Gunforce, Geo Storm and Air Duel are the trio that launch the second instalment of Irem Collection with all guns blazing. Gunforce is a take on the mighty Contra licence, but this time with mech style power suits and massive adversaries to test the architecture to the limits. Tough like Konami’s opus with one hit kills, yet some supreme weaponry soon gets players in the necessary gung-ho spirits. A few tactically placed vehicles also help – its always a joy to tear through enemy lines in motorised, marauding machine. The two-player mode also lifts moral with a bit of teamwork. The coin-op sequel feels like it inspired Metal Slug with its further use of vehicles and some sublime parallax scrolling to boot. Arcade Air Duel looks initially like a 1942 vertical scrolling tribute, before the developer reveals their license to go off the rails with imaginative adversaries.