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Duck Hunt (JP) is a light gun game for the Nintendo Entertainment System. It is more commonly known a launch game for the Nintendo Entertainment System in North America (and was actually bundled with the console). The game is based on a Laser Clay Shooting System game of the same name. A VS. version was released in North American arcades in 1984. After that it was released as a combo with Super Mario Bros. and even later it was released as a three game combo with World Class Track Meet.
The game play involved shooting virtual ducks that your faithful hunting dog flushes out. If you miss 5 or more or if you reach Round 100 (which in case the screen glitches), you get a game over and the dog laughs at you. If you hit more than 5, you advance to the next level. There are 3 modes, 1 Duck (only one duck at a time), 2 Ducks (2 ducks at once) and Clay Pigeon Shooting, which involved shooting clay disks out of the sky before they land. The shooting game in Wii Play may be based on Duck Hunt. If you get all the ducks or discs in a round, you get a perfect bonus (See point system below).
Plot[]
Gameplay[]
Duck Hunt is a noteworthy game for the Nintendo Entertainment System and unarguably the most successful light gun game released for the console. In the title ducks will fly out of the grass and would for a short time fly around the screen. It was here when it was your job to shoot the duck, after which it would fall to the ground.
If you were unable to shoot the duck, then it would fly away which would turn the screen pink (in one duck mode only) and cause the infamous dog to laugh at the player. In order to enjoy the game fully it is suggested that the player plays the game a distance away from the television set, though conversely those who wish to cheat can place the Zapper right next to the TV and shoot the ducks right after they come by touching the TV with the Zapper.
Point System[]
| Duck | Rounds 1 - 5 | Rounds 6 - 10 | Rounds 11 - 15 | Rounds 16 - 20 | Rounds 21 - 99 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black (A/B) | 500 | 800 | 1000 | Same as Rounds 11 - 15 | Same as Rounds 16 - 20 |
| Blue (A/B), Discs (C) | 1000 | 1500 | 2000 | Same as Rounds 11 - 15 | Same as Rounds 16 - 20 |
| Red (A/B) | 1500 | 2400 | 3000 | Same as Rounds 11 - 15 | Same as Rounds 16 - 20 |
| Perfect Bonus (A/B/C) | 10000 | Same as rounds 1 - 5 | 15000 | 20000 | 30000 |
Development[]
Reception[]
Legacy[]
The ducks from Duck Hunt appeared as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube. The shooting game in Wii Play greatly resembles Duck Hunt. The Dog character from the game is rather infamous for laughing at the player if they fail to shoot a duck. Eventually, with Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, the Duck and Dog were incorporated into a character as well as the game into a stage. The game was also made available on the Wii U Virtual Console on Christmas 2014. They reappeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as unlockable characters and also appeared in the Banjo and Kazooie reveal trailer. Additionally, in The Super Mario Bros. Movie, a couple pictures of gameplay from Duck Hunt can be seen in the Punch-Out Pizzeria.
The game has sold incredibly well, mostly due to being an NES pack-in title. According to Nintendo, the game has sold over 28 million copies, being one of the best selling games of all time.
The desire for some players to shoot the dog has been so popular that it's been mentioned on television (I Love the Eighties) and a fan game was made where you tried to shoot as many Duck Hunt dogs as possible.
Although it did not gain any sequels (Vs. Duck Hunt and Wii Play aside), it was later referenced in the supernatural/psychological horror game "Duck Season", which featured an 1988 video game very similar to Duck Hunt, including a dog that behaves much like the dog in Duck Hunt. Unlike in Duck Hunt, however, you not only can shoot the dog, it also directly impacts the plotline resulting in the dog stalking the player character in the real world and eventually trying to either trap the boy inside the video game or otherwise murder him outright in revenge, with it either failing or succeeding depending on the player's actions beforehand.
External links[]
- Duck Hunt at Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- Duck Hunt at GameFAQs
- Duck Hunt at MobyGames
- Duck Hunt at CrazyGames