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[VGEsoterica]

Not sure how many people have ever played LA Machineguns. It was big in the 90’s for a bit then it basically disappeared from arcade floors forever. I haven’t seen a cabinet since early 2000 which is just a flat out bummer. Granted it was ported to the Wii but the port is iffy and it now goes for well over $100...making it definitely not worth it.

Sega seemed to be building another franchise with LA Machineguns and it’s Model 2 younger brother “Gunblade NY”. Compared to The House of the Dead (horror) and Virtua Cop (slower paced action) this franchise was just flat out action from start to finish; zero breaks...never lets up...frantic style action.
When you are playing well though it’s of the most fluid feeling games in Sega’s history IMO.

Sadly like everything Sega they never touched the franchise again and it’s not available to play for any modern systems outside of the previously mentioned poor Wii port. But it’s worth seeking out.

Model 3 had some absolutely amazing and epic games on it, but to me LA Machineguns takes the top prize. I just love the overall feel of the game and to me Model 3 levels of graphics is just pure nostalgia perfection. It felt like looking into the future when you played a Model 3 game in the 90’s compared to playing PS1 and Nintendo 64 at home.

curious who else has some love for LA Machineguns or has ever gotten the chance to play?

 

[VGEsoterica]

See how fast the game actually moves. It’s one of the fastest and most intense arcade games around outside of a bullet hell shmup

 

[Naked Lunch]

Never played (or heard) of it - but it looks absolutely amazing.
Has that crisp Virtual On look to it.
Thanks for giving light to it. Ill have to check it out.

 

[Vercimber]

I'd say that it's easily my most-played Wii game. The combo system in LA Machineguns, bad port or not, is addictive, and the colorful "blue sky" aesthetic comes through vividly. It's an excellent game. I had no idea it had jumped in price so much.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Never played (or heard) of it - but it looks absolutely amazing.
Has that crisp Virtual On look to it.
Thanks for giving light to it. Ill have to check it out.

NP! That’s the fun of talking about this stuff...people get to hear about games they may have never heard of. Which really is my only hope; get more people to check out some awesome and more obscure games.

 

[Walter Matthau]

Sega Lord X recently put out a video on how Sega seems content to keep putting out the same Genesis games over and over again. They were perhaps the most dominant arcade game producer for a long stretch of time, but most younger people would never know it by their recent treatment of their historic properties. Most games like this exist purely in the arcade or in poorly optimized ports on underpowered hardware.

 

[gatti-man]

LA machinegun is one of my favorite arcade games of all time. I actually beat it several times. Should have had sequels.

 

[Scotty W]

Looks awesome.

I would love to see an fps that looked like this.

 

[deriks]

Never played, but I saw this a long time ago

I wish a port was made nowadays. Just because digital release is easy

 

[Laconian Sword]

Wow, I haven't even thought about this game since it was out! Still looks incredible.

The depth of Sega's arcade library never ceases to amaze.

 

[GermanZepp]

I really miss sega arcades

 

[stranno]

Wii ports were certainly great. Smooth 60FPS gameplay on Model 2's Gunblade NY and target-not-quite-there 60FPS on Model 3's LA Machineguns.

Here I finished them akimbo style.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Looks awesome.

I would love to see an fps that looked like this.

I really wish Model 3 had come home as a home console in some imaginary parallel universe. It looked amazing and I’d have loved to see what could have been done with the hardware in games that weren’t arcade focused

 

[Sakura Doritos]

Does the Wii Port not run 60 on Dolphin?

 

[EightBit Man]

Great-looking game, and would love to give it a try. I played the related Gunblade NY at the arcade back in the day.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Wow, I haven't even thought about this game since it was out! Still looks incredible.

The depth of Sega's arcade library never ceases to amaze.

well you should def play it again now that you remember! Lol. But yes Sega’s arcade library is, to me, the best of any arcade developer from the 90’s. Even Capcom

 

[ShirAhava]

Sega at its best is better than anything else period....Model 3 was epic

This game and Taito's F3 Elevation Action Returns are the most underrated games of the 90s

 

[VGEsoterica]

LA machinegun is one of my favorite arcade games of all time. I actually beat it several times. Should have had sequels.

I wish it was a trilogy....Gunblade NY, LA Machineguns...Miami Missiles? Detroit Fighter Jets? Chicago Hangguns? Who knows lol

 

[DrNeroCF]

Man, one of these days I'm going to get some PC compatible light guns. The Wii remotes were close the closest, but the cursor position is still one step away from the aiming.

 

[Cravis]

Sega at its best is better than anything else period....Model 3 was epic

This game and Taito's F3 Elevation Action Returns are the most underrated games of the 90s

Totally agree with you on Elevator Action Returns

Holy crap I didn’t realize the Wii port had jumped in price so much. I padded out my missing Wii gems last year and am glad I grabbed that one.

 

[Futaleufu]

Never got the chance to see this one on arcades, Sega could create a collection of their unlicensed Model era games, or remove the licenses like they once did for Daytona, but they would rather sell you a Game Gear toy.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Totally agree with you on Elevator Action Returns

Holy crap I didn’t realize the Wii port had jumped in price so much. I padded out my missing Wii gems last year and am glad I grabbed that one.

yeah it’s jumped in price like crazy unfortunately. Hence my reluctance to recommend it.

Elevator Action Returns is a legit game too. I may expand my “unported” series to be “unported and unaffordable”...since like LA Machineguns it got a port and that’s hovering around $300-350 right now. You can get the OG F3 board for around that in a good day in a forum sale.

 

[Space Runaway]

Was pretty surprising this and Gunblade got ported to Wii over so many other options but it was pretty cool to have the ability to play them outside of the arcade.

Though ultimately there's no substitute for the arcade machine. I remember those giant cab guns would vibrate so furiously they'd tire your arms out. Good stuff. =P

 

[Punished Miku]

Never even heard of this.

OP, you've personally showed me a dozen games I've never even heard of that sound bad ass lol.

 

[dan76]

I've played the hell out of it the past few years with the Wii ports and the Model3 emulator. Man that Model3 was some system, I love almost all the games on it.

I don't think the Wii port is too bad really, its pretty close. Imagine if Sega released a console that could play all their arcade games...

 

[CrustyBritches]

Great arcade game. I've played it a ton, and you can't go without mentioning how intense and insane the amount of rumble that would come out of those giant giant guns was. It's like running a plate compactor. lol.

 

[Shakka43]

I ordered a pair Sinden light guns which I wont get until late this year but these games will certainly be on my play list once they arrive. I played a bit of the Wii games but never finished them.

 

[VGEsoterica]

Never even heard of this.

OP, you've personally showed me a dozen games I've never even heard of that sound bad ass lol.

that makes me happier than you know! My hope is more people play these awesome games they may have never heard of

 

[StreetsofBeige]

I remember playing this once around 20 years ago. I forget where, but I do remember it was a good game because it was one where you could last a while. I played it with someone, maybe my brother(?) and we lasted a while.

Then again maybe it was on an easy setting. But it didn't seem like a quarter muncher.

 

[Danny Dudekisser]

I miss this genre, man. Used to be one of my favorites.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I remember playing this once around 20 years ago. I forget where, but I do remember it was a good game because it was one where you could last a while. I played it with someone, maybe my brother(?) and we lasted a while.

Then again maybe it was on an easy setting. But it didn't seem like a quarter muncher.

It’s actually quite fair on default settings. I think i “spent” the virtual equivalent of $10 to beat the entire game in Supermodel

 

[theclaw135]

Sega Lord X recently put out a video on how Sega seems content to keep putting out the same Genesis games over and over again. They were perhaps the most dominant arcade game producer for a long stretch of time, but most younger people would never know it by their recent treatment of their historic properties. Most games like this exist purely in the arcade or in poorly optimized ports on underpowered hardware.

I wish I knew what's the matter with the games Sega leaves out of Genesis compilations. Wrestle War resurfaced once, on the Dreamcast. Arrow Flash found its way to an AtGames system. I believe they acquired some others like Fighting Masters and Elemental Master.

 

[00_Zer0]

I recently went on eBay to get this late gen Wii game(it's a Arcade Hits combo with Gunblade NY) and the price is way up there

 

[the_master]

What a cool game.

I loved it (or them, I think I played 2 different ones)

Pure arcade action. Spectacular, fast, non stop...

I wish they made more games like this.

 

[Alexios]

It and Gunblade N.Y. are probably the best of the Wii ports just because the relative inaccuracy of the infrared pointer system doesn't matter when you have constant crosshair as game design, they're not so much about aiming skill like other actual lightgun games, just hip firing instead. Others like House of the Dead 2 & 3 and Ghost Squad are also playable and probably the best you can do at home without a CRT but after playing The House of the Dead 2 DC and others with EmuVR the difference in accuracy and feel is night and day, if only all lightgun games could be played like that.

Can anyone find cheap official Wiimote + nunchuck, the prices are just sky high here, preferably Plus enabled but that's not necessary I guess, my stuff were not stored properly and their ports degraded or something so attachment inputs don't work all the time. Granted they aren't necessary for lightgun-esque games so I can play them fine with my SEGA hand cannon shell (though I guess the zapper would be more suitable for these and other not-quite-lightgun-style games like Dead Space and RE Chronicles) but the knowledge it's borked annoys me so I've disconnected my dolphinbar.

I guess the hopes for now rest with Sinden Lightgun, it should allow more games than EmuVR does currently (plus perform better for more people, I can't even run some Saturn stuff in EmuVR when they're flawless outside VR in RetroArch with the same cores, though Dreamcast stuff are fine).

The Sinden Lightgun

The Sinden Lightgun® is the world's first true LCD television compatible Lightgun. | Check out 'The Sinden Lightgun' on Indiegogo.

www.indiegogo.com

Outside that it seems Wii stuff like Red Steel 2 despite awesome emulation, will eventually be unplayable due to lack of functional controllers, as not all of them work well without a remote/motion plus, though those compatible with the Classic Controller have no issue as other pads work fine.

 

[SALMORE]

I found the Wii port used last year for a buck at the swap meet ! and it's complete Great games but unfortunately I don't have the time now to play them more

 

[D.Final]

Not sure how many people have ever played LA Machineguns. It was big in the 90’s for a bit then it basically disappeared from arcade floors forever. I haven’t seen a cabinet since early 2000 which is just a flat out bummer. Granted it was ported to the Wii but the port is iffy and it now goes for well over $100...making it definitely not worth it.

Sega seemed to be building another franchise with LA Machineguns and it’s Model 2 younger brother “Gunblade NY”. Compared to The House of the Dead (horror) and Virtua Cop (slower paced action) this franchise was just flat out action from start to finish; zero breaks...never lets up...frantic style action.
When you are playing well though it’s of the most fluid feeling games in Sega’s history IMO.

Sadly like everything Sega they never touched the franchise again and it’s not available to play for any modern systems outside of the previously mentioned poor Wii port. But it’s worth seeking out.

Model 3 had some absolutely amazing and epic games on it, but to me LA Machineguns takes the top prize. I just love the overall feel of the game and to me Model 3 levels of graphics is just pure nostalgia perfection. It felt like looking into the future when you played a Model 3 game in the 90’s compared to playing PS1 and Nintendo 64 at home.

curious who else has some love for LA Machineguns or has ever gotten the chance to play?

I would say Shining Force

 

[VGEsoterica]

Great arcade game. I've played it a ton, and you can't go without mentioning how intense and insane the amount of rumble that would come out of those giant giant guns was. It's like running a plate compactor. lol.

you should try Beast Busters. Gun shakes so hard by the end of a game your arms won’t stay still. I do love that though...those arcade only experiences like a big giant gun.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I found the Wii port used last year for a buck at the swap meet ! and it's complete Great games but unfortunately I don't have the time now to play them more

deal of the year my friend. I love the $1 finds. It’s been a few years but last big score was like 30+ expensive and rare PC Engine games at Salvation Army of all places. No idea where they came from. Got them for $100 total and the value then was around 1K. Def has increased since then.

 

[Trimesh]

I always liked that game - I was pleasantly surprised to find a working machine in a little arcade in Osaka a few years ago - just as much fun as always, even if the recoil mech on the guns does really seem to be trying to shake your fillings out. It's a pity so many model 3 games have cooked themselves to death due to fan failure

 

[Cravis]

yeah it’s jumped in price like crazy unfortunately. Hence my reluctance to recommend it.

Elevator Action Returns is a legit game too. I may expand my “unported” series to be “unported and unaffordable”...since like LA Machineguns it got a port and that’s hovering around $300-350 right now. You can get the OG F3 board for around that in a good day in a forum sale.

A cheaper way to experience Elevator Action Returns is on Taito Legends 2. Although I can’t vouch for how well it plays.

 

[Dazrael]

Elevator Action Returns plays great on Taito Memories/Legends. This collection does suffer from a bilinear filter but it still plays very well, definitely an affordable way to play it.

 

[VGEsoterica]

I always liked that game - I was pleasantly surprised to find a working machine in a little arcade in Osaka a few years ago - just as much fun as always, even if the recoil mech on the guns does really seem to be trying to shake your fillings out. It's a pity so many model 3 games have cooked themselves to death due to fan failure

it’s unfortunate the hardware dies over time due to heat. Fans need maintenance and replacements just like batteries and capacitors but they always seem to fall by the wayside maintenance wise.

Any time I take a pcb out of storage and hook it up I do a quick cap and fan check. If it hasn’t been used in six months I keep a calendar to tell me to check it. Keeps my collection as happy as possible

 

[BlackSandrock10]

I know it's a bit late but always thought that LA Machineguns was interesting and frustrating at the same time! Heck, even did a playthrough with a widescreen patch.....very well colourful and exciting, your typical 90's arcade game....I guess!