Zero Gunner 2

Zero Gunner 2 is a 3D multidirectional shooter from Psikyo, following up the arcade original. It launched on Dreamcast in Japan during 2001. In 2018, Zerodiv put out a version for Nintendo Switch, based on the Dreamcast port; the title was kept as *Zero Gunner 2*. That version later came to Windows via Steam in December 2020, then to PlayStation 4 in July 2022 and Xbox One in January 2023.

The story takes place in the near future. An Asian conglomerate called Igem creates a new energy source and uses it to build a weather-control machine named ONI, intended for world domination. After ONI activates, nations suffer, and Igem’s secret militia attacks all opposition. The Zero Gunner squadron is called in to stop Igem and destroy ONI.

One or two players choose among three helicopters, each with a distinct firing pattern. They fight through seven stages, each ending with a boss. Bosses start in forms like a train, boat, airplane, or submarine, then transform into giant robots after enough damage. Destroying the robot ends the stage. Nine difficulty levels range from “Child” (enemies rarely fire back) to “Very Hard” (enemies shoot almost constantly).

A key innovation is the ability to rotate the helicopter 360 degrees, letting players fire in any direction. This is often necessary because enemies attack from all sides, not just the top. Power-ups boost firepower. A “Special” bar fills when players collect “E” icons from destroyed enemies; once full, the player can unleash a special attack that usually clears the screen. The first four stages—Alpine Armored Train, Submergence City, Sea of Cloud, or Marine Base—appear in a fixed order, though some versions allow the player to select the initial stage from this set. The last three stages—Asian Slum, Orbital Elevator, and Aerial Capital—are fixed. The helicopters are: the blue Comanche (lasers), the dark green Apache (blue bullets and straight-firing missiles), and the yellow Hokum (guided missiles, high-damage bullets, and a 99-round special attack with small planes that fire at enemies and follow you).

In Japan, *Game Machine* listed Zero Gunner 2 as the eighth most-successful arcade game in its July 15, 2001 issue. *Famitsu* scored the Dreamcast version 30 out of 40.