Gun.Smoke

Capcom's 1985 arcade game, ported to the NES in 1988, drops players into the rugged American West of the 1850s as bounty hunter Billy Bob, tracking down seven notorious outlaws. The vertically scrolling shooter features a distinctive three-directional firing system: the A button shoots left-forward, B shoots right-forward, and pressing both fires straight ahead — demanding constant movement and quick aim. Mid-stage towns let players spend earnings on horses, new guns, armor, and boots to boost mobility and firepower. Challenging pattern-based boss fights and a gritty Western soundtrack make Gun.Smoke one of the NES's landmark early vertical shooters.