RUN N GUN: A History of On-Foot Shooters

Enter a world of nostalgic bullet hell with Run ’n’ Gun: A History of On-Foot Shooters, written by award-winning video game journalist and comic book author Dave Cook. Hot on the heels of Cook’s previous Bitmap Books release, Go Straight: The Ultimate Guide to Side-Scrolling Beat Em Ups, this new project charts 40 years of run ’n’ gun history across over 496 gorgeous pages.

Opening with guest forewords by Mega Man’s legendary producer, Keiji Inafune and Cuphead creators Chad and Jared Moldenhauer, our explosive journey begins with 1975’s Gun Fight and the birth of the run ’n’ gun genre, before marching onward throughout the decades. With over 300 games featured, you’ll uncover incredible behind-the-scenes stories, interesting quotes, mind-blowing trivia, expert gameplay tips and beautiful high-quality screenshots.

All the classics are here, including Contra, Gunstar Heroes, Metal Slug, Mega Man, Sunset Riders, Midnight Resistance and Turrican, as well as some hidden gems you might not have tried before, such as Demon Front, Nitro Ball and Rapid Reload.

As the years march on, you’ll become better acquainted with modern shooters, such as Cuphead, Blazing Chrome, Huntdown and Gunvolt.  Featuring guest contributions from Chris Scullion, Kurt Kalata, Sega Lord X and Graeme Mason, Run ’n’ Gun: A History of On-Foot Shooters is an action-packed celebration of the genre. Whether you’re new to shooters or loading up your Spread Gun for the first time, this is the perfect reference guide.