complimenting its responsive controls and well-designed levels. In 1998, Gamest reviewed the game as part of its Gamest Mook Vol. 112, where the unique and entertaining gameplay was greatly applauded. Gamest stated its amount of action was comparable to films such as The Terminator, and said it helped make it one of the best light gun shooters of the era. Zzap!64 found its quality and gameplay superior to Sega's Laser Ghost, claiming it to be "more attractive" than Sega's offering for its mature-oriented approach. Some reviewers have also drawn comparisons between Steel Gunner and Taito's Operation Wolf (1987). The visuals and presentation of Steel Gunner were praised. Many publications enjoyed its colorful graphics, with detailed and interactive environments. Hardcore Gaming 101 applauded its sprite-scaling effects and amount of shootable background objects, which add depth and realism to the levels. Gamest said its level designs were creative and unique, and of better quality than those found in games like Space Gun. Your Commodore enjoyed the comical cutscenes depicting the player's police chief berating them. Sega-16 expressed disappointment towards the lack of a home release, specifically for the Sega CD and 32X, saying that its intense action and great gameplay would "undoubtedly have sold among Genesis owners". Sequel A direct arcade sequel, Steel Gunner 2, was released a year later in Japan in March 1992 and in North America the following month. The plot follows Garcia and Cliff piloting their Gargoyle mecha suits to fight off the Vanguard organization, a terrorist group with an army of genetically-engineered supersoldiers to destroy all of Earth and enslave mankind. Gameplay is largely similar to the original, with new stages and the story being told through dialogue boxes during levels. It was sold as a conversion kit for both the original and Taito's Operation Thunderbolt, or as a dedicated machine. Much of the design staff from the original Steel Gunner worked on the sequel. Notes References 1990 video games 1991 video games Arcade video games Arcade-only video games Bandai Namco Entertainment franchises First-person shooters Light gun games Namco arcade games Video games about police officers Video games about terrorism Video games developed in Japan