User:Nintendo101/grid
| Light Gun Series | |
|---|---|
 Photographed display from the Famicom 20th Anniversary (2004) | |
| First installment | Wild Gunman (1984) |
| Latest installment | Hogan's Alley (1984) |
| Related franchises | Barker Bill's Trick Shooting, Gumshoe, To the Earth |
The Light Gun Series is a small series of shooting games developed by Nintendo Research & Development 1 for the Family Computer in 1984. They were controlled using the pistol-shaped Famicom Light Gun, one of the first peripherals every released for a home console. Its American equivalency is the NES Zapper, a vaguely science-fiction-styled gun released for the Nintendo Entertainment System. The most recognizable and seminal of Famicom Light Gun Series games, Duck Hunt, was a launch title for the NES and was partially attributed to the consoles early success in the United States. It was often bundled with Super Mario Bros., sometimes on the same cartridge.
While Nintendo did not develop many games that utilized the Famicom Light Gun, the three initial titles - Wild Gunman, the aforementioned Duck Hunt, and Hogan's Alley - have been regularly alluded to in Nintendo's more recent products. Within the Super Mario franchise, this has chiefly been within the microgames hosted by gaming enthusiast 9-Volt in the WarioWare series.
Overview
- Built around using the Famicom Light Gun by Nintendo R&D; the US equivalency is the NES Zapper
- Derived from similar arcade games from decades prior, some of which were developed by Nintendo themselves
- Duck Hunt in particular is a seminal title
Recurring crossover subjects
Dog
Ducks
History in the Super Mario franchise
Super Mario series
Super Mario Bros.
Super Mario Maker
In Super Mario Maker, Duck Hunt make an appearance as a Mystery Mushroom costume, which plays sound effects from Duck Hunt for certain actions. Upon transforming into Duck Hunt, the perfect score tune plays, and whenever they jump, the dog barks. If they fall into a pit or lava, the dog's laughter can be heard. The costume can be unlocked by scanning the Duck Hunt amiibo, or unlocked randomly after completing the 100 Mario Challenge on the Normal setting or higher.
Wrecking Crew
I believe a VS. Duck Hunt was bundled with a cabinet at one point.
WarioWare series
WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
In WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!, a microgame called Duck Hunt appears, and has overall the same gameplay as the original NES game, with the player using the Game Boy Advance to shoot ducks.
Wild Gunman (WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!) Hogan's Alley (WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!)
WarioWare: Twisted!
A Duck Hunt microgame similar to the one from WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$! appears in WarioWare: Twisted!, this time using the Game Boy Advance cartridge's tilt sensor to aim.
WarioWare: Touched!
While the dog does not appear in WarioWare: Touched! at all, the Duck Hunt microgame uses clay pigeons from Duck Hunt's Game C. The original sprites of the ducks are also occasionally released from the ball in the microgame Clawing for More after clearing it.
Hogan's Alley (WarioWare: Touched!) Turntable Gunslinger
WarioWare: Smooth Moves
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase
WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase has a new Duck Hunt microgame. It utilizes the Wii Remote's motion controls and therefore more closely matches the game it is based on.
Wild Gunman (WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase)
WarioWare Gold
WarioWare Gold includes the Duck Hunt microgame from WarioWare: D.I.Y. Showcase, but the game uses the Touch Screen instead of motion controls. While Clawing for More returns, the microgame has a new visual theme and does not include duck sprites.
WarioWare: Move It!
Hogan's Alley (WarioWare: Move It!)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Nameless Toad NPC says "Ka-BLOWIE! Pa-KOWWWW! I'm a wild gunman! Yeah, like a bounty hunter or somethin'! And I've got Gonzales the supervillain in my sights! Freeze, sucka! Ka-POW!"
Mario Party: Island Tour
The American English names for the minigames Deck Hunt and Mild Gunman in Mario Party: Island Tour are named after Duck Hunt and Wild Gunman, respectively.
Yoshi's Woolly World / Poochy & Yoshi's Woolly World
The Super Mario Bros. Movie
In The Super Mario Bros. Movie, the duck appears on paintings in Punch-Out Pizzeria and on a wooden sign in Brooklyn. A painting of the Duck Hunt dog appears in concept artwork for the Brooklyn couple's apartment.[1]
Tetris DS
Gameplay of Duck Hunt can be seen on the Nintendo DS' top screen in stage 19 of Standard Marathon mode in Tetris DS, where the dog and duck make a cameo. The dog also appears as a sprite on the touch screen during this stage.
Super Smash Bros. series
Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U
- SmashWiki article: Duck Hunt (SSB4)
Duck Hunt appear as unlockable newcomers in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. Although they fight as a duo,[2] Duck Hunt do not truly adhere to the tag team archetype first used by the Ice Climbers and perpetuated by Rosalina & Luma. This is due to the duck's own hurtbox being directly next to the dog's hurtbox at almost all times. Duck Hunt's moveset largely consists of moves based around the NES Zapper and games that use it, particularly Hogan's Alley and Wild Gunman, while incorporating physical attacks from both the dog and duck.
Duck Hunt's standard special move is Trick Shot, in which the dog kicks a tin can from Hogan's Alley forward that can be subsequently fired at with the Zapper. Their side special move is Clay Shooting, in which the dog throws out a clay pigeon from Duck Hunt's Game C that will then explode upon being fired at by the Zapper. Their up special is Duck Jump, in which the duck flies upward while carrying the dog. Their down special is Wild Gunman, which spawns one of the five titular gunmen to attack. Lastly, their Final Smash is NES Zapper Posse, which consists of a flock of ducks from Duck Hunt ramming the opponent into a field before the gunmen from Wild Gunmen fire at them and the cutouts from Hogan's Alley.
In regard to character customization, Duck Hunt are the only fighters who can use the Collar and Feather equipment to boost their defense and speed, respectively. The duo can also use the Zapper equipment to boost their attack strength, which is another reference to their home game. A Duck Hunt-themed stage simply called Duck Hunt also appears in both games. In the stage, the sprite versions of the dog and the ducks appear, even if Duck Hunt themselves are fighting on the stage. In addition, Duck Hunt are the only playable characters in Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U to break the fourth wall in their trailer.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
- SmashWiki article: Duck Hunt (SSBU)
Duck Hunt return as unlockable veterans in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. In the transition to Ultimate, they received noticeable improvements to their moveset and the dog can run faster, although they are now noticeably lighter. The dog is also much more vocal, as he barks and yelps in a number of instances instead of solely during their star KO animation. Along with several other characters, Duck Hunt retain their victory theme from the previous game, albeit sped up.
Duck Hunt reappear in Banjo & Kazooie's announcement trailer "Best Friends", with a similar role to King Dedede in the King K. Rool announcement trailer, "The Rivals".
Pixels
In Pixels, the dog appears as a trophy awarded by the aliens for defeating the Centipede army in London.
References
- ^ GameXplain (April 23, 2023). Toadsworth & Toadette were in the Super Mario Bros. Movie?! Concept Art LEAK Reveals Cuts & Changes. YouTube. Retrieved April 23, 2023.
- ^ Super Smash Blog | 59: Duck Hunt
