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Gunbird is a vertically scrolling shoot 'em up developed by Psikyo. It hit the Japanese arcade in 1994 and was followed by a Japanese release to the Saturn and the Playstation in the following year. The game is set in a fantasy setting with steampunk elements. Lush forests and medieval castles...

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Developer
Psikyo

Released on
1994

Size
1–2 Players

Version
Arcade

Requirements
Arcade

Downloads
Shooter

Publisher
Jaleco

ESRB Rating
Not Rated

Cooperative
Yes

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Description

Gunbird is a vertically scrolling shoot ’em up developed by Psikyo. It hit the Japanese arcade in 1994 and was followed by a Japanese release to the Saturn and the Playstation in the following year.

The game is set in a fantasy setting with steampunk elements. Lush forests and medieval castles meet steam trains and mech robots. Instead of piloting the genre-traditional space ships, Gunbird lets the player chose between five different characters (Ash, Marion, Valnus, Yuan Nang and Tetsu) who traverse the game world on broomstick, jet packs and pedal-powered helicopters on a quest to find the pieces of a magic mirror across seven stages.

Unorthodox vehicles aside, the gameplay follows traditional genre standards. The main goal is to dodge all bullets that fill the screen while collecting power-ups to make the character stronger. Gunbird features one power-up that incrementally increases the firepower of the standard weapon (P-items) as well as additional ammo for the screen-clearing special ability (B-items). Standard weapon and special ability differ from character to character. Where some characters excel in high firepower in a straight line others allow for a wider spread of bullets or additional homing missiles.

Gunbird

Overview & History

Developed by Psikyo and released in Japanese arcades in 1994, Gunbird is a vibrant, steampunk-themed vertical scrolling shoot 'em up that stands out for its whimsical cast and brisk pacing. Set at the end of the 19th century, the narrative follows a disparate group of adventurers—including the telekinetic witch Marion, the soaring aviator Valnus, and the spear-wielding adventurer Yuan Lee—as they race to collect the four broken pieces of a magical mirror capable of granting any wish. Standing in their way is the nefarious Trump Mafia. Unlike the gritty, sci-fi settings common in the genre at the time, Gunbird blends magical fantasy with whimsical, colorful sprites, making it a beloved arcade classic that eventually spawned a popular sequel and home console ports.

Gameplay Features & Mechanics

Gunbird utilizes a standard two-button arcade layout: one for the primary weapon and one for character-specific bombs that wipe the screen of bullets and minor enemies. Players can collect power-ups to increase their shot spread and gather mystical orbs to unleash devastating charged special attacks unique to each pilot. Character movement feels lightning-fast, demanding precise dodging through dense bullet patterns across seven gorgeously rendered stages. A notable cooperative feature allows two players to combine their firepower into a unified beam attack for massive damage against massive, multi-tiered mechanical bosses.