Duck Hunt was one of the "launch games" for the original NES in the United States, and for many it was their first encounter with the NES Zapper. Today, LED screens are not directly compatible with traditional light guns, and the best way to play Duck Hunt (aside from using real hardware) is through an emulator. But now there's another option: Duck Hunter, a project by jslegend that offers a clone of Duck Hunt made in JavaScript, running in the browser without downloading anything extra.
The first time I played Duck Hunt wasn't on an official Nintendo console. It was one of the many Famicom clones that invaded the market in the '90s, and the Zapper gun had the shape of a revolver. Single-color plastic, and very generic... but it was enough. The game itself has some peculiarities, including a kill screen that activates when you pass level 99. The only way to escape the hell of the 'Round 0' is by using Game Genie codes, and that brings you back to level 1. There's also a score reset when you exceed a million points, something that many speedrunners achieve in 'Game B' with two ducks.
Now, none of this is possible on modern televisions, or rather, not without help. We've previously studied the exact workings of the Zapper, but in addition to the game-console-gun combo, you need a CRT television. Alternatives are modified versions of the games (like those prepared by the LCDMOD project), or using an emulator. However, there's another option: Duck Hunter, a clone of Duck Hunt to play in the browser.
Duck Hunter: The Browser-Based Clone
Duck Hunter is a creation of jslegend on itch.io. As expected, the game replaces all its graphical elements: the dog, the ducks, the tree, the grass color, and the bushes are different. It also doesn't include Game B or Game C, so the game is limited to one duck every three shots. The dog's laugh was replaced by the sound of a hyena, and there are some additional environmental effects.
jslegend explains that Duck Hunter was made in JavaScript with the KAPLAY module. He also shared several tutorials, both on his YouTube profile and on his Substack. Personally, I think this version is much harder than the original Duck Hunt, especially when playing with a trackball. The only advantage Duck Hunter gives us is pausing the action with the letter P, but when you reach the fifth level, the ducks are basically missiles. Link below! Let's try to play a few rounds before Nintendo opens its nuclear silos.
Official site: Click here
