Zero Gunner

Zero Gunner is a 1997 shoot 'em up from developer Psikyo, designed as an arcade title. Players use a joystick for eight-way movement, and up to two can play simultaneously. Its key feature is a lock-on targeting system that lets players circle around a locked enemy while continuing to fire. The game has a sequel, Zero Gunner 2, which appeared on the Sega NAOMI, Dreamcast, and PlayStation 2.

In gameplay, the screen scrolls vertically, and players must dodge and destroy enemies while advancing automatically. Before starting, players pick one of three helicopters: a Cobra, an Apache, or a gunship. All three come with a basic single shot and a more powerful sonic wave that covers the entire screen. Locking onto an opponent allows the player to move freely around the screen while still shooting that target.

The story is set in 2016, when a global terrorist organization overthrows the world's military authorities and imposes martial law. In response, a secret special forces squadron called ZERO assembles ace helicopter pilots to travel the world and eliminate the occupied terrorist forces.

In Japan, the February 15, 1998 issue of Game Machine ranked Zero Gunner as the sixth most successful arcade game at that time.