Nintendo Kôsenjû Duck Hunt - How it works

In a previous post, we saw what Nintendo's Kôsenjû Duck Hunt (光線銃 ダックハント) is capable of: it projects life-like flying ducks, that crash down when hit by the light-beam shotgun.

Today we will take a peek inside this wonderful machine, to try and understand how it actually works.

Nintendo Kôsenjû Duck Hunt (1976)

Duck Hunt is an electro-mechanical toy from 1976. It combines various technologies Nintendo developed for the Laser Clay Shooting System as well as for Kôsenjû SP and Kôsenjû Custom light-beam guns and targets.

Nintendo's engineers managed to pack all this technology into a small, relatively affordable device, fit for home use.

Nintendo Kôsenjû Duck Hunt (光線銃 ダックハント, 1976)

Duck Hunt is one of the classic Nintendo 8-bit video games. It was released in Japan in 1984, about one year after the introduction of the Family Computer.

Duck Hunt (ダックハント) was part of the Family Computer Video Shooting Series (光線銃シリーズ), together with Hogan's Alley (ホーガンズアレイ) and Wild Gunman (ワイルドガンマン).

These games were played with a pistol-style light Gun (ガン), which could be bought loose or in a set together with the Wild Gunman game.

Nintendo Family Computer Gun and Duck Hunt (1984)

In Europe and the US, Duck Hunt was probably even more well known than in Japan. Included as pack-in game with, amongst others, the popular Action Set version of the Nintendo Entertainment System, it reached millions and millions of homes. The Western version of the game was identical to the Japanese, but was played with a different, more futuristically looking light gun, called the Zapper.

The Famicom/NES Duck Hunt isn't the first one, however. Eight years before, Nintendo already introduced a duck hunt simulation under the same name.

Nintendo Duck Hunt (1976) and Nintendo Duck Hunt (1984)

This original Nintendo Duck Hunt saw the light of day already in 1976.

Nintendo Custom Lever Action Rifle poster

A few posts ago, we already saw that Nintendo wasn't afraid to show some flesh in the 1970s (case in point: Nintendo pin-up playing cards).

Today we look at a promotional poster from that era, featuring a scantly clad cowgirl.

Nintendo Jumping Bottle (ジャンピングボトル, 1970)

One of the coolest targets in Nintendo's Kôsenjû SP (光線銃SP) series of light beam toys, is the so-called Jumping Bottle (ジャンピングボトル).

Gun practice often seems to involve shooting at cans and bottles, and this toy delivers just that, without the messy shattered glass.

The Jumping Bottle was sold as loose target, to be used together with a Kôsenjû SP Gun or Riffle sold separately, as well as in a set with a gun.

Jumping Bottle was the only Kôsenjû SP target that was available in such a set; all other targets (like Electro Safari and Electro Bird, and Electro Poker) were sold loose only.

The Jumping Bottle was released in 1970. The set shown here was called the Gun - Bottle Set (ガン・ボテル セット), and cost ¥3,480 at the time.

Nintendo Kôsenjû SP Gun - Bottle Set (1970)

Contrary to the idea given by the image on the front of the box, the set contains only a single bottle, not three.

beforemario turns one year

I just noticed that the one-year mark of this blog passed a couple of weeks ago. The first blog post was about the Nintendo Light-beam games Kousenjuu SP and Kousenjuu Custom (光線銃SP, 光線銃 カスツム). Over 75 posts followed since, covering over 150 different Nintendo games and toys!

Many readers provided encouragement and positive feedback, and I enjoyed spreading the knowledge about Nintendo's illustrious past.

What better way to celebrate the anniversary and to thank all you readers with another look at the Kousenjuu series. Below images are taken from a couple of Nintendo Leaflets from around 1974. They show the full series, except for the Jumping Bottle target and Custom Lion and Custom Gunman.

I am far from done, so here's to the second year!

Kousenjuu SP Gun

Kousenjuu SP Rifle

Kousenjuu SP Electro Roulette

Nintendo Custom Gunman and Custom Lion (カスタム ガンマン, カスタム ライオン, 1976)

Arguably the most spectacular toys in the Nintendo Kousenjuu series are Customer Gunman (カスタム ガンマン) and Custom Lion (カスタム ライオン).

"Kousenjuu Custom Gunman Set"

The US Patent for Custom Gunman and Custom Lion is credited to Takehiro Izushi.

The targets were released in 1976 and sold in two versions each, retailing for ¥5,000 and ¥7,500, respectively.

All versions of Custom Gunman and Custom Lion, together with Custom Gun

One version, shown on the left in above picture, contained only a target, and was aptly called Custom Gunman Target (カスタム ガンマ ターゲット) and Custom Lion Target (カスタム ライオン ターゲット). The other version, shown on the right, contained both a target and a Custom Gun, and was called Custom Gunman Set (カスタム ガンマ セット) and Custom Lion Set (カスタム ライオン セット).

The Custom Gun (カスタム ガン) was also sold loose, for ¥2,500.

As an aside: as you can see, there was no price difference between the set and the loose target and gun. This would both cost you ¥7,500. I have found this to be typical of how prices are set in Japan, whereas in other cultures buying a set would provide you with some form of discount. I personally like the Japanese way; there is no push, no advantage in buying more at the same time. You can buy the various parts when you feel like it, without spending more.

Back to the gun. This Custom Gun is a new type, different to the Kousenjuu SP Gun from 1970. They can be easily distinguished, as the Custom Gun has a brown handle, as opposed to the white handle of the Kousenjuu SP Gun. The newer gun also has a slightly lighter feel, which is explained by the plastic trigger mechanism which has replaced the metal mechanism of he older gun.

More importantly, by using a different type of light source and a focal lens at the end of the gun, the new Custom Gun is capably of hitting a target at a far greater distance. The Customer Lever Action Riffle from 1971 uses the same technology, and can also be used to shoot these targets. The Kousenjuu SP Gun will not work on the Custom targets.

The Custom Lion target is slightly bulkier, and comes in a bigger (higher) box.

Both games feature nice drawings on the front and sides, showing the game action.

The Custom Gunman Set and Custom Lion Set include the Custom Gun

I am not sure why that lion is looking so happy, while it is being hit in the gut.

Maybe it is just doing a bad job looking surprised?

Custom Gunman is a cool dude, mustache and all. But first, let's get him out of his box.

We load the Gunman with 2 C-cells and the gun with two AA batteries.

Note how the light sensor is placed strategically in the cowboy's heart area.

After switching on the game, it starts producing a quite frightful whirring sound, as the Gunman self-erects. When it is fully standing up, the sound stops.

Now, nothing remains but silence. The Gunman is squinting, staring us in the eye. Are you looking at me?

We take aim, and fire. The Gunman, hit, falls to the ground.

After laying dead for a few precious seconds, he recomposes himself and stands up again. Ready for another showdown.

The base of the game contains a clever mechanism, which pulls the two metal cables in the legs of the Gunman to erect him. When the sensor detects a hit, these cables are suddenly released, making the guy fall. The cables also double as wiring to the light sensor in his torso.

Custom Gunman Target and Customer Lion Target, without gun

For those who already had a gun but wanted to get an additional target, they could also be bought loose.

As most people bought the set with target and gun, the versions with just the target are much rarer these days, as they were produced in much smaller quantities.

These games were the last of the Kousenjuu light gun targets produced, and I believe Nintendo saved the best for last. You could say the series ended with a bang.

Recently some information surfaced about US releases of Custom Gunman: Sharp Shooter, Glaring Gorilla and Shoot Em Ups. It is not clear of these were officially licensed, but they are most likely illegal clones.

Nintendo Light-beam games Kôsenjû SP and Kôsenjû Custom (光線銃SP, 光線銃 カスタム 1970-1976)

At the start of the 70s, light-sensitive electronics (photoconductive cell or LDR - light-dependent resistor) were still fairly new. Manufacturers of these components were looking for new ways to apply them, thus extending their customer base. Sharp was one of the companies that produced them, and one of their sales staff, Masayuki Uemura, visited Nintendo and met with Gunpei Yokoi.

Not only did this meeting result in a series of new toys, but Mr. Uemura eventually moved over to Nintendo where he came to head up one of the hardware design groups.

The entire Kôsenjû SP series: gun, riffle and six different types of targets

Sharp’s LDR would be used in the light-beam series called Kôsenjû SP (光線銃SP): toy guns that emitted a short flash of light when 'fired' and targets equipped with a sensor that would register the light (when aimed correctly) and show the hit in various fashions.

The Kôsenjû SP Gun (ガン)

The Kôsenjû SP series was introduced in 1970

The SP gun had a white handle. The Custom gun handle is black.

The Kôsenjû SP Rifle featured a telescope and "pump action" to reload

When hit by the light-beam, the Jumping Bottle target would spring into two parts, held together by an electromagnet until hit by the light from the gun. Other targets included a roulette that would spin, a lion that would roar and wildlife scenes with exotic birds or animals of prey (Electro Bird and Electro Safari) collapsing upon each hit. All guns and targets are battery operated.

Kôsenjû SP targets Electro Roulette, Lion, Poker and Jumping Bottle

With this series, introduced in 1970, Nintendo created something for the entire family: to be enjoyed by children and adults together (well, fathers and their sons, probably).

Around this time, electronic games started to become mainstream, even though the retail prices were still considerable, ranging from ¥980 to ¥2,500 for gun and rifle, and between ¥2,500 and ¥5,900 for the individual targets. These prices notwithstanding, Nintendo had another blockbuster on its hands, selling into the hundreds of thousands of the various guns and targets.

These toys are amongst the first (if not the first) commercially available light-guns for home use, although less sophisticated than the subsequent video game light-guns that work together with a TV screen (the Magnavox Odyssey rifle being the first one of these, released in 1972).

The Kôsenjû Custom series: Custom Lever Action Rifle and Custom Target

A second series of light-gun toys was introduced in 1971, called Kôsenjû Custom (光線銃 カスタム), consisting of a very realistic looking rifle made from wood-like plastic and metal (Custom Lever Action Rifle, ¥14,000) and a new target (Custom Target, ¥7,800). These were clearly aimed at older children and adults.

The Custom series continued in '76 with Custom Gunman and Custom Lion

In 1976 the Kôsenjû Custom series was rejuvenated with two great new targets: Custom Gunman and Custom Lion. These were sold loose for ¥5,000, as well as in sets with target and gun for ¥7,500. As the name suggests, these feature a gunman or lion that would collapse dramatically when hit. After a short time lying dead, by means of a clever mechanism inside the toy, they would automatically spring back to life, ready to take the next shot.

For more information on the various items in the Kôsenjû series, check out the following posts: Electro Safari & Electro Bird, Jumping Bottle, Electro Poker, Custom Gunman and Custom Lion, Guns and Rifles and Custom Lever Action Rifle.