NES Zapper
The NES Zapper, also known as The Gun or Beam Gun in Japan, 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 alongside the launch of the NES in North America in October 1985.
The Zapper allows players to aim at the television set display and "shoot" various objects that appear on the screen such as ducks, clay pigeons, targets, cowboys, criminals or other objectives. The Zapper is used on supported NES games, such as Duck Hunt and Wild Gunman. The Zapper could also be used on the title screens of games to move the cursor—done by pointing the device away from the screen and pulling the trigger—or starting the game (pointing at the screen and pulling the trigger).
It was released in Japan for the Famicom on February 18, 1984, made for the game Wild Gunman. The Famicom version of the NES Zapper resembled a revolver-style handgun.
The Zapper was first released in North America in October 1985 as a launch title with the NES. The North American version of the NES Zapper resembled a futuristic science fiction ray gun with a color scheme matching the NES, rather than a revolver like the Famicom version. Early versions of the Zapper were a dark gray, but the color was quickly changed to bright orange for safety reasons, as it was believed that a child playing outside with a grey zapper could be mistaken for handling a real firearm.
In North America, it was included in the Nintendo Action Set, a bundle that contained the NES console, the NES Zapper, and two games—Duck Hunt and Super Mario Bros. as a multicart. The Zapper was also available for purchase separately.
There are three light gun accessories that were officially licensed by Nintendo.
In North America, Bondwell released the Deluxe Sighting Scope, an accessory for the NES Zapper, under the brand name QuickShot. The scope snapped onto the top of the NES Zapper to give players a more precise view of where they would be firing.
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