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Rolling Gunner Review: A Demanding, Clever Switch and PC Shoot-’Em-Up

A challenging 2D shoot-’em-up with a distinctive circling gun, Rolling Gunner offers six stages, training support and digital editions on Switch and PC.
Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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Rolling Gunner is worth considering if you want a challenging 2D shoot-’em-up built around an unusual weapon: a gun that circles your ship and can fire in more than one direction. Its six-stage campaign, tutorial and training mode give newcomers ways to learn, but reviews describe a game that still expects players to handle demanding waves of bullets. It is available digitally on Nintendo Switch and PC.

What kind of game is Rolling Gunner?

Rolling Gunner is a single-player, 2D shoot-’em-up. You steer a ship through waves of enemy fire while controlling a gun that circles around it. That weapon is the central twist: rather than aiming only in the direction the ship faces, you must position the gun to attack threats arriving from different angles. The Steam description sums up the challenge as dodging bullets from all directions while controlling the rolling gun. Steam store listing

The design makes positioning do double duty. You are avoiding incoming fire and deciding where your firepower should go. Nintendo Life notes that the gun can fire in two directions and that managing waves from different directions is part of the challenge. If you enjoy learning enemy patterns and making quick adjustments under pressure, that focus is the game’s main appeal. If you prefer a relaxed shooter or dislike repeated attempts to improve, its difficulty may be a poor fit. Nintendo Life review

How long is the campaign, and does it help beginners?

Nintendo Life reports six stages, along with a tutorial, a training mode and replay-saving features. Those options provide ways to learn the controls and revisit play, rather than asking you to master the weapon’s movement all at once. Nintendo Life praised the game as welcoming to newcomers while still offering a hard challenge; that is the reviewer’s assessment, not a promise that the game will feel accessible to every player. Nintendo Life review

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#1 Best Overall
Rolling Gunner - Nintendo Switch
  • Choose one of three different ships with different properties
  • Different difficulties allow players of any skill to enjoy the game
  • Amazing soundtrack composed by renowned musician COSIO
  • Several Stages each ending in a fight against a massive and challenging boss

The story sets the mission as destroying BAC, which has turned Lerman Matsunaga into a fortress, according to Nintendo’s product description. The available review details point more strongly to the shooting mechanics and challenge than to the campaign’s narrative, so consider the story framing secondary if you’re deciding whether the game suits you. Nintendo’s Switch listing

What do reviews say about Rolling Gunner?

Critics have responded positively, while emphasizing the game’s challenge. Nintendo Life called it “one of the most addictive, accessible and downright fun shmups currently available on Nintendo’s system.” That is one outlet’s judgment, but its praise aligns with the game’s distinctive gun mechanic and its inclusion of tutorial and training support. Nintendo Life review

Rank #2
Rolling Gunner + Over Power - Switch
  • One of the completed shapes of the shooting game
  • We have respected and developed the former arcade game in one package with the "Rolling Gunner" () and the additional content "Overpower" specifically for home use
  • Fun for both beginners and advanced users. The difficulty level is adjusted
  • The sound produced by luxury components is also a must hearing item

Aggregator figures offer additional context, but they are limited snapshots rather than definitive measures of quality:

  • Switch critics: Metacritic’s indexed page showed an 84 Metascore based on five critic reviews in its 2019-era review set. The score or review count may have changed since that snapshot. Metacritic critic reviews
  • Steam users: Steam displayed 88% Very Positive from 72 all-time user reviews in an indexed snapshot dated October 8, 2026. User ratings can change as more reviews arrive. Steam store listing

The two figures come from different platforms, audiences and review pools, so they should not be treated as directly comparable scores.

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Rank #3
Rolling Gunner + Over Power - Switch (Non-US Version)
  • One of the completed shapes of the shooting game
  • We have respected and developed the former arcade game in one package with the "Rolling Gunner" () and the additional content "Overpower" specifically for home use
  • Fun for both beginners and advanced users. The difficulty level is adjusted
  • The sound produced by luxury components is also a must hearing item

Is the Switch or PC version a better fit?

The documented differences are mainly where and how you want to play, not established performance advantages. Nintendo lists TV, tabletop and handheld play for Switch; Steam lists the PC edition as single-player. There is no basis here for claiming one version runs better or controls better than the other.

Option What is established Best fit if you want
Nintendo Switch digital Released June 20, 2019, according to Nintendo’s US listing. Supports TV, tabletop and handheld modes; the listing specifies one player, English and Japanese, and a 1.2 GB download. To play on a Nintendo Switch in handheld, tabletop or TV mode.
PC digital Released December 21, 2022, according to Steam. The listing identifies it as a single-player game. To play through the PC storefront.

Nintendo UK lists the Switch Pro Controller as compatible. Nintendo also says the game is compatible with Switch 2 and that behavior is consistent; these are storefront compatibility details, not independent performance tests. Check the relevant regional storefront for current availability and listing details. Nintendo US listing Nintendo UK listing Steam listing

Rank #4
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch
  • Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures
  • Explore randomly generated worlds and build amazing things from the simplest of homes to the grandest of castles
  • Play in creative mode with unlimited resources or mine deep into the world in survival mode, crafting weapons and armor to fend off the dangerous mobs
  • Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
  • Includes Super Mario Mash-Up, Natural Texture Pack, Biome Settlers Skin Pack, Battle & Beasts Skin Pack, Campfire Tales Skin Pack; Compatible with Nintendo Switch only
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Can you buy a physical Switch edition?

A physical Switch release was announced, and a magazine PDF reproducing the 2020 announcement describes a deluxe edition with a physical game, SteelBook, physical soundtrack, cloth arcade-style control sheet, kinetic artwork frame with five art cards, and collector tin. That announcement does not establish that the edition is currently in stock or available from a particular seller. Nintendo’s US store listing is digital. Before buying a physical copy, verify the region, edition contents, seller and current availability. 2020 announcement reproduced in Family Friendly Gaming magazine Nintendo US digital listing

Quick Recap

Bestseller No. 1
Rolling Gunner - Nintendo Switch
Rolling Gunner - Nintendo Switch
Choose one of three different ships with different properties; Different difficulties allow players of any skill to enjoy the game
$59.98
Bestseller No. 2
Rolling Gunner + Over Power - Switch
Rolling Gunner + Over Power - Switch
One of the completed shapes of the shooting game; Fun for both beginners and advanced users. The difficulty level is adjusted
$59.98
Bestseller No. 3
Rolling Gunner + Over Power - Switch (Non-US Version)
Rolling Gunner + Over Power - Switch (Non-US Version)
One of the completed shapes of the shooting game; Fun for both beginners and advanced users. The difficulty level is adjusted
$59.98
Bestseller No. 4
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch
Minecraft is a game about placing blocks and going on adventures; Play on the go in handheld or tabletop modes
$29.83
Bestseller No. 5
Best Value
Minecraft - Nintendo Switch 2
  • Build whatever you can imagine in your own infinite world that’s unique in every playthrough.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

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