A new console makes arcade classics like Time Crisis and Point Blank playable on modern TVs, and it comes with an actual lightgun.
Despite various console ports over the years, lightgun games like Time Crisis and The House Of The Dead have largely faded into obscurity as a relic of the 1990s.
The genre had a brief resurgence on the Wii, with titles like Link’s Crossbow Training and Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles making use of the Wii Remote’s pointer controls, but even these didn’t quite capture the same satisfaction of using a lightgun in the arcades.
However, if you want to replicate the experience at home without laying down the cash for a pricey arcade cabinet, an alternative has recently launched on Kickstarter.
A new console, named G’AIM’E, essentially makes the lightgun experience compatible with modern TVs. It comes with a console, a bespoke lightgun controller, and a ‘custom licensed’ version of Time Crisis which has been ‘faithfully recreated from the original arcade ROM’.
‘The G’AIM’E gun uses our own bespoke technology that utilises a high-resolution camera and AI; in place of the traditional infrared used in lightgun of the past,’ the description reads.
It’s claimed the use of AI technology allows players ‘to move freely without affecting the guns calibration’ by automatically detecting and adjusting to your TV, with the promise of ‘smooth, accurate gameplay from various angles and distances’.
Expert, exclusive gaming analysis
Sign up to the GameCentral newsletter for a unique take on the week in gaming, alongside the latest reviews and more. Delivered to your inbox every Saturday morning.
There are some caveats to be aware of though. This version of Time Crisis is single-player only, and the product’s basic package, which costs around £74 without shipping, doesn’t include a foot pedal.
If you want a multiplayer experience and a foot pedal, you’ll have to purchase either the premium or ultimate edition. The £101 premium version comes with everything in the basic package along with a pedal and three additional games which all support two players; Point Blank, Steel Gunner, and Steel Gunner 2.
The ultimate edition, which costs around £151, adds an additional lightgun and a required AC adapter, which you’d have to buy separately (or use one you already have) if you pick up the other editions.
As noted on the FAQ page, the console won’t be updated with additional games in the future either, so it’s a fairly expensive package for essentially four old games.
Despite this, the Kickstarter page surpassed its £35,470 goal within hours. At the time of writing, a day after the page went live on Tuesday, June 24, the amount pledged has reached over £239,000, with 59 days still left to go until it closes on Saturday, August 23.
If you decide to take the plunge, delivery is expected in November 2025 according to the Kickstarter page. The console’s Japan-based creators, Tassei Denki Corporation, have also been given approval by Bandai Namco, so it’s all above board.
The last mainline Time Crisis game was 2015’s Time Crisis 5, which is the only entry not to receive a console port.
Email gamecentral@metro.co.uk, leave a comment below, follow us on Twitter.
To submit Inbox letters and Reader’s Features more easily, without the need to send an email, just use our Submit Stuff page here.
For more stories like this, check our Gaming page.
MORE: EA Sports FC 26 cover star leaks and they’ve been on before
MORE: The Alters review – send in the clones
MORE: The best Mario Kart World character is not who you’d expect
