Gunsmoke

Gunsmoke Arcade Game

Gunsmoke, also known as Gun.Smoke, was a 1985 arcade game by Capcom.  In this scrolling shooter, the player took control of a western bounty hunter named Billy Bob.  Billy is out to round up some of the most notorious and vicious bad guys in the entire Wild West, like Wolf Chief, Los Pubro, Fat Man, Pig Joe, and even a guy named Master.  As the game scrolls upwards, the player had only three directions in which they could shoot (using three buttons).  The three buttons could be used in specific combinations to change the way Billy would shoot, but these options were also limited.

There were special items that Billy could collect, including a horse that served as a shield, better boots that increased Billy’s speed, and a rifle that allowed for longer shots.  Billy could increase his score by nailing things like stars, bugs, and cows, but other things would reduce Billy’s power, such as an old cow skull.

Gunsmoke Arcade Game Cabinet

Gunsmoke was developed for the home market on the NES, which many of you will remember as it extended the arcade version by allowing for additional weapons.  Capcom released the game for PlayStation and Xbox as part of the Capcom Classics Collection.