Best Nintendo Switch Run And Gun Games

Mechstermination Force, my dudes

Where's The Legend of Dark Witch? I'd put that on there. I even liked it more than Kero Blaster.

Despite really liking them, i absolutely suck at this genre. Cuphead was good but boy did i struggle on some bits. I didnt ever complete it despite getting to the final 3rd part of the map.

Highly recommend every Inti and capcom game on this list, especially Megaman Z/ZX collection and Luminous Avenger.

I recommend Cuphead too but Im pretty sure the people interested probably already played or are going to someday.

Cuphead and Mega Man are classics and some of my all time favourites, but imo Huntdown is the top choice. With its difficulty options, it's a bit more accessible to new players and those anxious of paying for something that's too hard.

While not technically a run and gun game (it's more like run and slash, or run and fireball), if you like the Mega Man Zero games, you should try Dragon Marked for Death.

I would LOVE Cuphead to be a Run & Gun, but... It is not. Except for a few levels, it's all about killing bosses. I don't know if it should be in this list, honestly.
Awesome game though, the art style is brilliant and the controls are perfect.

Still waiting on that physical Cuphead.

Cuphead far and away is my fave. Broforce and Huntdown after that however

I'm still waiting for the Mega Man Legacy Collection Collection

Valfaris is super underrated!

When is cuphead going to be physical

Add me to those waiting for physical Cuphead.

Kero Blaster gets my love. One of my favorites.

Huntdown is definitely at the top for me. I hope DLC will be added someday, and possibly more variety in the environments.

Huntdown is awesome. Should be much, much higher in the list.

For the record, Cuphead sucks. Why is it even on the list? It's a boss-rush game, not a run&gun. Beside being in the wrong genre aside, how is it better than something like Contra classics? Let alone the more modern variants?
I know everyone seems to love the graphics in Cuphead, and it's a great aesthetic done well, don't get me wrong, but aside from that the controls are easily on a par with a cheap ZXSpectrum game (using a Kempston joystick that's been chewed by a dog) and I just found it so meh when I actually played it. Perhaps it was overhyped. I don't know.
To me it feels like instead of just being inspired by the classic cartoons of the time they're trying to evoke, they've tried to create a game that plays as though it was an arcade cabinet built in the 50's with dogdick controls and a scheming proprietor's eye as to how many pennies you're going to have to shove into it to complete the damn thing.

What the Switch really needs is a proper, modern, spiritual successor to Rolling Thunder. That can replace Cuphead at the top, we can juggle Huntdown and Contra Classics higher, and everyone will be happy. Or at least I will, which is the everyone I care about.

Vote for Gunlord here.

Cuphead is King. Has completely set the standard for the genre

@StuartGipp yes! Such a good game

Blazing Chrome was very sweet. Put it on your watch list at least. I got it for very cheap, under $5. Bro Force looks to be $3.74 USD on the eshop right now.

I’m not saying it’s a bad game but man I despise the Megaman games, Could possibly be that I suck at them.

Great list, it’s great to see so many of Inti Creates games on there, they really know how to do this genre well.

Cave Story would be my goto pick for this genre.

@Kidfunkadelic83 me too. I really want to play Cuphead, but I am terrible. Doubt I would put more than an hour or two into it.

@rockodoodle once you get used to it and learn the patterns its a absolutely fantastic game. You start unlocking perks as well and they really help. Its a very tricky game but its so satisfying when you beat a boss or level. One of the most addictive "one last go" games ive played.

@Kidfunkadelic83 I need someone to play it with....

@StuartGipp It isn't a Run-n-Gun though, in the classic sense that all of these others are.

Can't wait for huntdown DLC.

@YANDMAN I'd argue that if Cuphead counts so does Mechstermination Force, but it's not a big deal, really. Cuphead does have discrete run n' gun stages which MF doesn't.

To parrot others, Cuphead wins. It has a old time vibe that just charms (and moderately alarms), on top of the great gameplay.

Hope to see Sunset Riders soon on this list!

@StuartGipp Thoroughly enjoyed Mechastermination, it doesn't get enough praise!

good list, but I gotta say:
Metal Slug 3 > Metal Slug X

Blazing Chrome was basically every Contra game I've ever played, so it got a "meh" from me. The bike level in the snow made me quit the game, just wasn't worth it. I think Joy Masher nailed it with Odallus, though. That was good from start to finish.

Looking at how many people love cuphead more than most other classics somehow show, what a huge achievement cuphead really is. Because in terms of gameplay, its "just" another very good shooter. But due to the presentation it wins over audiences who might never have played those pixelated retro-classics while basically delivering a good compilation of arcade classics.

There might be some old arcade otakus acting like those cuphead kids will never know REAL games, but I think its a perfect milestone to start off a new generation and if cuphead represents a fundament to build on, thats just absolutely great news for this genre.

If I just wouldn't suck so hard at this game, hehe.

Valfaris is a huge omission. A far better game than the 6/10 it was awarded here. 9/10 from me and a better game than most on this list.

Does Blaster Master Zero 2 really fit the criteria for being a "Run and Gun"?

I love Megaman 11, really great game. I hope that Capcom makes Megaman X 9, another one of my favorite Megaman series.

You're missing the Turrican Collection. Gunlord X is practically Turrican 2 in disguise (great game by the way)

Bleed and Bleed 2 were both fun games. I would add them over a few choices on this list.

Blazing Chrome and Huntdown are both incredible. I also think Valfaris deserves to be here, even though it's balls hard and I've never beaten it. Personally my fav Metal Slug is 3. I love the zombies and the weird crab mutants.

Blazing chrome, Hunt down, are the best two for me. Especially Blazing chrome, the best Contra clone personally. Nothing beats the original Contra series but its very close !!!

Mighty Switch Force games are still top quality

@claybirds

Not to mention Ghosts 'n Goblins and Ghouls 'n Ghosts on Capcom Arcade Stadium or Super Ghouls 'n Ghosts on NSO.

@somnambulance

Panzer Paladin's great, but I wouldn't call it a "Run and Gun". You can throw your weapons but that's not really the primary attack mechanic.

@Juzztn
That reminds me of when NL did snake pass for like 150 Dollars and did the same for every other game on the list.

I feel like Cuphead is actually a half hour long game that the devs padded with friggin' hard gameplay to bloat it out. I need to give it another try but I don't feel like hating it any more. It is a remarkable achievement in art undoubtedly.

@Kidfunkadelic83 Same here. I've been playing Cuphead on and off for two years and still haven't beat it. Don't care though. I remember playing games in the 80s without finishing them. It was always the experience not the end game.

Classic Contra games are the king of run n gun. Very surprised Gunstar heroes isnt on here, I would say its better then most on this list. Cuphead is amazing as well.

I can't believe Fury Unleashed doesn't get a mention! Easily my favourite run n gun. Beautiful art, great music, rogue - lite structure & just received an online multiplayer patch. Check it out!

I just love cuphead so much! So much so, I'm slowly doing a 100%, I did the bird, and all of area one and two, I think? Its such a good game.

afaik "boss rush game" is not a gameplay genre, cuphead is clearly a run and gun. I'm surprised at the negativity here.

@Dethmunk I agree with you. I'm an average standard gamer, and I want to love Cuphead, but yeah the difficulty is mental and I rarely visit it now.

Weirdly though, I'm really enjoying Jump King. Which is also insanely difficult. But you can quickly have a go on that and get up to a new area, it never feels like a brick wall to progress.

bro force! BRO FORCE!!! What a terrific romp that game is. Bromando is my fav bro. Yours?

@Kidfunkadelic83 I hit a wall on Cuphead for a while then on vacation I bought it for Switch and eventually beat it! It’s one of my favourite games of the last decade. I have a much harder time with the megaman x games for some reason. Cuphead is just so damn beautiful too, i bought the artbook.