Jet Gunner

About

Jet Gunner is a single player shooter game. It was developed by Sinclair Strange and was released on August 4, 2014. It received mostly positive reviews from players.

"Jet Gunner" is a fast-paced, side-scrolling shooter game that features intense action and vintage graphics. As a mercenary named Sinclair, players must navigate through various levels while battling against hordes of enemies and powerful bosses. With a wide range of weapons and special abilities, players can customize their playstyle and strategize to overcome challenges. The game also includes local co-op mode for up to 4 players.

Genres & Tags

Play Modes

Single-Player

Skip User Reviews

69%

Audience ScoreBased on 277 reviews

gameplay23 positive mentions

stability5 negative mentions

Jet Gunner successfully captures the nostalgic feel of classic 8-bit run-and-gun games, reminiscent of titles like Contra and Mega Man.
The game features tight controls and a unique jetpack mechanic that adds depth to the platforming experience.
Players who enjoy challenging gameplay will find satisfaction in mastering the game's demanding levels and enemy patterns.

The game suffers from frustrating enemy placements and instant attacks that can feel unfair, often punishing players without giving them a chance to react.
Many weapons are poorly designed or ineffective, leading to a lack of variety and strategy in combat.
The lack of modern conveniences, such as customizable controls and proper controller support, detracts from the overall experience.

gameplay
68 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
34%
57%
9%
The gameplay is characterized by fast-paced side-scrolling action with a mix of clever jetpack mechanics and retro-inspired design, reminiscent of classic NES titles like Contra and Mega Man. While many players appreciate the nostalgic feel and varied level design, others criticize the game for its frustrating mechanics, unbalanced difficulty, and occasional poor design choices that detract from the overall experience. Despite these issues, the game offers a solid arcade atmosphere with engaging chiptune music and a unique jetpack feature that adds depth to the platforming challenges.
- “The gameplay centers on fast-paced side-scrolling action spread across a handful of tightly designed stages, each packed with enemies, hazards, vertical traversal, and high-pressure combat scenarios.”
- “The core element of the gameplay, the jet pack, worked well and added nice platforming challenges.”
- “Fantastic gameplay and that 'retro' feel.”
- “Up to that point you deal with a lot of janky mechanics and terrible weapon design.”
- “The worst thing this game had going for it was stage 5 and its reduced gravity and knockback mechanics.”
- “The same mechanics are all here, but they're clunky and unrefined; lacking polish and inspiration as if designed to intentionally bore the player, perhaps in the hopes that they quit playing before happening upon the later stages in the game which feature cheap deaths and frustrating gimmicks in place of creative level designs and solid combat.”
graphics
45 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
33%
60%
7%
The graphics of Jet Gunner are characterized by a clean, simple pixel-art style that effectively captures the retro aesthetic of NES games, prioritizing clarity and functionality over intricate detail. While many players appreciate the nostalgic 8-bit visuals and vibrant color palette, some critique the lack of detail and occasional confusion between foreground and background elements. Overall, the graphics are well-received for their homage to classic run-and-gun titles, though opinions vary on their execution and appeal.
- “Visually, Jet Gunner adopts a clean but intentionally simple pixel-art style that mirrors its mechanical philosophy.”
- “The graphics prioritize clarity and function over flourish, ensuring that enemies, projectiles, and hazards are always readable even during chaotic moments.”
- “Quite a solid platformer which stays true to NES aesthetics in sprite work, palette choices, and music.”
- “The graphics leave much to be desired in actual detail; there are even some times when you can mistake the background for a wall or a platform.”
- “I had high hopes for Jet Gunner being I had it on my wishlist for so long, but with the technical issues, ugly artwork, and questionable game design, I can't suggest this game even with its low price.”
- “I can respect that some people might want retro graphics and retro gameplay, but I truly feel that it's completely overdone at this point.”
music
42 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
40%
48%
12%
The music in the game is predominantly chiptune-style, effectively enhancing the arcade atmosphere and complementing the gameplay's intensity, though it often lacks memorability and can suffer from poor looping. While some players appreciate the retro aesthetic and find the soundtrack decent, others criticize it for being repetitive and not living up to the quality of classic NES titles. Overall, the music is a mixed bag, with some enjoying its nostalgic charm while others find it underwhelming.
- “The soundtrack follows suit with chiptune-style music that reinforces the arcade atmosphere, driving the action forward with energetic tracks that complement the intensity of gameplay, even if they don’t always leave a lasting melodic impression.”
- “Pure retro jump-n-shoot gameplay from the NES era, good chiptune music, good controls, varied enemies and levels, does not become repetitive nor does it overstay its welcome.”
- “This is an amazing platformer that is well worth sitting in your collection with tight controls and an amazing soundtrack; it is hard to say no.”
- “Music could have been better (fuller sound with more varied instruments, less repetitive at some parts; best track was the stage 5 bgm).”
- “The music, while not very special, isn't horrible either, but loops terribly enough that you can hear where it cuts off to repeat the current song.”
- “Sadly, the music doesn't compare to most decent NES games' OSTs, and is unfittingly quite poor in comparison to the rest of the game's quality.”
story
11 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
27%
46%
27%
The game's story is generally perceived as minimal and simplistic, often lacking depth and complexity, which some players find acceptable given its homage to classic 8-bit arcade games. While a few reviews mention an exhilarating storyline, most agree that the narrative is not a focal point, with gameplay mechanics and nostalgia taking precedence over a robust plot. Overall, the story is seen as a basic framework primarily serving the action-oriented gameplay.
- “Moral of the story: you never know what life has in store for you, and if I had given up when all odds were against me, I wouldn't be where I am today.”
- “Although the story and the setting are as simple as it gets (which is a non-issue), the game has enough unique features and mechanics for it not to be just a nostalgia throwback clone.”
- “- an exhilarating storyline”
- “There really isn't a whole lot of a story to this game, but as it's emulating the classic 8-bit style games of old, I'm not really too concerned about it.”
- “Additionally, due to the cheesiness of the text and the lack of explanation to get involved in the story, it feels like cheap writing that sounds like a three-year-old made it, along with monkey-looking characters.”
- “The main story is quite short on normal mode, but at least the challenges fill in the time.”
stability
5 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The game has significant stability issues, with users reporting frequent glitches, buggy hit detection, and problems with controller compatibility. Many players experience difficulties when switching between fullscreen and windowed modes, leading to further frustration. Overall, the game's performance is described as unreliable and prone to errors.
- “The game doesn't work with my Xbox controller; it sometimes glitches out a bit most of the time.”
- “What lies underneath the veneer of 'nostalgia' is a buggy, ugly mess.”
- “Really buggy hitbox and hit detection.”
optimization
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The optimization aspect of the game emphasizes performance improvement and score-chasing rather than narrative or procedural variety, encouraging players to engage with higher difficulty settings for enhanced replayability.
- “Replayability comes not from narrative variety or procedural elements, but from the desire to improve performance, chase higher scores, and conquer higher difficulty settings.”
- “The game suffers from severe optimization issues, leading to frustrating lag and stuttering during critical moments.”
- “Despite its potential, the lack of proper optimization makes it nearly unplayable on lower-end systems.”
grinding
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and overwhelming, leading to a negative impact on their overall enjoyment.
- “Grinding gets tedious and overwhelming fast.”
- “The repetitive nature of grinding makes it feel like a chore rather than a fun activity.”
- “I found myself losing interest quickly due to the excessive grinding required to progress.”
humor
3 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The humor in the game is generally well-received, with players finding it both funny and engaging. However, some reviewers suggest that the humor may not appeal to everyone, comparing it to specific styles like Ninja Gaiden or Clash at Demonhead. Overall, it is considered a cheap and entertaining option for those who appreciate its comedic elements.
- “I like this game; it's very funny and interesting.”
- “It's a cheap and funny game.”
- “Either go for Ninja Gaiden-style quality, Clash at Demonhead-style humor, or just don't bother.”
replayability
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
Replayability in this game is driven primarily by players' motivation to enhance their skills, achieve higher scores, and tackle more challenging difficulty levels, rather than through narrative diversity or procedural generation. However, the game's fixed square resolution may detract from the overall experience, limiting its playability.
- “Replayability comes not from narrative variety or procedural elements, but from the desire to improve performance, chase higher scores, and conquer higher difficulty settings.”
- “This game even forces itself upon using the classic square resolution rather than using widescreen to its advantage and make it a more playable game.”
emotional
2 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The emotional aspect of the game evokes nostalgia for the 90s, but some players feel it lacks depth and a meaningful objective, resulting in a rushed and unbalanced experience.
- “It made me feel like I am back in the 90s!”
- “All in all, it's an interesting little game, but for me, it felt a bit rushed and unbalanced, forcefully trying to be harder with the player without any heartfelt goal.”
atmosphere
1 mentions Positive Neutral Negative
100%
The atmosphere is characterized by an energetic chiptune soundtrack that enhances the arcade experience and complements the gameplay's intensity, though it may lack memorable melodies.
- “The soundtrack follows suit with chiptune-style music that reinforces the arcade atmosphere, driving the action forward with energetic tracks that complement the intensity of gameplay, even if they don’t always leave a lasting melodic impression.”