If you grew up during the 1980s, then perhaps you might remember playing an 8-bit shooter called Duck Hunt. Released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1985, Duck Hunt was one of the first games to use the “NES Zapper” or light gun.
Finding a working NES, light gun and original Duck Hunt cartridge 25 years later can be a little tricky and require some time searching around on eBay. But if you’re looking for a quick Duck Hunt fix, you can play an online version of Duck Hunt here, or buy an iPhone version from the iTunes Store.
The iPhone version of Duck Hunt isn’t exactly legit, so buy it while you can. It’s clearly a quick port of the original game. Because the iPhone version of Duck Hunt was done without Nintendo’s blessing, it’s missing some of the core elements that made the NES version such a classic. For example, 1) the iPhone version is missing the dog that picks up the ducks or laughs at you when you miss, 2) the Zapper gun and 3) sound.
A lawyer from Nintendo will probably pull the game from the iTunes App Store before the end of the month. And don’t expect Nintendo to make an iPhone version of Duck Hunt anytime soon. Remember, Nintendo has their own portable gaming system, the Nintendo DS.
So if you really want to play Duck Hunt on your iPhone, buy it soon. The unofficial version of Duck Hunt sells for $0.99 in the iTunes App Store.
Frank Wilson is a retired teacher with over 30 years of combined experience in the education, small business technology, and real estate business. He now blogs as a hobby and spends most days tinkering with old computers. Wilson is passionate about tech, enjoys fishing, and loves drinking beer.
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