Goose Decoys

How does the game “Duck Hunt” work?

by UW Digital Collections

Question by VincentC: How does the game “Duck Hunt” work?
I am fairly tech-savvy, but I have wondered for quite a while how the old “Duck Hunt” game for the NES system works. There is no sensor bar for the television, so there doesn’t seem to be a way for the gun’s beam to be intercepted or read by the television. So how can the game register that you are shooting in a certain place when there is nothing to pick up the gun’s firing?

This is just something that has always confused me.

Best answer:

Answer by Healing Vision
I guess it’s something to do with the light gun itself.

Add your own answer in the comments!

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1. 

   Brandon
   November 11th, 2011 at 05:34 | #1

   Reply | Quote

   The gun controller itself is a sensor, the game flashes on the screen, then using the retrace time to hit that spot it knows where you were aiming. That is why the games only work on old CRT type televisions, not modern day HDTVs with progressive scan rather than interlaced displays.

   I picked up Time Crisis for the PS2 on sale a few years back but was rather disappointed that it wouldn’t work on my HDTV. I guess I’ll have to find an older TV for these light gun games.

   For a more in-depth explanation check out the link below on howstuffworks.com, a great site for things like this.