There are an awful lot of shooter games on the market. First-person shooters, third-person shooters, on-rails shooters, and anything in between. But one type of shooter has always had my heart in a chokehold. Lightgun shooting games. Games like Time Crisis, House of the Dead, and countless others gobbled up quarters at any arcade I could visit. I always craved the chance to play Lightgun games at home, but modern technology made that surprisingly more difficult than I could have imagined. That’s why I was incredibly impressed from the get-go with the Retro Shooter RS3 Reaper, and that impressiveness continued regardless of what I tried. From simple setup and ease of use to excellent build quality and customer support, I can officially say that Lightgun gaming is back. It may even be better than ever before.
The Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers Make Lightgun Gaming on Modern Flatscreens Easier Than I Could Have Ever Thought
There’s a good chance that you’ve experienced Lightgun gaming in some way, shape, or form in your life. From playing arcade classics like Time Crisis to trying to hunt down that darn dog after it laughs at you in Duck Hunt, there’s something special about these types of games. But due to the way that modern TV sets work, things like the NES Zapper won’t work on a typical display. That’s why I always thought that the days of the Lightgun had unfortunately passed. But after discovering the Retro Shooters, I quickly learned how wrong I was.
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I tested out the Retro Shooter RS3 Reaper Pro-2 Gun Pack and put it through its paces on a variety of different titles. Included in the box, I received 2 RS3 Reaper Pros. These handguns are hefty, sturdy, and incredibly well built. Each of the guns features a 24V Solenoid attached to a proper slide mechanism, so it felt like I was back at the arcade. There were also two foot pedals, usable in classic games and new titles featured on Steam. Yes, I was just as surprised to learn that there are still plenty of developers working on new Lightgun games. All of these are connected to an adapter for proper power supply, and I was ready to start blasting.
The Included Console Is a Bit of a Work in Progress, but the Retro Shooters Rock on PC
When I first set up my Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers, I attached them to the included Pandora’s Box that came with my package. One thing to note about this: this functions more like a primary console rather than what the Pandora’s Box systems can typically do. Only Retro Shooter can upload new games to this new console, and players cannot add their own games to this version of the Retro Shooter Pandora’s Box. Keep that in mind if you plan on purchasing this particular edition, as there are only three games currently available on the console, with more hopefully on the way, as the company also sells Dev Kits to eager developers.
The Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers can, however, be plugged into a PC, Raspberry Pi, or a Mini-PC for more titles. After playing around with the included titles, it’s safe to say that the included console is more of an investment at the time being than a selling point. There is potential for some excellent games to make their way to the platform, but fans who are ready to support Retro Shooter and their new console endeavors may need to wait a little while before more titles are available to play. Where the Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers do excel, however, is when they’re plugged into a PC.
Regardless of What I Was Playing, the IR Sensors Were Incredibly Accurate Right Out of the Box
The first thing I experienced when I plugged in my Retro Shooters into the included console was Grand Shooter. I was immediately impressed that I didn’t need to calibrate my guns out of the box. All I needed to do was plug in the included sensors, attach them to my TV, and play. When I unboxed these guns, I figured I would need to hone them in before playing. I couldn’t have been more incorrect. Right out of the box, these were right on the money.
If something didn’t feel right, however, I could always hop into the menus and recalibrate the guns. After over a month of extensive testing, however, I never found the need to do this. Jumping between Steam games, the included console, and classic Lightgun titles, I was always hitting the shots I needed to. Playing with friends was no different. Plus, the ability to turn on a crosshair with a single press of a button was incredibly nice. My wife, eager to help me test these out, struggled to hit her shots as she’s never used a Lightgun (or real gun, for that matter) before. So, this little trick made Grand Shooter a blast for the two of us to try together.
Dual Wielding RS3 Reapers and Playing ‘Dead Containment’ Made Me Feel Like the Ultimate Badass, Thanks to the Recoil
You already know this feeling. Dropping a quarter into each slot at the arcade and blasting away at alien creeps, zombies, and whatever else fills the screen. There’s nothing quite like it. Even after a month and a half of blasting through creatures almost daily, the recoil still feels as fresh as the day I unboxed these Lightguns. With any moving part, these parts eventually start to lose their luster. But I once again found myself impressed with how well these guns were assembled.
For folks eager to tinker, the RS3 Reapers also have a properly functioning Picatinny Rail. This means you could get a handgrip and attach it to the bottom for an even more realistic experience. Or if you find yourself getting fatigued from holding the guns up for a long period. They are fairly heavy. So, I could expect that younger players may find themselves struggling to use them after a while.
The Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers Feel Far More Premium Than Their Prices May Suggest, and I’m in Love
The Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers are a jack of all trades. They’re high quality, feel Arcade quality without sacrificing anything along the way, and come packed full of features. Adjustable recoil, swappable magazine reload buttons, and just about any other tweak you can think of along the way. No matter if you’re trying to start your own at-home arcade or you just want to relive some of the best years of your life? I can’t think of a better way than with the RS3 Reapers. As one of the most affordable options on the market, Retro Shooter could have backed off on the quality to deliver on quantity. But they did no such thing, and I’m very glad about that.
While the console is a bit of a work in progress, the support for the RS3 Reaper with PC is impeccable. From the simplistic setup process to the quality of the handguns, Retro Shooter has delivered an incredible product here. Now, I just need to invest in some neon lights and some wildly patterned carpet. Then I’ll feel right at home with these in my hands.
Verdict: Best In Its Class
The Retro Shooter RS3 Reapers, alongside other models, are available to order on RetroShooter.com. A sample was provided by the developer for the sake of review.
