GunCon
Encyclopedia
The Guncon known as the G-Con in Europe, is a family of light gun
peripheral
s designed by Namco
for the PlayStation
consoles.
. A second version of the Guncon, known as the Guncon 2 NPC-106 (G-Con 2 in Europe), was bundled with the PlayStation 2
conversion of Time Crisis II
. Time Crisis 4
came out for the PlayStation 3
bundled with the Guncon 3 NC-109 (G-Con 3 in Europe). In Japan, all three Guncon models were also available for sale as a separate accessory outside of a game bundle.
Prior to the Guncon, the Konami Justifier
was the first light gun peripheral for the PlayStation and a few games support it. With the exception of the North American localization of Elemental Gearbolt
and Maximum Force
, games that support the Justifier are not compatible with the Guncon and vice versa.
. The controller is released in black in Japan, and gray in both Europe and North America. The controller is compatible with some PlayStation 2 Guncon titles, but is not compatible with PlayStation 3
due to its lack of controller ports.
at the back of the gun barrel and a C button added at the bottom of the gun handle. These new buttons served to open new gameplay opportunities, such as character movement in Dino Stalker
or the ability to use two guns at once in Time Crisis II
. Unlike the previous controller, the gun uses a USB connection as opposed to a PlayStation controller port. The controller is released in black in Japan, blue in Europe, and orange in North America. It is not compatible with original PlayStation titles or PlayStation 3 titles.
-based displays, the Guncon 3 supports a wide variety of display types, including LCD and Plasma.
The Guncon 3 features a "sub-grip", mounted underneath the barrel and extending to the left side for use with the left hand. On the sub-grip is an analog stick and two shoulder buttons, like in a modern gamepad. At the back end of the gun barrel is another analog stick and two buttons, B1 and B2, underneath. Another two buttons, C1 and C2, are placed along the left side of the barrel. The analog sticks allow the player to play first-person shooting games with manual aiming/firing of the light gun.
In regards to appearance, all Japanese Guncon 3 controllers feature a black coloring, though due to US toy gun laws, the US/PAL release of the Guncon 3 controllers are molded of bright orange plastic. This controller has been criticised for being uncomfortable for left-handed gamers.
or iPod Touch
as a lightgun while playing certain iPad
games.
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
peripheral
Peripheral
A peripheral is a device attached to a host computer, but not part of it, and is more or less dependent on the host. It expands the host's capabilities, but does not form part of the core computer architecture....
s designed by Namco
Namco
is a Japanese corporation best known as a former video game developer and publisher. Following a merger with Bandai in September 2005, the two companies' game production assets were spun off into Namco Bandai Games on March 31, 2006. Namco Ltd. was re-established to continue domestic operation of...
for the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
consoles.
Background
The first Guncon NPC-103 (G-Con 45 in Europe) (Sony ID: SLEH-00007) was bundled with the PlayStation conversion of Time CrisisTime Crisis
Time Crisis is a light gun shooter arcade game produced by Namco in 1995 and released in early 1996. It was later ported for the PlayStation in 1997, bundled with the G-Con 45 controller.-Gameplay:...
. A second version of the Guncon, known as the Guncon 2 NPC-106 (G-Con 2 in Europe), was bundled with the PlayStation 2
PlayStation 2
The PlayStation 2 is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Sony as part of the PlayStation series. Its development was announced in March 1999 and it was first released on March 4, 2000, in Japan...
conversion of Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in Namco's Time Crisis series, introducing co-operative multiplayer to the franchise...
. Time Crisis 4
Time Crisis 4
Time Crisis 4 is the fourth installment in Namco's Time Crisis series. The game introduces new features to the cover-based light gun shooter gameplay engine of its predecessors alongside a new story and roster of characters...
came out for the PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
bundled with the Guncon 3 NC-109 (G-Con 3 in Europe). In Japan, all three Guncon models were also available for sale as a separate accessory outside of a game bundle.
Prior to the Guncon, the Konami Justifier
Konami Justifier
The Konami Justifier was a light gun used in numerous video arcade and home console games developed and/or published by Konami and Sega. Konami manufactured variations of the gun for the Sega Genesis, Sega CD, Super Nintendo, and PlayStation consoles. The gun was similar in appearance to a Colt...
was the first light gun peripheral for the PlayStation and a few games support it. With the exception of the North American localization of Elemental Gearbolt
Elemental Gearbolt
Elemental Gearbolt, known in Japan as , is a light gun shooter for the Sony PlayStation. Originally developed by Alfa System, the game was published by Sony Computer Entertainment and released in Japan in 1997...
and Maximum Force
Maximum Force
Maximum Force is an on-rails light gun first-person arcade game developed by Mesa Logic for Atari Games in 1997. In 1998, Atari Games re-released the game as part of one machine called Area 51/Maximum Force Duo that also included Area 51, and later ported the game to both the PlayStation and Sega...
, games that support the Justifier are not compatible with the Guncon and vice versa.
Guncon
The Guncon controller (known as G-Con 45 in Europe) uses the cathode ray timing method to determine where the barrel is aimed at on the screen when the trigger is pulled. It features a button below the barrel on either side of the gun (buttons A and B, both performing the same function) for auxiliary in-game control, such as to take cover and reload in Time CrisisTime Crisis
Time Crisis is a light gun shooter arcade game produced by Namco in 1995 and released in early 1996. It was later ported for the PlayStation in 1997, bundled with the G-Con 45 controller.-Gameplay:...
. The controller is released in black in Japan, and gray in both Europe and North America. The controller is compatible with some PlayStation 2 Guncon titles, but is not compatible with PlayStation 3
PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
due to its lack of controller ports.
Guncon 2
Guncon 2 (G-Con 2 in Europe) features a smaller body, as well as a more rounded shape when compared with the original Guncon. The side buttons, A and B, have been moved rearward to a position directly above the trigger. Two new smaller buttons, SELECT and START, have been added to the left side of the shaft. Prominent additions to this second Guncon model is a D-padD-pad
A D-pad is a flat, usually thumb-operated directional control with one button on each point, found on nearly all modern video game console gamepads, game controllers, on the remote control units of some television and DVD players, and smart phones...
at the back of the gun barrel and a C button added at the bottom of the gun handle. These new buttons served to open new gameplay opportunities, such as character movement in Dino Stalker
Dino Stalker
Dino Stalker, known as in Japan, is a first person shooter video game created by Capcom that was released for the PlayStation 2 on June 27, 2002. It was developed by Capcom Production Studio 3, and is an offshoot of the Resident Evil light gun shooter games, but based on the story of the Dino...
or the ability to use two guns at once in Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II
Time Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in Namco's Time Crisis series, introducing co-operative multiplayer to the franchise...
. Unlike the previous controller, the gun uses a USB connection as opposed to a PlayStation controller port. The controller is released in black in Japan, blue in Europe, and orange in North America. It is not compatible with original PlayStation titles or PlayStation 3 titles.
Guncon 3
The Guncon 3 utilizes two infrared LEDs as markers, placed on the left and right sides of the screen. An image sensor in the muzzle tracks the markers as reference points for determining where the gun is pointing on the screen. As opposed to the Guncon and Guncon 2, which are only compatible with CRTCathode ray tube
The cathode ray tube is a vacuum tube containing an electron gun and a fluorescent screen used to view images. It has a means to accelerate and deflect the electron beam onto the fluorescent screen to create the images. The image may represent electrical waveforms , pictures , radar targets and...
-based displays, the Guncon 3 supports a wide variety of display types, including LCD and Plasma.
The Guncon 3 features a "sub-grip", mounted underneath the barrel and extending to the left side for use with the left hand. On the sub-grip is an analog stick and two shoulder buttons, like in a modern gamepad. At the back end of the gun barrel is another analog stick and two buttons, B1 and B2, underneath. Another two buttons, C1 and C2, are placed along the left side of the barrel. The analog sticks allow the player to play first-person shooting games with manual aiming/firing of the light gun.
In regards to appearance, all Japanese Guncon 3 controllers feature a black coloring, though due to US toy gun laws, the US/PAL release of the Guncon 3 controllers are molded of bright orange plastic. This controller has been criticised for being uncomfortable for left-handed gamers.
iOS App
A free Guncon app for the iOS was released on July 21, 2011, which allows players to use an iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
or iPod Touch
IPod Touch
The iPod Touch is a portable media player, personal digital assistant, handheld game console, and Wi-Fi mobile device designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The iPod Touch adds the multi-touch graphical user interface to the iPod line...
as a lightgun while playing certain iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
games.
Games supporting the Guncon
This section talks about various PlayStation games compatible with one or more versions of Namco's Guncon controller. See the complete list of light gun games on the PlayStation 2 for a complete list of light gun games.
Guncon compatible games
The Guncon 2 is not compatible with the Playstation as it has no regular PS-port but USB only, meaning the following games only work with the original Guncon.- Elemental GearboltElemental GearboltElemental Gearbolt, known in Japan as , is a light gun shooter for the Sony PlayStation. Originally developed by Alfa System, the game was published by Sony Computer Entertainment and released in Japan in 1997...
- Endgame (PS2 game that supports both Guncon and Guncon II)
- Extreme GhostbustersExtreme GhostbustersExtreme Ghostbusters is an animated television series and a follow-up to the animated series Slimer! and the Real Ghostbusters. It is a part of the film/TV Ghostbusters franchise...
- Die Hard Trilogy 2: Viva Las Vegas
- Ghoul Panic
- Guncom 2 (PS2 game that supports both Guncon and Guncon II)
- Gunfighter: The Legend of Jesse JamesGunfighter: The Legend of Jesse JamesGunfighter: The Legend of Jesse James is a Shooter video game developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Ubisoft for the Playstation. The game's plot is set in the American Old West. The game's protagonist is Jesse James, an American outlaw who lived in the 19th century.-Gameplay:The...
- Judge DreddJudge DreddJudge Joseph Dredd is a comics character whose strip in the British science fiction anthology 2000 AD is the magazine's longest running . Dredd is an American law enforcement officer in a violent city of the future where uniformed Judges combine the powers of police, judge, jury and executioner...
- Maximum ForceMaximum ForceMaximum Force is an on-rails light gun first-person arcade game developed by Mesa Logic for Atari Games in 1997. In 1998, Atari Games re-released the game as part of one machine called Area 51/Maximum Force Duo that also included Area 51, and later ported the game to both the PlayStation and Sega...
- Mighty Hits Special
- Moorhuhn series
- Point Blank series
- Rescue ShotRescue ShotRescue Shot, known as Rescue Shot Bubibo in Japan, is a 3D light gun video game for the PlayStation console which was released in Japan and Europe in 2000. The game is non-violent and aimed at younger players, the game is more forgiving of poor accuracy than others in the genre...
- Resident Evil Survivor Japanese and PAL versions only.
- Time CrisisTime CrisisTime Crisis is a light gun shooter arcade game produced by Namco in 1995 and released in early 1996. It was later ported for the PlayStation in 1997, bundled with the G-Con 45 controller.-Gameplay:...
- Time Crisis: Project TitanTime Crisis: Project TitanTime Crisis: Project Titan is a side-story installment to Time Crisis released exclusively for the Sony PlayStation.-Story:Following the assassination of the President of Cuba, Xavier Serrano, VSSE agent Richard Miller has been implicated in the crime. V.S.S.E. only has 48 hours before it must turn...
- Time Crisis IITime Crisis IITime Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in Namco's Time Crisis series, introducing co-operative multiplayer to the franchise...
(PS2 game that supports both Guncon and Guncon 2) - Vampire NightVampire NightVampire Night is a light gun game produced by Sega, Wow Entertainment, distributed through Namco and released in 2000 for video game arcades. It was later ported to PlayStation 2 in November 2001.- Plot :...
(PS2 game that supports both Guncon and Guncon 2)
Guncon 2 compatible games
Some Guncon 2 (PS2) games are compatible with the original Guncon, unless the game utilizes the extra buttons on the Guncon 2.- Crisis ZoneCrisis ZoneCrisis Zone is a spin-off of the popular Time Crisis arcade shooters.-Plot:Garland Square recently opened on the outskirts of London. This urban complex contains hotels, a mall, a park, and an office complex. Unfortunately, the entire facility has been overrun by a powerful terrorist organization...
- Death Crimson OX+ (JP)
- Dino StalkerDino StalkerDino Stalker, known as in Japan, is a first person shooter video game created by Capcom that was released for the PlayStation 2 on June 27, 2002. It was developed by Capcom Production Studio 3, and is an offshoot of the Resident Evil light gun shooter games, but based on the story of the Dino...
[US] (AKA Gun Survivor 3: Dino Crisis [JP]) - EndgameEndgameIn chess and chess-like games, the endgame is the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board....
[US/EU) - Gunfighter II: Revenge of Jesse JamesGunfighter II: Revenge of Jesse JamesGunfighter II: Revenge of Jesse James is a First-Person Shooter video game developed by Rebellion Developments and published by Ubisoft for the Playstation 2. It is the sequel to the 2001 game Gunfighter: The Legend of Jesse James. The game's plot is set in the American Old West...
(EU) - Gunvari Collection + Time CrisisGunvari Collection + Time CrisisGunvari Collection + Time Crisis is a Japan-only video game compilation for PlayStation 2 by Namco that contains the PlayStation versions of the whole arcade Point Blank trilogy as well as the first Time Crisis game...
(JP) - Ninja AssaultNinja Assaultis an arcade game developed by Namco in 2000. Two years later it as also released as a PlayStation 2 exclusive title with GunCon 2 compatibility.- Gameplay :...
[JP/US] - Resident Evil: Dead AimResident Evil: Dead AimResident Evil: Dead Aim, known as in Japan, is the fourth release in a series of light gun shooter video games by Capcom. It is also the first in the franchise to feature first-person shooting alongside the third-person movement seen in its predecessors in the Resident Evil series...
[US] (AKA Gun Survivor 4 Biohazard Heroes Never Die [JP]) - Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code: Veronica [EU/JP]
- Starsky & Hutch (coop mode only)
- Time Crisis IITime Crisis IITime Crisis II is a light gun arcade game and the second installment in Namco's Time Crisis series, introducing co-operative multiplayer to the franchise...
- Time Crisis 3Time Crisis 3Time Crisis 3 is the third installment of the Time Crisis arcade series. Like its previous predecessor, Time Crisis II, it allows for two players to cooperate in a link play environment and has the Time Crisis signature pedal system for hiding and advancing and the first in the series to change...
- Vampire NightVampire NightVampire Night is a light gun game produced by Sega, Wow Entertainment, distributed through Namco and released in 2000 for video game arcades. It was later ported to PlayStation 2 in November 2001.- Plot :...
[EU/JP/US] - Virtua Cop: Elite EditionVirtua Cop: Elite EditionVirtua Cop: Elite Edition is a compilation/deluxe edition of two light gun games by Sega for the PlayStation 2. It includes Virtua Cop and Virtua Cop 2 packed with bonus unlockable artwork. Known as "Virtua Cop: Re-Birth" in Japan, this game was released in Japan and Europe.-Features:The Elite...
Guncon 3 compatible games
- Time Crisis 4Time Crisis 4Time Crisis 4 is the fourth installment in Namco's Time Crisis series. The game introduces new features to the cover-based light gun shooter gameplay engine of its predecessors alongside a new story and roster of characters...
- Time Crisis: Razing StormTime Crisis: Razing StormTime Crisis: Razing Storm, known in Japan as Big 3 Gun Shooting, is a compilation of light gun rail shooter video games by Namco for the PlayStation 3 home console. Featuring full compatibility with both the GunCon 3 light gun and the PlayStation Move motion control system, the compilation consists...
- Deadstorm Pirates