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NES Zapper

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Not to be confused with Wii Zapper.
The NES Zapper was launched in original gray in 1985.

The NES Zapper, also known as the Video Shooting Series light gun (光線銃シリーズガン) in Japan,[1] is an electronic light gun accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) and the Japanese Famicom. It was released in Japan for the Famicom on February 18, 1984, and was launched alongside the NES in North America in October 1985.[2][3]

The NES Zapper can only be used with compatible NES games, such as Duck Hunt, Wild Gunman, and Hogan's Alley. Its internal optical sensor allows the player to aim at a television set and shoot at in-game targets.

Design[edit]

The NES Zapper was re-released in orange in 1989.

The Famicom light gun was designed by Gunpei Yokoi and Satoru Okada of Nintendo R&D1,[citation needed] modeled realistically after a revolver.[4] Its technology was based on the light gun toy used in Nintendo Beam Gun toy line, which in turn was based on the Colt Single Action Army revolver. The Famicom light gun is a double-action revolver with a moving hammer, which is automatically fired when the trigger is pulled without needing to cock the hammer.[citation needed]

In North America, it was redesigned by Nintendo of America's head designer Lance Barr (who believed that it could resemble a ray gun)[citation needed] as the NES Zapper. The North American version of the NES Zapper resembles a futuristic science fiction ray gun with a color scheme matching the NES, rather than a revolver like the Famicom version. The launch design in North America has a dark gray barrel and grip. In 1988, the Federal Toy Gun Law was signed into United States law, requiring that toy guns be visually distinct from real guns in a variety of ways, including color.[5][6][7] The next year, the orange revision was released.[8]

History[edit]

The Famicom light gun was released in Japan for the Famicom on February 18, 1984, made for the game Wild Gunman.[3] It was bundled with Wild Gunman and a holster.

North America[edit]

The prototype Nintendo Advanced Video System, including a light gun accessory

At the January 1985 Consumer Electronics Show, Nintendo of America presented the Advanced Video System, a prototype of the American version of the Famicom, which was pitched as a high-end piece of consumer electronics.[9] The system promoted as having a wide array of wireless peripherals, including a computer keyboard, music keyboard, and a combination light wand and gun.[10][11] The light gun device (the predecessor to the NES Zapper) was described as a "combination light wand and gun" because the handle could be adjusted to hold it as either a gun or wand.[12] However, North American retailers were still apprehensive to re-enter the video game market after the video game crash of 1983,[13] with Nintendo failing to receive any orders at their Winter 1985 CES booth.[11]

In an attempt to appeal to retailers, Nintendo rethought their marketing strategy, aiming to present the system more as a toy than a video game system. The system was rebranded as the Nintendo Entertainment System. The cordless gimmick was abandoned, and the light gun and wand device ultimately developed into the wired NES Zapper. Nintendo leveraged their popular arcade games Duck Hunt and Hogan's Alley to attempt to position the system as a gun game instead of a video game. Additionally, to better position the system as a toy, Nintendo Research & Development 1 developed the R.O.B. (Robotic Operating Buddy) accessory, a robot-like toy.[11]

In October 1985, the NES launched in the New York City, with Nintendo using it as a test market for the system.[2][11] The NES was sold as part of a bundle containing the NES system, the NES Zapper, R.O.B., two controllers, and the two games Duck Hunt and Gyromite. After a successful launch in New York City, the NES was rolled out to the rest of the United States throughout 1986.[11]

In June 1986, as part of the rollout across the United States, Nintendo began to offer the NES in a different bundle at a lower price, containing only the NES system, two controllers, and Super Mario Bros.; the original bundle continued to be sold, but was branded as the Deluxe Set. Due to no longer being included with every NES system, the NES Zapper and R.O.B. began to be sold individually for the first time.[14] Various other NES bundles were released over the years, several of which included the NES Zapper.

In 1989, after the passage of the Federal Toy Gun Law in the United States, the NES Zapper shifted to the orange model instead of the original grey model.[8]

Accessories and third-party counterparts[edit]

The Deluxe Sighting Scope can be added to an orange NES Zapper.

On February 20, 1989, Bandai released the Hyper Shot in Japan. The Hyper Shot is a large two-handed light gun shaped like a submachine gun. It also has B, Start, Select, and a directional stick, but no A button. The controller was bundled with Space Shadow, which requires this gun, and can output audio to the gun's built-in speaker and use haptic feedback to simulate the recoil of firing a gun. It can be just a controller or light gun for any other game.[15]

In North America, Bondwell released the Deluxe Sighting Scope, an accessory for the NES Zapper, under the brand name QuickShot.[16] The scope is a sight that snaps onto the top of the NES Zapper.[17]

In 1989, Nexoft released The Dominator ProBeam in the United States, a wireless clone of the NES Zapper. Unlike other third-party light gun products, the ProBeam is officially licensed by Nintendo, bearing the Nintendo Seal of Quality. The ProBeam uses the same infrared NES receiver as Nexoft's The Dominator MasterControl, a wireless controller including a joystick. The receiver connects to the NES via a cable connected to the controller port; the instructions recommend placing the NES and receiver on top of the television. The ProBeam is bright orange and has a built-in scope with crosshairs. It is heavier than the NES Zapper, but has a grip under the barrel to allow it to be wielded using two hands.[18][19]

The LaserScope

In 1990, Konami released the LaserScope, a headset accessory for use with the NES Zapper, in the United States and Japan.[20] It is voice-activated, firing a shot whenever the wearer says "fire", although some reviewers criticized its ability to do so.[21][22] The headset includes stereo headphones for use with the NES[23] and an eyepiece with a crosshair that sits in front of the wearer's right eye.[24] It was designed for the game Laser Invasion, and works with any Zapper game.[22][25] In the United States, Laser Invasion came with a coupon for a $5 discount for the LaserScope.[20]

Gameplay[edit]

The NES Zapper can only be used with games that specifically support it. It can be used to point at a television set and shoot at in-game targets such as ducks, clay pigeons, cowboys, and criminals. Some games use the Zapper on the title screen to select a mode and start the game.[26]

The utility of the NES Zapper varies substantially between games. Some games require the NES Zapper to be played (e.g. Duck Hunt,[27] To the Earth,[28] Shooting Range[29]), some can be played using either the NES Zapper or a controller (e.g. Operation Wolf,[30] Mechanized Attack[28][31]), and some games had specific shooting-oriented levels that could be played using either the NES or a controller (e.g. The Adventures of Bayou Billy,[32] Track & Field II,[28][33] Chiller[28]).

Some games were designed with specific NES Zapper accessories or alternatives in mind. Laser Invasion was promoted alongside the LaserScope in North America, the game coming with a coupon for a discount for the accessory.[20][34] The Japan-only title Space Shadow was bundled with the Hyper Shot, and utilizes the Hyper Shot's speakers and haptic feedback.[15]

The NES Zapper is primarily used in shooting gallery games and levels, but some games use it for other purposes, such as sidescrolling platformers (e.g. Gumshoe, Baby Boomer).[28]

Operation[edit]

Further information: Light gun

When the trigger on the Zapper is pressed, the game causes the entire screen to become black for one frame. Then, on the next frame, all valid targets that are on screen are drawn all white as the rest of the screen remains black. The Zapper detects this change in light level and determines if any of the targets are in its hit zone. If a target is hit, the game determines which one was hit based on the time of the flash, as each target flashes for one video frame, one after another.[35][36][37]

The NES Zapper can only be used on CRT displays; it will not work on LCDs, plasma displays or other flat panel displays due to display lag.[citation needed]

Legacy[edit]

Wii Zapper peripheral is for the Wii console, and is a plastic casing for a Wii Remote with a Nunchuk that is held like a gun for point-and-shoot gameplay. The accessory is not technically or visually similar to a NES Zapper. The Wii U Virtual Console releases of NES games can use the Wii Remote's pointer in place of the NES Zapper.[38][39]

The Wii U game Splatoon[40][41] and its Nintendo Switch sequels Splatoon 2[42][43] and Splatoon 3[44][45] all include several N-ZAP weapons, which are heavily based on the Zapper's design. Two variants of the weapon, the N-ZAP '85 and N-ZAP '89, use the gray and orange colors of the Zapper respectively. Another variant, the N-ZAP '83, appears in Splatoon and Splatoon 2 only; it uses the red and gold from the original Famicom controller, but shaped like the Zapper rather than the original Famicom controller.[46][47]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Video Shooting Series Light Gun". Famicom World. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Kohler, Chris (October 18, 2010). "Oct. 18, 1985: Nintendo Entertainment System Launches". WIRED. Archived from the original on November 26, 2020. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  3. ^ a b DeMaria, Rusel; Wilson, Johnny L. (2002), High Score! The Illustrated History of Electronic Games, McGraw-Hill Professional, p. 232, ISBN 0-07-222428-2
  4. ^ "Video Shooting Series Light Gun". Famicom World. And before the NES Zapper light gun, Nintendo released its first official video game light gun called the Video Shooting Series light gun, fashioned like an old West revolver.
  5. ^ Bishop, Katherine (October 16, 1988). "IDEAS & TRENDS; Legislators Find Even Fake Guns Difficult to Control". The New York Times. p. 7. Archived from the original on April 4, 2023. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  6. ^ Strom, Stephanie (October 15, 1994). "Shootings Lead Chain to Ban Toy Guns". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved July 27, 2019.
  7. ^ 15 U.S.C. § 5001
  8. ^ a b NES Zapper Manual 1989 (PDF). Redmond, WA: Nintendo of America Inc. 1989. Retrieved July 3, 2021.
  9. ^ Cifaldi, Frank (February 27, 2017). "The NES Launch Collection". Video Game History Foundation. Retrieved July 13, 2024.
  10. ^ Nintendo Advanced Video System Winter 1985 CES brochure. "We also make lots of other wireless peripherals for the Advanced Video System. Like a joystick. A combination light wand and gun. A data recorder. Even a keyboard. In fact, the only wires you'll find are the two cords that plug the cartridge into the wall and into your television."
  11. ^ a b c d e Kent, Steven L. (2001). The Ultimate History of Video Games: The Story Behind the Craze that Touched our Lives and Changed the World. Roseville, California: Three Rivers Press. pp. 286–297. ISBN 0-7615-3643-4.
  12. ^ Nintendo Advanced Video System Winter 1985 CES brochure. "And because of a unique light sensor built into the cordless wand/gun, playing is as simple as pointing and shooting. It even has a two-position handle so you can use it as either a target gun or pointing wand."
  13. ^ Cifaldi, Frank (October 19, 2015). "In Their Words: Remembering the Launch of the Nintendo Entertainment System". IGN.
  14. ^ "New Way to Buy Nintendo System". Computer Entertainer. Vol. 5, no. 3. June 1986. p. 13.
  15. ^ a b McFerran, Damien (March 16, 2016). "Meet The Famicom Machine Gun Peripheral That Never Made It Out Of Japan". Nintendo Life. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  16. ^ "Deluxe Sighting Scope box". Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  17. ^ Link (October 17, 2007). "Nintendo NES Quickshot Sighting Scope". GameSniped. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  18. ^ "NEXOFT The Dominator ProBeam Universal Wireless Infrared Video System for NES insert". GameScanner.org. Wordpress. September 9, 2013. Archived from the original on March 8, 2021.
  19. ^ "Zapper Guide Part 1". The Warp Zone. Angelfire. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  20. ^ a b c Link (August 7, 2009). "NES Nintendo Konami Laserscope Headset". GameSniped. Archived from the original on August 17, 2009. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  21. ^ "Laserscope". NES Player. Archived from the original on March 27, 2008. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  22. ^ a b Ewalt, David M. (May 29, 2012). "The Konami LaserScope". Forbes. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  23. ^ Popular Science. Bonnier Corporation. 1991. p. 10. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  24. ^ -RoG-. "The Konami LaserScope!". I-Mockery. Retrieved November 15, 2014.
  25. ^ "Blizzard of improved products unveiled at electronics show". Observer-Reporter. AP. June 2, 1990. Retrieved November 15, 2014. Susan Bach, marketing coordinator for Konami Inc., demonstrates the Laser Scope voice command headset, a hands-free unit for use with all Nintendo zapper games.
  26. ^ NES Zapper Instruction Manual, Nintendo, 1985, US-2, Point the Zapper away from the screen and shoot. The arrow will move from one game to another. When the arrow points to the game you want, shoot directly at the screen. The game will start.
  27. ^ Duck Hunt Instruction Booklet (PDF). Nintendo. 1985. p. 2. Retrieved February 19, 2019. This game requires the Zapper™, Light Gun Attachment.
  28. ^ a b c d e Martin, Garrett (August 24, 2015). "Ranking Every NES Zapper Game". Paste. Archived from the original on April 21, 2021. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  29. ^ Shooting Range Instruction Booklet (PDF). Bandai. Retrieved February 19, 2019. This game requires the Zapper™ Light Gun Attachment.
  30. ^ McFerran, Damien (February 5, 2008). "Review: Operation Wolf (Virtual Console / NES)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  31. ^ Mechanized Attack Instruction Manual (PDF). SNK. 1990. p. 3. Retrieved February 19, 2019. The game may be played using either the NES Zapper or Controller.
  32. ^ Smith, A. (August 2, 2012). "The Adventures of Bayou Billy - NintendoComplete Reviews and Media". Nintendo Complete. Archived from the original on February 17, 2020. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  33. ^ Kementari (February 19, 2015). "Le Zapper Nes". Gangeek Style (in French). Archived from the original on February 26, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2023.
  34. ^ "#75 – Laser Invasion". Take on the NES Library. May 14, 2018. Retrieved February 19, 2019.
  35. ^ Adams, Cecil (May 11, 2001). "In Nintendo's "Duck Hunt," how does the TV know when you've hit a duck?". The Straight Dope.
  36. ^ "How does the light gun for a video game work?". HowStuffWorks. April 1, 2000.
  37. ^ US 4813682, Okada, Satoru, "Video target control and sensing circuit for photosensitive gun", issued March 21, 1989 
  38. ^ Olney, Alex (December 25, 2014). "Review: Duck Hunt (Wii U eShop / NES)". Nintendo Life. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  39. ^ Brown, Tom (January 6, 2016). "Three more NES Zapper games heading to the North American Wii U eShop". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  40. ^ Webster, Andrew (June 1, 2015). "Nintendo turned the NES Zapper into a paintball gun for Splatoon". The Verge. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  41. ^ Navarro, Maxfield (July 17, 2015). "Splatoon paints NES Zapper orange tonight with free N-ZAP '89 shooter and Octobrush roller weapons". Neoseeker. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  42. ^ Iggy (December 8, 2017). "N-ZAP 85 Arrives In Splatoon 2 Tomorrow". NintendoSoup. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  43. ^ Moyse, Chris (December 8, 2017). "N-Zap 89 pulls its clunky trigger in Splatoon 2 tonight". destructoid. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  44. ^ Gregoire, Jesse (December 22, 2022). "Splatoon 3 best weapons to ink the competition". The Loadout. Retrieved June 26, 2023.
  45. ^ Norman, Jim (February 24, 2023). "Splatoon 3: Fresh Season 2023 - Every New Weapon, Stage, And Feature". Nintendo Life. Retrieved June 26, 2023. N-Zap '89 — New design for the classic N-Zap '85. Comes with an Autobomb sub-weapon and Super Chump special.
  46. ^ Tapp, Jaxson (June 2, 2016). "Famicom style N-Zap coming to Splatoon". Nintendo Wire. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
  47. ^ Sheehan, Gavin (January 28, 2019). "Splatoon 2 Will Be Getting Classic Weapons Added Again". Bleeding Cool. Retrieved February 8, 2019.

External links[edit]

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