duck-hunt
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Rumor: Duck Hunt amiibo data on Super Smash Bros. disc
Just because an amiibo figure for the dog-and-duck duo from Duck Hunt hasn't yet been officially announced doesn't mean one isn't coming. That's what a video from YouTube user "Mema Haxx" posted earlier this week would suggest, anyway. As short as it is mysterious, the video shows a player of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U heading to the amiibo options menu and pulling up "Duck Hunt Duo," which is how the characters are labeled in the European version of the game. There's no description for the video, so it's hard to tell just what we're seeing. One explanation is that Haxx triggered code within the game that made it think it had just interacted with an NFC chip inside of a Duck Hunt amiibo. Another is that it's totally fake. Without an official announcement of a Duck Hunt amiibo from Nintendo, there's no way to be 100 percent sure. While we wait for such a reveal, why not speculate on what wondrous defects people will find on a Duck Hunt amiibo (and subsequently try to sell for hundreds or thousands of dollars)? [Image: Nintendo]
Joystiq Weekly: Telltale takes on Minecraft, Xeodrifter review, broken games and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Telltale Games looked at Minecraft's build-what-you-want universe and decided to build an episodic, narrative-driven game instead of a crummy castle like the rest of us. At this point, we wouldn't even be surprised if Telltale Games' next project is a narrative-driven series starring Samuel the rock ... it would probably be well-written, too. There's a bit more to this week's recap beyond Telltale's latest reveal though, including ports of the last two Devil May Cry games, free games for those that own Assassin's Creed Unity's season pass, a review of Xeodrifter and an assessment of recent high-profile, broken-at-launch games. All that and more is waiting for you after the break in this edition of the Joystiq Weekly!
Duck Hunt flocks to Wii U Virtual Console on Christmas
As the turkey takes the prominent spot at your dinner table this Christmas, Nintendo has another bird in mind for your TV. The Wii U Virtual Console edition of Duck Hunt, announced earlier this year, will hit the eShop on December 25. Once you're stuffed to the gills, why not take aim at a few virtual ducks? Or, if you need to cater to Grandma's delicate sensibilities, you can always blast a few clay pigeons instead. Here's hoping the Wii Remote makes a decent stand-in for Nintendo's classic Zapper light gun. [Image: Nintendo]
The Duck Hunt begins for Wii U owners on Christmas Day
Want to know what Christmas morning was like back in (not-so) old uncle Jim's day? Well if you own a Wii U, maybe this year you can. As you wipe the sleep from your eyes on December 25th and run downstairs, you'll finally be able to take the digital wraps off Duck Hunt -- as Nintendo's just confirmed that's when it will be available via Virtual Console. Finally you can pop a cap in a few majestic mallards -- just like uncle did all those years ago -- only with a Wiimote rather than a light gun (at least Nintendo didn't mention one yet). There's no word on whether you'll need to pay up for the privilege yet, either. If you are uncle/aunt Jim/Jane/whatever (like me), then perhaps instead you can show your favourite niece/nephew, exactly how it's done -- you old dog.
Joystiq Weekly: Free Radical's Haze, Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare, Tony Hawk and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Yes okay, BlizzCon 2014 was full of announcements. A new team-based shooter called Overwatch, a Hearthstone expansion, Warcraft movie details, the next StarCraft 2 expansion ... Blizzard fans have plenty to look forward to. Thanks to an unexpected announcement however, Tony Hawk fans also have something to look forward to (or dread, depending on cynicism) in the form of a 2015 console game. Sure, the Skate series was a cool take on realistic tricks, but we wouldn't mind getting back to the outlandish challenges, yellow-text specials and SKATE letters of the original killer skateboarding series. If you've never enjoyed injury-supplementing planks of wood with wheels, there's still plenty of good stuff from this week. News of Grand Theft Auto 5's first person mode, reviews for Call of Duty: Advanced Warfare and Lords of the Fallen, a feature exploring the development of the unfortunate PS3-exclusive Haze, and more is all waiting for you after the break!
Duck Hunt tracking down Wii U Virtual Console
Following a trailer for the Wii U version of Super Smash Bros. that showed the infamous chuckling dog from Duck Hunt in action (seen above), today's Nintendo Direct livestream revealed that the classic lightgun game is also on the way to the Wii U Virtual Console. Given that it made its debut in 1984 on NES, Duck Hunt just celebrated its 30th anniversary. While Nintendo didn't reveal an exact date for its launch, the game will arrive "soon" on the eShop and will require a Wii Remote controller to play. [Image: Nintendo]
NES light gun gets a laser upgrade, fulfils countless childhood dreams (video)
While it's not the DL-44 heavy blaster we've been holding out for, this Nintendo Zapper is almost as cool. Using the classic Duck Hunt light gun from the original NES, the team at North Street Labs created their own laser pistol. Using a 445nm diode, some batteries, wiring and imagination, the light gun was painstakingly put together, complete with physical safety lock and custom aim-assisting heat sink. The end result is a bona fide laser shootin' gun, capable of not only setting alight matches from a distance, but setting the curtains on fire too (probably). See it in action in the video after the break, where it also tops out their laser meter, rating it -- at least -- at an eyeball popping 2W. Then tap up the source to see how -- for educational purposes -- you could make your own.
The Repopulation broadcasts its first public gameplay footage
Drips and drabs of information about the sci-fi sandbox The Repopulation have been coming in, but as with any title in early development, it's never enough to satiate the masses who want the whole scoop. So consider today's bounty of the first gameplay footage and a lore piece as an appetizer to tide you over until the main course. The gameplay video demonstrates one of the core features of The Repopulation: its city-building system. During the 12-and-a-half minutes the video runs, fans can check out how cities are put together piece by piece using a wide variety of tools and fellow player cooperation. The devs also take this opportunity to discuss the UI, controls, and how alliances work in the game. The team also posted a lore piece called Leesa's Story on the site. The vignette introduces the titular character, a cook who also happens to be a cook, and her misguided adventures going duck hunting. The Repopulation is currently accepting signups for its alpha testing, which begins in June. You can watch the full video after the break. [Thanks to J.C. for the tip!]
Adorable Valentine's Day card templates from PaperRockScisorz
Despite previous indications to the contrary, the Joystiq Qrew is actually pretty keen on Valentine's Day. We're all hopeless romantics, but you don't need to be as in love with being in love as we are to recognize how precious, touching and clever these gaming themed Valentine's Day card templates are.Made by Etsy user PaperRockScisorz and available at her shop, these print-your-own card templates feature Pokemon, Dr. Mario, Sonic, Zelda and Portal motifs with cutesy sayings and pixel hearts at $2.75 a pop. It's an easy and inexpensive way to show your significant other that you care, assuming you're lucky enough to share your life with a person that loves games as much as you do. If you're not that lucky, well, maybe get them a gift card or something. Single people are advised to dress up like a member of their preferred gender and have a romantic candle-lit dinner with themselves in a mirror. Ain't love grand?
Minecraft 1.8's bow mechanics quickly utilized for Duck Hunt
For Minecraft players, a new update is almost as good as Christmas morning. See, updates mean new tools and/or creatures, which function as imagination-crack for the industrious and crafty crafters that call Minecraft home. The update has barely been available for 48 hours, yet its new mechanics are already being used to create inventive and entertaining constructions. Sethbling's Duck Hunt replica may not feature actual ducks, but it does manage to capture the innocence and nostalgia of our 8-bit youths, all the way down to that damn dog's mocking, condescending laughter. Keep laughing, pooch! We'll see how funny it is when the Endermen come in the night and "collect" you while you're sleeping.
Real-life Duck Hunt video documents dangers of improper Zapper use
Remember when you were a kid and used to play cops and robbers? Sometimes you'd smuggle a Zapper out of your house, just to add that extra layer of believability to the whole thing. According to The Warp Zone, the Zapper is much deadlier than you believed!
LEGO art pays homage to some of gaming's best
You don't know flickr user Encaja en Camon, but rest assured that the account in question has some pretty awesome and simple LEGO adaptations of famous games and their characters. Above, you can check out Sonic's blocky noggin, while just past the break we've included a couple of our other favorites.
Brooklyn theater putting on plays inspired by video games
Just because we're video game fans here at Joystiq doesn't mean we don't appreciate the more classical forms of art -- as long as they're related to video games, that is. Like this series of shows at the Brick Theater in Brooklyn, NY, for example. It's a whole month of some quality live drama, all driven and influenced by video games. There's Grand Theft Ovid, which tells some of the Roman poet's tales using everyone's favorite carjack simulator (along with a few other popular games). Modal Kombat features a set of guitar controllers that are used to play non-music games. The best, though, might be the Theater of the Arcade, which takes old games like Duck Hunt and Donkey Kong and presents them, re-imagined, as short theatrical vignettes. O Mario, Mario, wherefore art thou? The shows are going on at the Brick through the rest of July. Performances are just $15, plus there's also a Rock Band Karaoke night and a few other game-related events sprinkled throughout the run. If your significant other is complaining that you're spending too many nights in front of the TV and not enough out enjoying the arts, this seems like a perfect compromise. [Thanks, Edward!]
Duck Hunt's workplace violates most HR guidelines
On first blush, the workplace behind the scenes of the "increasingly frustrating action" game Duck Hunt doesn't seem so bad -- the boss is smart and organized, the space is very modern and clear of cubicle clutter, and all the worker ducks get free drugs and junk food! We have to pay for our meatball subs and cocaine here at Joystiq. But then you start to realize, thanks to this hard-hitting expose from the folks at College Humor, that the pressure can get to you after a while, especially when the players you're meant to be entertaining start bending the rules. Watch the full short (which is NSFW thanks to language) after the break. [via GoNintendo]
Rumor: No Euro Wii price cut, new bundle to include both Wii Sports games, MotionPlus
Just like we saw earlier this year with the PlayStation 3 Slim, the rumor mill is churning at breakneck pace -- though this time around a possible Nintendo Wii price cut rather than a slimmer console. Aside from multiple retailer listings and today's alleged internal Best Buy memo, MCV reports that a "retail source" told it the UK won't be receiving the same price cut that North America and Japan are expected to receive. Instead, the current model will be given the bundle treatment.GamesIndustry.biz spotted the new bundle on ShopTo.net -- it has since been removed, though an image and a shell of the page still exist -- which includes both Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort as well as a MotionPlus attachment, for the same £199.99 ($326.76) the system is priced at now. If it is true, at least UK Wii buyers will be getting a bit more for their pounds. It's not quite the Duck Hunt/Super Mario Bros. with a Zapper combo of yore, but it'll have to do.Source -- No Wii price cut for UK [GamesIndustry.biz]Source -- New UK Wii bundle leaked [MCV]
Contra vs. Duck Hunt takes fowl play to a whole new level
When Contra 4 came out, we had the distinct displeasure of realizing not enough things in life had Contra in it. Thankfully, through the magic of internet technology, we can now check one thing off that list: Duck Hunt. YouTube user daneboe managed to combine the shoot-em-all gameplay of Contra with the duck genocide that is Duck Hunt, creating an entirely new experience. We do think that snickering dog should've gotten a taste of Bill Rizer's brand of justice, but hey, something's gotta be left for the sequel, right?Head past the break to check out the video.[Via Infendo]
Nintendo busts a cap in iPhone Duck Hunt
Nintendo's lawyers have finally done what countless children of the '80s only dreamed of: silenced the maniacal, mocking laughter of the Duck Hunt dog. ... Or at least they've quieted the canine on iPhones, having a clone of the classic removed from the App Store after only a month of availability. Let this serve as a reminder to all who might try a similar stunt ... there's only room for one company in this industry to coast on the past successes of Nintendo.
Wii Warm Up: Forming a dynamic duo
We were just wondering to ourselves this morning about the team-up title Sonic & Mario at the Olympics and how such a combination of mascots has been a huge financial success. It caused us to wonder what other kind of team-up could be not only a commercial success, but also a game we actually want to play.And, like responsible bloggers, we decided that we couldn't think of anything good and instead would pass the buck onto you. So, what do you all think? Can you come up with some titles? How about a Duck Hunt clone where Mega Man and Samus compete to see who can shoot the most clay Metroids? Or, what about having Dante from Devil May Cry in a No More Heroes sequel?Of course, that last one is just a selfish suggestion from us.
Duck Hunt lamp will inspire thousands to hunt for cheap Zappers
One reason that the NES Zapper, even in orange, is superior to the Wii Zapper: it makes an attractive lamp. Craftster user fluffypants happened upon one of the clangy gun controllers and, somehow, saw the potential for a lamp. A real Duck Hunt cartridge would have been too small to function as a sturdy base, so she made an imitation NES cartridge from cardboard and affixed it to the Zapper lamp.As if turning controllers into furniture didn't impress us enough, fluffypants turned a store-bought shade into a faithful 3D Duck Hunt scene with layers of cut foam. In fact, the shade is so awesomely Duck Hunt that the actual lamp seems a bit like overkill.
So who is the greatest gaming canine ever?
The results to one of the most interesting questions we've heard in quite awhile has come in and gaming's greatest canine is apparently Parappa from the Parappa the Rapper games. While we'll cross the divide that separates Nintendo and Sony handheld fanboys and admit that the Parappa games are great, we're a tad bit upset.As you may recall from our original post on this topic of discussion, we were heavily in favor of K.K. Slider. We also considered the dog from Duck Hunt. But, Parappa? Eh, we don't agree. What about you all?[Via Joystiq]
