Home console versions of Sunset Riders were released for the Mega Drive/Genesis in 1992 and for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System in 1993, to a positive reception.

Steve and Billy wield revolvers, Bob carries a rifle, and Cormano uses a double barrel shotgun.

[4] The objective of the game is to defeat a gang of outlaws in eight stages, with a fight against a strong boss character at the end of each.

A bonus minigame is played after the second and fifth stages, in which the player(s) can earn additional points by shooting outlaws as they pop up.

Power-ups and bonus items can be obtained by entering doorways, defeating certain sack-carrying bandits, or opening sacks placed on the ground.

Two power-ups are available, a gold sheriff's badge that grants fully automatic fire and a silver one that gives the player a second gun.

Other weapons that can be used by the player include dynamite carried by female bandits (which must be thrown back before it explodes), hanging rocks/barrels/torches that can be dropped on enemies, and mounted Gatling guns available only in the last stage.

One life is lost whenever the player is hit by any enemy attack, trampled by bulls, caught in a fire or explosion, or struck by a rock or obstacle.

Cormano is a bounty hunter who wears a Mexican poncho and a sombrero and wields a shotgun that fires a wide spread of bullets.

Paco Loco is a hulking outlaw who wields a gatling gun, and is one of Richard Rose's henchmen, serving as the boss in the seventh stage.

Sir Richard Rose is a rich and elegant outlaw, and the main villain of the series, serving as the final boss of the game.

After the second phase, he is finally neutralized by the bounty hunters, symbolized by a graphic showing a single rose being destroyed (not shown in the SNES version).

[5] Sunset Riders made its North American debut at the September 1991 Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA) show in Las Vegas.

[10] Only four of the eight bosses from the arcade version are featured (Simon Greedwell, Paco Loco, Chief Scaplem, and Sir Richard Rose), and each of the four chapters are divided into two stages.

In Japan, Game Machine listed it on their December 15, 1991 issue as being the third most-successful table arcade unit of the month.

"[22] In a more reserved review, Zero rated the arcade original a 3 out of 5, calling it a "fairly fast shoot'em up with a sense of humour.

"[23] The "rather splendid" SNES version was given an overall score of 87% by Dan Jevons from Super Play, who described it as "another winner from Konami's stable".

[21] Retrospectively, Jamie O'Neill from Nintendo Life awarded the SNES version eight stars out of ten, writing it "is bright, colourful, fantastically well animated, with superb music and sound.

It understands its place as a Western game and within the run-and-gun genre, by combining imaginative characterisation and humour, with well-paced action set-pieces, plus variety in its gameplay.