Jets'n'Guns

Lore & Background

In Jets'n'Guns, the player starts as a freelancer contracted to drive out criminals from a sector of space. Soon, the player is contacted by their old commanding officer, Col. Troubleman, aboard the United Space Ship Impotence. He explains that the evil dictator Xoxx has kidnapped scientist Professor Von Hamburger, who was developing a quantum cannon that could destroy the entire universe. The professor's daughter, Erecta Von Hamburger, also contacts the player, concerned with her father's rescue. The player steals a better fighter, the TMIG-226, from FeX labs and eventually rescues the professor, but Xoxx escapes in a time machine and the universe is destroyed. If the player did not cheat, they reach a restaurant, get a time machine upgrade, chase Xoxx through a time warp, and defeat him, returning to the beginning on a harder mode. If the player cheated, a time warp brings them back to the start on a harder mode.

Between levels, players buy upgrades for their ship, including maneuverability, speed, health/armor, cooling, and the Atarix for unlocking crates. Shields and nanomachines boost defense and provide slow armor regeneration. Players can customize up to five weapon profiles, switchable mid-game, and change weapon angles. The starting fighter has slots for two front weapons; the TMIG-226 has slots for one bombing system, one missile system, three front weapons, and one rear weapon. Weapons range from flamethrowers to electro-balls to acid guns, and most can be upgraded. Most weapons generate heat; overheating prevents firing until the gauge cools. Missiles and bombs do not generate heat; bombs use a replenishing bomb meter.

The developers were heavily inspired by Tyrian 2000, Project-X, and Walker. Unlike Tyrian, Jets'n'Guns forces players to experiment with weapons to succeed. The game has no lives, so players can retry levels. The side-scrolling format was chosen to insert visual humor, including spacefighters with knives strapped to them and humorous signs. Cultural references are scattered throughout. In November 2012, Rake in Grass applied to Steam Greenlight for Jets'n'Guns Gold; it was accepted a year later and released on February 5, 2014.

Reader's Guide

Jets'n'Guns is significant as a horizontally scrolling shooter that expanded on the formula of classics like Tyrian 2000. Its complex upgrade system, with multiple weapon slots, heat management, and customizable weapon profiles, set it apart from contemporaries. The game's humor, including visual gags and cultural references, was a deliberate design choice by the developers. The soundtrack, composed by Machinae Supremacy, features over 50 minutes of original music. The game's legacy includes an expansion, Jets'n'Guns Gold, and a sequel, Jets'n'Guns 2, released in 2020. Its availability on multiple platforms, including a Linux port by Linux Game Publishing and a Nintendo Switch release in 2019, helped maintain its presence. The game's no-lives system and emphasis on experimentation encouraged repeated playthroughs, and its time-warp ending mechanic added replay value. The Steam Greenlight process in 2012–2014 brought the game to a wider audience on PC.

Did You Know?

• The game's soundtrack was composed and performed by Machinae Supremacy, with over 50 minutes of original music.
• The player can give their ship a new paint job for free between levels.
• If the player did not cheat, they can chase Xoxx through a time warp after reaching a restaurant and getting a time machine upgrade.
• The developers chose a side-scrolling format to insert visual humor, such as spacefighters with knives strapped to them.