Publisher Natsume explores its back catalog for its latest console release, revealing that the Super Nintendo classic Wild Guns is coming to the PlayStation 4 with faithfully redrawn graphics and four-player co-op gameplay.
Contrasting the approach many developers take when remastering classic games, Wild Guns Reloaded maintains the same look and feel as its SNES predecessor, with Natsume applying minimal changes in order to bring its Western-themed shoot-’em-up to a modern audience.
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Originally released in 1995, Wild Guns is a shooting-gallery-styled game in the vein of the arcade classic Cabal. Players fight off hordes of enemies in each level using upgradeable firepower while dodging incoming bullets, bombs, and other deadly hazards in a setting that mixes the Wild West with steampunk elements.
Wild Guns wasn’t especially well received in 1995, as mainstream attention had largely shifted toward 32-bit consoles like the Sony PlayStation and Sega’s Saturn. The game earned a cult following in the years after its release, however, leading Natsume to release a Wii Virtual Console version in 2010. A Wii U edition later launched via Nintendo’s eShop in 2014.
Wild Guns Reloaded retains the original game’s pixel art style by redrawing every sprite and background to suit HD resolutions. The result is a faithful, understated recreation of a classic SNES game’s aesthetic. Publisher Natsume details the conversion process on its official website, demonstrating the difficulty involved in adapting a standard-definition game for modern platforms.
Gameplay footage shown so far indicates that Wild Guns Reloaded will feature the exact same settings, enemy types, and boss encounters as the original Wild Guns. The port will also add two new playable characters, enabling four-player co-op gameplay.
Wild Guns Reloaded is playable at Natsume’s booth this week at the Electronic Entertainment Expo. A digital release via the PlayStation Network is due this fall.
