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For the month before the 3DS and Wii U eShops close for new purchases on 27th March, each day we're going to highlight a specific eShop game for one of those consoles and give a short pitch as to why we think it deserves your love and attention — before it's too late. The chance to add these to your library will be gone for good soon and, for one reason or another, these eShop-exclusives are close to our hearts.
Today, Gavin highlights the only official way to play a retro classic on modern TVs...
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So, what's it called again?
Duck Hunt, innit. It's a light gun classic.
Who made it?
Nintendo R&D1 and Intelligent Systems.
What's the premise?
Originally, you would use the NES Zapper to shoot 8-bit ducks on your CRT television set as they flee from your hound.
It was a pack-in title for many a NES console, and would get some callbacks in pointer-based shooting minigames in Wii Play — and the dog/duck duo would turn up in Smash Ultimate, of course — but Duck Hunt was officially re-released just once on non-8-bit hardware, for reasons we'll get into below.
Why should you play it?
Because outside of OG NES/Famicom hardware connected to a CRT TV, this is the only official way to play it. The NES Zapper worked in tandem only with a cathode-ray tube screen, and doesn't function on modern displays.
The Wii U VC release converts Duck Hunt to work with a Wii Remote's pointer, with a cursor displayed to help you aim. It's a compromise, sure — having the cursor constantly visible makes shooting ducks much easier than it was with the Zapper — but for a game that is otherwise not only 'stuck' on original hardware, but also reliant on display tech which the vast majority of gamers don't have access to anymore, this release is, for many, the easiest way to play Duck Hunt in the 21st century.
How much is it?
$4.99 / £3.49 / €4,99.
We'll be back soon with another 3DS or Wii U eShop recommendation as part of this 'Countdown' series. Let us know below if you've already got this in your collection and share your thoughts.
Comments 30
Honorable mentions to Wild Gunman and Bayou Billy for more NES Zapper action without a clunky CRT monitor.
Here's hoping they find some way to add this, and other Zapper titles, to NSO. Perhaps a separate app for Zapper and Superscope titles?
Do you know that micro game in WarioWare Inc mega microgames where you waited until the duck was in proper range and then you just pressed A to take it down? I feel the original NES duck hunt could function via joystick control, where you aim and tilt the gun with the stick and press A to fire.
@CharlieGirl and Hogan's Alley too !
Can you play this game without the gun on Wii U?
O yess maybe with the Gamepad.
@Selim You use a Wii-mote to play.
Wish they'd just remake the zapper and super scope for modern tvs. I like duck hunt and hogan's alley a lot.
I remember having the double Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt game pack.
@Sam_TSM I was wondering the same thing, and found a thorough (but clear) answer here : https://www.howtogeek.com/181303/htg-explains-how-the-nintendo-zapper-worked-and-why-it-doesnt-work-on-new-tvs/ So unless your setup uses infrared technology or a sensor bar it is quite unlikely that such a thing would rely on your screen solely.
One of those classics that can safely die off for me. Never had even an ounce of interest in it. It’s a piece of history, and so I’ll let it stay in the past. But for whoever likes this, good on you, hope you can get it.
@CharlieGirl Hogan's Alley too. Too bad the Super Scope games never made It to VC.
I purchased this the other week. Awesome that they made NES Zapper games work on Wii U.
The NES Zapper trio were among my last purchases, maybe I'll get Bayou Billy just for the Zapper/Wiimote use.
@jamesRainbowBoy since it already used a motion-controlled cursor on Wii U, there don't seem to be any barriers on Switch where TWEWY and Little Inferno are a thing. Of course, NSO is emulation, but unofficial emulators on PC have utilized mouse controls to a similar end for ages.
It's amazing they did this and a lot of fun with the wiimote in the wii zapper shell. But it just doesn't feel right without the obnoxiously loud clicking of the original hardware and the trigger finger aches.
Only about a week left. It’s actually pretty sad to think it’s really coming to an end soon.
I wanted to like this, but the Wiimote lag/tracking made it more difficult to play.
@Sam_TSM I think you can create one using the IR camera, which the Joycon has, and some computer vision software to detect the perimeter of the TV.
@nhSnork Wii U was emulation, too. The emulation layer is responsible for the on-screen crosshairs and such, just like when using a mouse with lightgun games on your favorite PC emulator. No original code was modified for the NES Zapper games and the rom files are fully compatible with an original NES and Zapper lightgun.
"OUCH !!
SHOOT THE DUCKS, NOT ME !!"
Couldn’t they just use the joy-con and calibrate your aim. So give you five targets one in centre and one in each corner of the screen, shoot in order and the targets get smaller. From that the software works out where you think youre aiming and lines it up. So when youre in game it uses that data.
@asmi8803 Based off my experiences using the Joy-Con in a similar manner in games such as Super Mario Galaxy in 3D All-Stars, House of the Dead, World of Goo, and so on, they'd need an on-screen crosshair.
The calibration starts to drift immediately and there's no fixed point of reference like the Wii had with the sensor bar to help combat that.
I'd almost forgot about Duck Hunt, thanks for the reminder.
@Sam_TSM
Imo the Joycons can simulate it pretty good with the Gyroscope.
You have to readjust it here ant there, but it works.
Was at least my Experiene with Mario Galaxy.
There is some Way to connect old Guncons on the Mister, but i haven't checked how it works.
Just look it up
Edit.
Ok it seems it works with Sensor that you have to put on your LCD
I adored this with the wii remote controls. Good times.
@Sam_TSM yes, there are two light gun solutions for modern TVs. Sinden lightgun (you can buy it now) and Gun4IR (you can build it yourself, if you have the technical chops)
@Atariboy to be fair, while the Wiimote is definitely better than a Joycon at emulating a light gun, you still need an on-screen crosshair. The Wiimote only sees the sensor bar so it doesn't know how big your TV is. Because the average TV is a lot bigger now than in 2006, your aim will drift very quickly as soon as you point it away from the center of the screen.
@countzero Interesting to know.
While I've been impressed with the calibration routine in a few of them back then like Ghost Squad, I can't say that I've experienced them on a truly large modern television.
@TotalHenshin prepare the majoras mask meme
@Sam_TSM neither. I'm more likely to get into the Sinden route.
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