Gun Mayhem
- Genre Action games
- Players 1–4
- Session 5 min
- Price Free
- Updated
Nobody in Gun Mayhem has a health bar. Every bullet shoves the target backwards, and the only way to lose a life is to be pushed off the edge of a floating level and fall into the void. That single rule is what makes the game so tense: a cheap pistol at close range can end a round if the other fighter is standing near the rim, and a player with a heavy machine gun can still be jumped over and blasted from behind. The stages are stacks of narrow platforms hovering over nothing, from an office block to an ice pyramid, a moon base and a Greek ruin. Weapon crates drop from the sky, so the fight keeps moving toward whoever grabs the next gun. Released by KevinGu in 2011, it is still one of the best couch shooters to play on a single keyboard with a friend.
| Arrow keys | Player 1: run left and right, jump with Up, drop through a platform with Down |
|---|---|
| [ and ] | Player 1: shoot with [, throw a bomb with ] |
| W A S D | Player 2: move, jump and drop |
| T and Y | Player 2: shoot with T, throw a bomb with Y |
| Numpad | Players 3 and 4 use the number pad; the full layout is in Options |
How to play Gun Mayhem
- Click once inside the game so it takes keyboard input, then open Custom Game for a quick match or Campaign for the challenges.
- In Game Setup pick a mode: Last Man Standing, a team version of it, Duck Survival, Gun Game or 1 Hit 1 Kill. Set the number of lives and switch crates and pickups on or off.
- Choose a map, then fill the player slots with humans or AI bots and give each one a hat, a shirt, a starting handgun and a perk.
- During the match, jump between platforms, shoot to push opponents toward the edges and collect crates for better weapons.
- A fighter who falls off the level loses a life and respawns from above. The last one with lives left wins.
Tips
- Knockback matters more than damage. Stand between the enemy and the centre of the map, so every hit sends them outward, never you.
- You get a second jump in the air. Save it for recovering after being blasted off a ledge rather than spending it to look busy.
- Bombs are best dropped on a lower platform as someone lands on it; the blast pushes them off before they can turn around.
- Pickups can be traps. Chasing a crate across the whole map puts you in the open while the other player shoots you from above.
Questions about Gun Mayhem
Can two people play Gun Mayhem on one computer?
Yes. Player 1 uses the arrow keys with [ and ], player 2 uses W A S D with T and Y, and two more people can join on the number pad.
Can I play alone?
Yes. Empty slots can be filled with AI bots, and the Campaign is a series of challenges against the computer that unlock new weapons and maps.
Why does nothing lose health when I shoot?
That is the design. Shots only push fighters around. You score by knocking a rival off the map, and each fall costs one life.
Does it work on a phone?
Not really. It needs a physical keyboard, so play it on a computer.
