Before Red Dead Redemption – 10 Great Wild West Games

Gun.Smoke – Arcade

In 1985 Capcom took their already successful “one man army” arcade game Commando and adapted into a new game set in the Wild West called Gun Smoke.

The formula is exactly the same: walk up the screen shooting the bad guys and rescuing the hostages while trying not to get killed yourself. Like Commando there are various power-ups available to increase your firepower as well as bonus items like the horse that allows you to take an extra hit. One unique aspect of Gun Smoke that set it apart from Commando was the way you fired your weapon. In Gun Smoke you always fire two guns at once, one in each hand, and can only fire in three directions; straight ahead, left diagonal or right diagonal. 

Gun Smoke was also converted to a host of home systems including the Nintendo NES, Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum and Amstrad CPC as well as appearing on several of Capcom’s home arcade game compilations for newer machines.

Apache Raid – ZX Spectrum

One of the more obscure games on this list, Apache Raid is a 1987 game by obscure budget label Pirate Software and was released exclusively for the Sinclair ZX Spectrum.

Also known under the title Cowboys ‘n’ Injuns (which it uses on the title screen) this one is interesting in that you get to play as an Indian for once instead of the usual and very clichéd cowboy. The plot from the game is pretty brief – you play as Nigel Navahoe (yeah great Native American name that!) who is out to save his tribe from the invading cowboys. In essence, it’s just a flick screen shooter where you run around the reservation shooting the colourful cowboys and collecting items. You have an energy meter that reduces each time you are hit, three lives and a limited amount of arrows. Many of the screens are actually maze-like in their nature so it’s easy to get trapped.

Apache Raid is pure nostalgia for me, so might not hold the same amount of enjoyment for others, but if you are a fan of 8-bit computer games then it offers some good mindless fun.

Sherriff – Arcade

One of Nintendo’s earliest arcade games, Sherriff was actually designed by none other than Genyo “Punch Out!” Takeda and the legendary Shigeru Miyamoto himself!

Re-released by Exidy as Bandido in the west, Sherriff is one of the very earliest Western themed video games, first moseying into arcades in 1979. The game puts you in the spurred boots of the titular Sherriff, trying to defend his town against a group of bandits. These ruthless villains are circling the city and you must shoot through the fence to take them out. This fence also acts like a shield, so every time it’s shot (by either you or the enemy) it leaves a hole, making you more vulnerable. As the game goes on, the enemies will also start to cross the boundary into the city, making things tougher still.

The game proved to be unpopular with arcade audiences due to the complicated controls, so has now become very obscure. But there is no doubting Sherriff’s historical pedigree and it’s an interesting curio for Nintendo fans especially.

Sunset Riders – Sega Mega Drive

Although Sunset Riders started off as Konami arcade game that was first released in 1991, it’s the slightly different 1993 Sega Mega Drive version that holds all the memories for me.

I clearly remember picking this game up shortly after release from my local games shop after seeing rave reviews in magazines of the time. I was always looking for new two-player co-op games I could play with my brother and this fitted the bill perfectly, especially as it was by the same folks as the amazing Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade game! In this side-scrolling shoot ‘em up, you take the role of one of two cowboys (four in the arcade version) who have been sent to hunt down the wanted outlaw Sir Richard Rose. But first you must despatch his posse and find his secret hideout. 

Sunset Riders is a tremendously fun game, which was also ported to the SNES, and remains one of the most loved co-op games of the 16-bit era for good reason: it’s a real blast!

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