Time Crisis is a first-person, on-rails light gun shooter series developed by Namco, first introduced in 1995. The series centers on the operations of a fictional international intelligence agency, which assigns its top agents to confront major threats posed by hostile organizations, such as criminals, terrorists, and military groups. The game’s missions mostly take place in fictional locations around the world.

What set Time Crisis apart from other light gun shooters at the time was its innovative mechanics. Players could duck behind cover to avoid enemy fire and reload their weapons, while also being required to complete each stage within a set time limit. Over time, the series added more features, including two-player cooperative modes in arcades, additional weapons for combat, and handling more complex, high-stakes scenarios.

While primarily known for its arcade versions, Time Crisis was also ported to home consoles, beginning with the PlayStation release of the original game in 1995. Console ports typically featured extra content, such as additional stages and difficulty modes, enhancing the experience. In addition to the main series, Time Crisis spawned several spin-offs, which maintained the series’ cover mechanics and time-limited gameplay, but introduced new combat situations and unique storylines centered around different organizations.