As the name implies, WGR (Wild Guns Reloaded) comes loaded with extras that were not in the original, be it for the lack of funds or the limitations of the original hardware. It includes two extra characters: Doris and Bullet the Dog (extra points for the good boy). It also has more bosses and extras that make this the definitive Wild Guns version. The game play is as I remember and the controls are even better since I feel that moving the aim with the stick feels more accurate at the time of cleaning wave after wave of enemies. Regarding the characters, I would rate them as Bullet being Easy to use, Clint and Annie feel Normal, and Doris feels Hard. Whichever character you choose, the objective is clear: shoot through waves of enemies in each stage, fighting a sub boss in each one to finally confront a big end level boss.
Since WGR is a gallery shooter, you can shoot almost everything on screen, enemies, part of the background, even some of the enemy bullets. Speaking of which, this is one of WGR most awesome mechanics. Whenever an enemy shoots at you (which will happen all the time), you can move your cursor and shoot down the bullet. What is the benefit on this you might say? Besides keeping you alive, there is a gauge that gradually fills for each bullet you take down. When the gauge fills, you get access to the Vulcan, the most powerful weapon on the game. Not only does this dish out insane damage that can take hordes of enemies, but also while you have the Vulcan active, you are invincible. Enemy fire wont kill you, and if you shoot down bullets, you can keep it for a couple more seconds. If you are lucky enough to get the Vulcan on a boss fight, you can make short work of it, so it is a nice thing to keep in mind.
Another cool mechanic in WGR is the lasso. This is where things get more interesting. The lasso (that you can throw tapping the Y button) when hitting an enemy slows down his movement, which you can use to your advantage and move your cursor for the kill. It even works with sub bosses (not with big bosses though). It’s the lasso mechanic is where Doris really shines. Doris throws grenades to attack. If you hold down the button instead of shooting automatically like the rest, the cursor changes from one grenade to three so you can deal more damage. Tapping the Y button instead of throwing one lasso throws three, which is really useful when you are being attacked by multiple enemies. Another awesome mechanic is the dodge. When you are shooting, if you press the jump button instead of jumping your character does a dodge, it is really useful for attacks that you can’t cancel with your gun. It gives you some invincibility frames and can help in the long run once you master it.
While you can enjoy everything the game has to offer solo, co-op gameplay is where WGR gets more hectic and fun. Each person can choose a different character and shoot away. It’s a little chaotic when multiple cursors are on the screen. However, you can clear stages faster if a friend helps out.
Graphically, WGR is so pretty to look at the attention to detail is so good. There are little things like when your characters scream, “Look out,” in a speech bubbles, so you can dodge on time. Or, there are different enemies and their animations are surprised to the point of losing lives sometimes. There is the hula hoop dancer enemy on the train stage, and he moves through the train while you are shooting down enemies. He is barely noticeable until he starts dancing and throwing hoops to slow you down.,
The music is you good, and if you play on handheld mode, earphones are a must. The inclusion of Boss Rush and Time Attack are welcome additions that add even more value to a already complete package, and while there is no online game play (bummer I think it should have it) there are online leader boards to show the world who is the fastest gun in the west.
Bottom Line: Wild Guns Reloaded is a timeless classic that hasn’t aged at all. Its beautiful graphics and music continue to be relevant even to this date, and the inclusion of two extra characters and more bosses and modes makes the original pale in comparison. If you want a fun game that you can play with your friends or solo, look no further. Wild Guns Reloaded is a testament of how to do a remaster right. It has enough elements to keep you entertained for hours and challenging game play to give most experienced players a run for their money. I totally recommend it whether you played the original or not.
A review code was provided by the developer.