Enjoy the fun of a light gun without putting in coins

Thanks to backward compatibility and classic game libraries, we're currently living in a golden age where you can play everything in video game history from the comfort of your own home. The biggest exception to this are arcade games that require peripherals to function properly. Introducing G'aim'e, a console that lets you play the best light gun games the old arcades had to offer without ever having to leave the house.

I jumped at the chance to review the ability to play the original Time Crisis on TV as well as at home, as the developers intended, but I was skeptical. I wasn't sure it would work that well, much less that G'aim'e would be able to replicate the feeling of playing that game in a real arcade.

You can feel the arcade atmosphere right from your living room.

Gaming gun playing light gun game on TV.

Fortunately, it didn't take long for that skepticism to completely dissipate. G'aim'e not only looks and feels the part, but it's as easy to use as any light gun arcade game where your goal is survival. I felt like I was caught up in the action of an all-inclusive game while standing in front of an arcade cabinet in the mid-90s.

Setup is also very easy without having to worry about compatibility. G'aim'e is its own console. Just plug in the power supply and connect to your TV via the provided HDMI cable. When you start the console, a short tutorial video will play, and you'll need to shoot eight on-screen targets to calibrate your light gun.

You can skip the tutorial the next time you power up your console, but you'll need to calibrate your gun each time. It takes about 20 seconds.

Once this is done, you can get to work right away. Available options depend on the G'aim'e pack selected. If you're only interested in Time Crisis, there's a base pack that includes the console, a light gun, and that one game.

Time crunch point behind the game Empty Steel Catcher and 2 Steel Catcher tiles

Time Crisis is undoubtedly the king of the arcade light gun genre, but if you want more from G'aim'e than Time Crisis, you'll want the Premium Pack or the Ultimate Pack. Each comes with four games to cycle through. Time Crisis, Point Blank, Steel Gunner, Steel Gunner 2.

My nostalgia meter hit the roof when I first started playing G'aim'e and watched Time Crisis and Point Blank. Two games I've invested more time and money into than I care to admit. Being able to play without having to worry about how many coins I have left was incredibly satisfying, and I found myself going back and forth between the two during my first few days with the console.

I am now a steel gunner guy

Steel Gunner's enemies are pointing their guns at the screen.

I eventually got away from Time Crisis and Point Blank and checked out Steel Gunner. I had never even heard it before, let alone played it. Now that I've played this game and its sequel several times with my son, I wonder where this game has been all my life. I came to G'aim'e for Time Crisis but am staying for Steel Gunner.

I've already mentioned it, but the biggest selling point and main difference between playing games in the arcade and playing them in G'aim'e is that you no longer have to worry about where the next quarter is coming from. You don't need to put a coin into G'aim'e to continue (imagine if you did). However, there is a coin insertion button on the side of the light gun, which is a nice touch for those who want to recreate the fantasy of wasting their pocket money.

It's also very satisfying to tap and see your credit number go up.

This also means that even if, like me, you spend hours playing these games in the arcade, you'll be seeing more of them played on G'aim'e than ever before. There are parts of Point Blank that I didn't know existed until a few days ago. Did you know that if you pass all 16 stages, there is a fireworks minigame at the end? I also refuse to believe that I could have gotten through the Time Crisis boss fight without an endless supply of accommodation.

G'aim'e has a two-player feature, but if you want more than just Time Crisis, you'll have to spend more to access it. The most expensive option, the Ultimate Pack, is the only pack that comes with two guns. If you choose a cheaper pack and change your mind later, you can purchase the guns separately. The pedal is modeled after the push pedal from Time Crisis and can be purchased separately and is included in all but the basic pack.

If you don't have a pedal input or it's not connected, there's a button on the gun to duplicate the pedal input.

4 lightgun games are enough for now

Everything included in the gaime Ultimate pack.

The only downside to G'aim'e is that it has a limited number of games, even if you buy a pack that includes all four. Lightgun games are inherently lacking because they are made to be played in arcades. I've played all four multiple times, and while the replay value is much higher than most games, it would be nice to have more choices of arcade classics from the golden age of light gun games, even if they're introduced as add-ons that you have to pay extra for.

That said, even though the review here is complete, the G'aim'e isn't something you'll be packing away to dust off and show off at the party (although you'll definitely be showing it off at the party). My son is already gearing up for his fourth playthrough of Steel Gunner 2, and I'm slowly honing my Point Blank skills, which are still lacking in many of the minigames. I won't be finishing work on G'aim'e for a while, but I hope this isn't the last we see of it on this console. It's a very cool idea that far exceeded my expectations, and if there's more to come, whether it's an expansion pack or a sequel, I'll be first in line.