Line #75 Main/RailShooter


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4	[[quoteright:350:[[VideoGame/RailChase https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/rail_chase_2.png]]]]
5	[[caption-width-right:350:Does not need to involve literal rails.]]
6	%%
7	A variant of either {{first person\|Shooter}} or {{third person\|Shooter}} shooter in which the majority of the player's movements are '[[{{Railroading}} on rails]]'; the computer controls most of your perspective and you control the shots. May or may not be a LightGunGame. Will score very low on the SlidingScaleOfLinearityVsOpenness; if there is any player choice at all as to where to go, it will only be in the form of branching paths initiated by specific "fork in the road" situations.
8
9	Often considered a sibling genre to the ShootEmUp, as both genres set you on a fixed path and involve shooting things. The primary difference is that while shoot-em-ups have two-dimensional gameplay, rail shooters have you shooting things in three dimensions. Most often you can't control your movement at all, unlike in shoot-em-ups where you are allowed to freely move within the confines of the screen. However, a few rail shooters allow free movement within a 2D rectangle parallel with the screen, while still railroading the player forward "into the screen" along the depth axis.
10
11	In a large number of these cases, you cannot dodge enemy shots by simply moving them off of your screen, so you must shoot immediate threats before they have a chance to fire. In rare cases, you may be able to ShootTheBullet.
12
13	Rail Shooters were a very popular arcade format in the late 1980s and early 1990s, mainly because they were able to use the arcade systems' powerful graphics to great effect; some even used RotoScoping or MotionCapture to make characters which were more detailed and life-like than was feasible on home systems of the day. They were never particularly common on home consoles or computers, and the genre fell out of favor with the rise of more flexible FirstPersonShooter games such as ''VideoGame/{{Doom}}'' and ''VideoGame/{{Quake}}''.
14
15	Compare/Contrast NoSidepathsNoExplorationNoFreedom (where you control your own movement but are given only one route to follow).
16
17	Has nothing to do with railguns. That's in MagneticWeapons.
18	----
19	[[index]]
20
21	[[AC:First Person Rail Shooters]]
22	* ''VideoGame/Area51''
23	* ''VideoGame/AssaultCity''
24	* ''VideoGame/{{Battleshark}}'' - you're a submarine blowing up stuff from a first-person perspective
25	* ''VideoGame/BloodAndTruth''
26	* ''VideoGame/BlueEstate''
27	* ''VideoGame/{{CarnEvil}}''
28	* ''VideoGame/ChaosControl''
29	* ''VideoGame/ChildOfEden'', the SpiritualSuccessor to ''Rez''.
30	* ''VideoGame/CombatInstinct''
31	* ''VideoGame/CreatureShock'' have segments that plays out like these; the rest of the game are either a {{FPS}} or a spaceship ShootEmUp
32	* ''VideoGame/DeadlyTide''
33	* ''VideoGame/DeadMansHand'' is an FPS for most parts, but two levels (a horseback chase and a MinecartMadness part) is a rail-shooter
34	* ''VideoGame/DinoStrikeWii''
35	* ''VideoGame/GalGun''
36	* ''VideoGame/{{Galaxian}} 3'' for the [=PlayStation=]
37	* ''VideoGame/GunBuster''
38	* ''VideoGame/TheHiveWars''
39	* ''VideoGame/InvasionTheAbductors''
40	* ''VideoGame/KnifeEdgeNoseGunner''
41	* ''VideoGame/{{Loadstar}}''
42	* ''Mobile Suit Gundam: Final Shooting''
43	* ''Takamaru's Ninja Castle'' in ''VideoGame/NintendoLand''.
44	* ''VideoGame/PistolWhip''
45	* ''VideoGame/PokemonSnap'', though it and its sequel have a [[FirstPersonSnapshooter camera]] and not a gun you're shooting.
46	** ''VideoGame/NewPokemonSnap''
47	* ''VideoGame/SmashHit''
48	* ''VideoGame/SpaceGun,'' which included the very unusual feature of a backpedal, controlled by, wait for it, a "back" pedal.
49	* ''VideoGame/{{Starblade}}''
50	* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheArcadeGame'' (and at least one level in the Lego prequel games)
51	** ''VideoGame/StarWarsTrilogyArcade''
52	* [[http://www.kongregate.com/games/GG99/super-space-3d Super Space 3D]]
53	* ''VideoGame/SurgicalStrike''
54	* ''VideoGame/{{Teraburst}}''
55	* ''VideoGame/TouchTheDead''
56	* ''VideoGame/TheWonderful101'' has multiple rail shooter segments.
57	* ''VideoGame/UntilDawn: Rush of Blood''
58	* ''VideoGame/SwitchbackVR''
59
60	[[AC:Third Person Rail Shooters]]
61
62	* ''Aces Of The Galaxy''
63	* ''VideoGame/AngryBirdsTransformers''
64	* ''VideoGame/AfterBurner'' series
65	* ''VideoGame/AquaJack''
66	* ''VideoGame/AsurasWrath'' switches to this during Random points in the game, certain bosses included.
67	* ''Charge'N Blast''
68	* ''Devastators''
69	* ''VideoGame/DeadEyeJim''
70	* ''VideoGame/ExZeus''
71	* ''[[VideoGame/GIJoe G.I.Joe]]''[[note]]Which is essentially an evolution of the gameplay of the above. It's at least done in a similar style.[[/note]]
72	* ''VideoGame/GalaxyForce II''
73	* ''VideoGame/{{Gamera 2000}}''
74	* ''{{G-Loc}}'' (a spinoff of ''Afterburner'')
75	* ''VideoGame/KidIcarusUprising'' (half this and normal ThirdPersonShooter)
76	* ''VideoGame/LethalEnforcers3''
77	* ''VideoGame/LittleRedRidingHoodsZombieBBQ''
78	* ''VideoGame/LocoCycle''
79	* ''VideoGame/LostLandAdventure''
80	* ''VideoGame/LuckyAndWild''
81	* ''VideoGame/MetalGearSolid Touch''
82	* ''VideoGame/MonsterEye''
83	* ''VideoGame/NightStriker''
84	* ''VideoGame/{{Novastorm}}''
85	* ''VideoGame/OmegaBoost''
86	* ''VideoGame/PanzerDragoon''
87	* ''VideoGame/{{Paperboy}}''
88	* ''VideoGame/PiratesNIX''
89	* ''VideoGame/{{The Punisher\|NES}}''
90	* ''VideoGame/{{Rez}}''
91	* ''VideoGame/SayNoMore'', an endless rail shooter where the only thing the player has to fire is the word "No!"
92	* ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishment'', a rail shooter with light platforming elements.
93	** ''VideoGame/SinAndPunishmentStarSuccessor'', a follow-up with a shoot 'em up-esque play-style.
94	* ''[[VideoGame/{{Gradius}} Solar Assault]]''
95	* ''VideoGame/SolarEclipse''
96	* ''VideoGame/SpaceHarrier''
97	* ''VideoGame/SpaceRun'' is a TowerDefense style game, except you're on a ship that is barreling forward through {{Asteroid Thicket}}s and waves of SpacePirates, building defenses to blow them up, so it has a rail shooter feel.
98	* ''Franchise/StarFox'' series
99	** ''VideoGame/StarFox1''
100	** ''VideoGame/StarFox64'', though averted this for some boss fights and a few levels.
101	* ''VideoGame/TetraStarTheFighter''
102	* ''VideoGame/ThunderBlade'' and ''Super Thunder Blade'' (alternate with vertical ShootEmUp levels)
103	* ''Blue Lightning''
104	* Some minigames in ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks''.
105	* The climactic end-boss battle in ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1''.
106	* ''VideoGame/RedFaction: Guerrilla'' has Rail Shooter missions; popping rockets off at EDF assets from the back of [[CrazySurvivalist Jenkins']] game-controlled trike-car.
107	* For a very brief moment at the end of ''VideoGame/DirgeOfCerberus''.
108	* ''VideoGame/TinStar'', though it has some First-Person sequences.
109	* ''VideoGame/StarWarsTheOldRepublic'' Uses a 3rd Person Rail shooter for its space combat system. Fan opinion on the decision not to use a free roaming system is... divided, to say the least.
110	* ''VideoGame/TransformersCybertronAdventures'', with a first-person mode when using the sniper rifle.
111	* ''VideoGame/WildGuns'', a SpaceWestern-theme shooter where you play as bounty hunters shooting outlaws.
112	* ''VideoGame/XMenTheOfficialGame'': The ComicBook/{{Iceman\|MarvelComics}} sections are third-person rail shooters.
113	* ''[[VideoGame/YarsRevenge Yar's Revenge (2011)]]''
114	[[/index]]
115
116	[[AC:{{Light Gun Game}}s]]
117	[[index]]
118	* ''VideoGame/Alien3TheGun''
119	* ''VideoGame/AliensExtermination''
120	* ''VideoGame/AliensArmageddon''
121	* ''VideoGame/Area51''
122	* ''VideoGame/CarnEvil''
123	* ''VideoGame/ConfidentialMission''
124	* ''VideoGame/CryptKiller''
125	* ''VideoGame/DarkEscape4D''
126	* ''[[VideoGame/DeadSpaceExtraction Dead Space: Extraction]]''
127	* ''VideoGame/DeadstormPirates''
128	* ''VideoGame/DreamRaiders''
129	* ''VideoGame/ElevatorActionDeathParade''
130	** ''VideoGame/ElevatorActionInvasion''
131	* ''VideoGame/ElementalGearbolt''
132	* ''VideoGame/{{Enforce}}''
133	* ''VideoGame/EvilNight''
134	* ''VideoGame/GhostSquad2004''
135	** ''VideoGame/OperationGHOST''
136	* ''[[VideoGame/GunbladeNYLAMachineguns Gunblade NY & L.A. Machineguns]]''
137	* ''VideoGame/GunfighterTheLegendOfJesseJames''
138	* ''VideoGame/HaloFireteamRaven''
139	* ''VideoGame/HouseOfTheDead''
140	** ''VideoGame/TheHouseOfTheDeadOverkill''
141	[[/index]]
142	** ''The Typing of the Dead'' is a [[EdutainmentGame typing game]] that swaps out the light gun with a keyboard, turns up the ridiculousness, but keeps the zombies and gore.
143	[[index]]
144	* ''VideoGame/JurassicParkArcade''
145	* ''VideoGame/LetsGoJungle''
146	* ''VideoGame/MaximumForce''
147	* ''VideoGame/TheMazeOfTheKings''
148	* ''VideoGame/NinjaAssault''
149	* ''VideoGame/TheOceanHunter''
150	* ''VideoGame/OperationThunderHurricane'' - ''VideoGame/RailChase'', in the air
151	* ''VideoGame/OperationWolf''
152	** ''VideoGame/OperationWolfReturnsFirstMission''
153	* ''VIdeoGame/ProjectHornedOwl''
154	* ''VideoGame/RailChase''
155	* ''Franchise/{{Rambo}} Arcade'' and ''Rambo: [[TheProblemWithLicensedGames The Video Game]]''
156	* ''VideoGame/RazingStorm''
157	* A number of ''Franchise/ResidentEvil'' [[GaidenGame side games]]:
158	** ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheUmbrellaChronicles Umbrella Chronicles]]''
159	** ''[[VideoGame/ResidentEvilTheDarksideChronicles Darkside Chronicles]]''
160	* ''VideoGame/RevolutionX''
161	* ''VideoGame/SewerShark''
162	* ''Videogame/SilentScope''
163	* ''VideoGame/SteelGunner''
164	** ''Steel Gunner 2''
165	* ''VideoGame/TargetTerror''
166	* ''VideoGame/Terminator2JudgmentDay'' (which is the spiritual predecessor of ''VideoGame/RevolutionX'')
167	** ''[[VideoGame/TerminatorSalvationArcade Terminator Salvation: The Arcade Game]]'' - a true successor to ''Terminator 2: The Arcade Game''
168	* ''VideoGame/TimeCrisis''
169	* ''VideoGame/TotalVice''
170	* ''VideoGame/{{Ripper}}'' has a few of these sprinkled throughout the game.
171	* The Gummi Ship segments in the ''Franchise/KingdomHearts'' games are a minigame version of this, as well as part of the final boss sequence of the first ''VideoGame/DevilMayCry1''.
172	* ''VideoGame/YoshisSafari''
173	* ''VideoGame/VirtuaCop''
174	* ''[[VideoGame/BitTrip BIT.TRIP FATE]]'' is a literal execution of the gameplay concept -- the game takes place on the SideView, you control your character on a "fate line" (a rail, in other words), and you aim with a cursor.
175	[[/index]]

Context Main / RailShooter