A little piece of the Wild West became available to the all the modern day wannabe cowboys and gunslingers with coin-operated "fast draw" gun games. These games allowed a player to square off against a life-size mannequin that could potentially draw a gun faster than them. No bullets were exchanged and no one was at risk of eating lead but your street cred could be ruined if you couldn't beat your opponent.

A player needed nerves of steel and a steady hand, plus the ability to shrug off taunts like, "Greenhorn, you couldn't hit the side of a barn!" Fast draw games were marketed to teenage boys and mild-mannered accountants who wanted to step into the boots of lawmen, dueling in the dusty streets of the old west. Things became even more exciting with the advent of video games in the 70s and 80s, introducing more lifelike opponents.

By the early 90s, games like Mad Dog McCree and Fast Draw Showdown employed Laserdisc technology and live-action actors to immerse the player in his very own Western movie. Gameplay involved several showdowns with assorted villains but you had to be careful not to shoot too quickly, as the game penalized the player for taking his gun out of its holster prematurely. In Fast Draw Showdown, players competed for titles like 'Super Sheriff' and 'Master Marshal.'

Gun games were released as arcade attractions, PC games and for home video systems but most presented a limited challenge to experienced gamers who wanted both longer games and ones that were harder to beat.