Modern Light Guns Compared: Sinden, GUN4IR, OpenFIRE & More

About this guide

A factual comparison of current light guns by tracking method, display setup, OS, recoil, calibration, multi-gun and compatibility.

How to read this report

Official claim means the manufacturer, project repository, manual, shop, or first-party wiki says it. Marketing superlatives such as “fastest,” “perfect,” or “pixel-perfect” are reported only as claims, not findings.
Independent observation means Batocera documentation or an identifiable hands-on reviewer reported it. These observations depend on firmware, emulator, display, room, host and configuration; they are not universal laboratory results.
Not documented means no reliable source was found. USB mouse behavior is not, by itself, proof that a product works with a particular OS, emulator, console, game or multiplayer mode.
Availability is a snapshot, not a promise of stock or delivery. Prices are deliberately omitted because they change by territory, bundle and tax.
The structured companion file, modern-hardware-data.json, contains the same products and explicit fields for downstream site use.

At-a-glance matrix

Product/ecosystem	Availability on 2026-08-26	Tracking / screen hardware	Official host scope	Recoil	Multi-gun	Key compatibility evidence
Sinden	Official shop active	Gun camera reads visible border; no IR bar	Windows, Linux, Raspberry Pi	USB solenoid model	Two-gun packs; general maximum not found	First-party MAME/PCSX2/TeknoParrot/Dolphin guides; Batocera v35+
GUN4IR	Active ecosystem; sampled official parts showed sold out	Four IR points around screen	Windows, Linux, macOS, Pi, MiSTer where generic gun mouse works	Build-dependent solenoid/rumble	Auto-mapping claimed; no hard maximum found	Batocera v36+; generic mouse input
OpenFIRE	Active open-source releases	Four IR points; RP2040/RP2350 + SEN0158	Config app: Windows/Linux/Pi; MiSTer mapping	DIY 12/24 V solenoid and/or rumble	Unique IDs/player mappings; no hard maximum found	Batocera v42+, MiSTer, MAME feedback tools
Fusion / P.I.G.S.	Active source; prebuilts intermittent	Four IR points; Pico/SAMCO-derived	Windows, Linux	Build-dependent	Designed for multiplayer; maximum not found	Batocera; project compatibility wiki
Retro Shooter / RS3	Official bundles active	Four corner IR sensors	PC, mini PC, Pi, Pandora 10th, RS console	24 V sliding solenoid + rumble	P1-P4 hardware modes	Batocera v42+ for RS3; MameHooker; Steam
AimTrak	In stock officially	One two-cluster IR bar	“All PC OSes,” PS2; Linux labeled third-party	Separate recoil model, external 24-36 V	Up to four IDs	Official MAME/PS2 guides; Batocera v35+
Lichtknarre	Download online; source/maintenance uncertain	Wii Remote camera + 2 or 4 IR LEDs	Windows stack	Wiimote rumble only/planned hooks	Mouse 1P; ViGEm/vJoy2 multiplayer	MAME/Dolphin configuration pages
Wii Remote + DolphinBar/direct BT	DolphinBar retail links active; Wiimotes mostly used	Wii Remote sees sensor bar	Mayflash: Windows/Dolphin; Batocera independently	Wiimote vibration	Mayflash claims four; mode-dependent	Dolphin; Batocera direct-Wiimote mode
Blamcon	Store, kits, customs and DIY active	Four-point IR	Windows, macOS, Linux	Model-specific rumble/solenoids	Up to four IDs	Batocera v42+; broad “most emulators” claim
G'AIM'E	Released official console bundles	Barrel camera detects full screen rectangle	G'AIM'E mini-console only	Switchable built-in recoil	Two guns; game-dependent	Fixed licensed console library; PC use is unofficial
Polymega GC01	Released/listed	Sinden-derived border optics	Polymega systems only	None documented	Two simultaneous guns	Official Polymega game list and exceptions
XGunner	Marketplace-active; manufacturer provenance unclear	Four IR corners + 2.4 GHz dongle	No manufacturer matrix verified	Solenoid modes documented by Batocera	Not reliably documented	Batocera v42+ only verified source
SAMCO	Legacy source; superseded	DIY 2/4 IR	Legacy HID hosts; no current matrix	Varies by descendant	Not maintained as current matrix	Batocera entry; repository points to OpenFIRE
point-bang	New active open-source project	Android ARCore 6DoF, no markers/bar	Windows/Linux/macOS PC + ARCore Android	Phone haptics only	Not yet; roadmap	DuckStation guide; broader tests pending

Cross-ecosystem conclusions

There is no universal compatibility. A gun can enumerate as an absolute mouse and still fail because an emulator merges mice, a game expects GunCon/Justifier semantics, a frontend remaps IDs, or two-player support is absent.
Tracking choices trade visible infrastructure for software/space. Sinden/GC01 use a border; GUN4IR/OpenFIRE/Fusion/RS3/AimTrak/Blamcon/Wii approaches use IR hardware; G'AIM'E and point-bang avoid both but need the camera to understand the whole screen/room and may require more distance.
Recoil ranges from cosmetic to output-aware. Trigger-driven recoil is easy but fires when a game says “empty.” Output-aware recoil requires MameHooker or an equivalent integration. Power requirements range from Sinden's USB solenoid to separate 12/24/36 V supplies.
DIY is not one category. OpenFIRE is a low-level open electronics platform; Fusion packages an open ecosystem; GUN4IR is licensed DIY plus commercial conversions; Blamcon combines a common core with extensive printable mechanical designs.
Cabinet builders benefit from permanence. Four emitters, external recoil power and careful calibration are less intrusive in a dedicated cabinet than a living-room TV. Conversely, Sinden and camera/AR approaches are easier to move because no emitters remain on the display.
Independent data is still thin. Batocera offers the most systematic public comparison found, but its ratings describe Batocera configurations, not controlled universal latency/accuracy tests. Manufacturer latency and “perfect accuracy” figures should remain labeled claims until reproducible independent measurements exist.