Gotcha! The Sport!
System: NES
Release Date: April 1987
Developer: Atlus or Sanritsu
Publisher: LJN
Genre: Light Gun Shooter
Here’s a real oddity, Gotcha! The Sport! On NES is up next. It’s a light gun shooter that I can at least say is innovative, as you have to control the screen with a controller as you shoot bad guys with the Zapper. It’s incredibly bare bones, otherwise. You move to the right shooting enemies in an attempt to capture their flag. It’s 1 vs. 100, in this game of capture the flag. Did I mention that you’re shooting paintballs? That’s right, when you take out your enemies, they walk off with their hands in the air.
Walk to the right far enough and shoot the enemy’s flag to capture it. Then you have to walk all the way back to the left to place it on your own flag pole. Make sure to shoot any enemies who may be holding your flag. You have a limited amount of ammo that you can replenish by shooting little ammo crates or enemies carrying an ammo crate.
There are three levels that continuously loop. First you are playing capture the flag in the forest against a bunch of camouflage wearing opponents. Then you’re in the mean streets going up against some punk looking thugs. Finally you’re out in the snow against more camouflage enemies. Playing on beginner difficulty gives you plenty of time when the enemies aim at you. This time decreases on intermediate and becomes very fast on advanced.
Graphics: 1.5
I guess the graphics are kind of attractive. The backgrounds are what you’re mostly looking at and at least they look alright.
Sound: 1.0
The music is bad. The sound effects are grating.
Gameplay: 1.5
I guess everything works, it’s just bare bones. Shoot the bad guys and the ammo crates.
Difficulty: 1.0
Easy on beginner and intermediate. Hard on Advanced. Nothing you can’t handle.
Fun Factor: 1.0
This isn’t a very fun light gun shooter. You have to search hard to find a good time.
Overall Grade: 1.2
Gotcha! The Sport! Earns a D. Why so many exclamation points? That’s how I write and I realize it’s overdone. This game isn’t worth a thing.