Developer: Nintendo R & D 1 Publisher: Nintendo Release: 08/86 Genre: Action
Growing up I did not like the NES Zapper. On paper it should be the coolest peripheral in the world. What kid does not want to play with a toy gun? But even back then I found the quality of the software lacking. It always baffled me how so many found hours of entertainment in Duck Hunt. And the less said about Hogan’s Alley the better. Eventually better games like Mechanized Attack would come but they were few and far between. Gumshoe did however show the potential of the Zapper with its innovative premise. The only thing holding it back ironically is the very technology you use to play the game.
As the title suggests you are Mr. Stevenson, a private eye. Mr. Stevenson’s daughter has been kidnapped by mafia boss King Dom and he has 24 hours to collect the five Black Panther diamonds or he will never see her again.
The majority of the games that support the NES Zapper are arcade ports designed or bite sized experiences deigned for quick thrills. Gumshoe bucks that trend by being a hybrid shooter and platformer. This unusual fusion of genres is quirky, experimental, and very much a product of the early NES era. And you know what? It actually works for the most part. Gumshoe is the most creative use of the Zapper ever. The problem is when it does not the game becomes extremely frustrating and does not live up to its potential.
In many ways you can look at Gumshoe as the precursor to the endless runner genre. Mr. Stevenson’s goal is to find the black diamond in each level and reach the exit. The twist is you do not control him directly. Instead he moves on a set path and you guide him by, I swear I am not making this up, shooting him. Shooting Stevenson causes him to jump and you can do so as many times as your aim permits. Technically you have limited bullets however collecting balloons grants more. Balloons are so plentiful that ammo is not an issue.
The fact you are essentially guiding the character through levels using your aim creates an interesting dynamic. You must balance shooting enemies with making sure Stevenson is not about to walk in to a pit. There are few extended flat surfaces so you have to master platforming through gun shooting. It requires timing and precision rather than just aiming. Timing shots to double or even triple jump, measuring momentum, these are not immediately intuitive. Once you get the hang of it Gumshoe remains one of the most unique experiences on the platform. However, the novelty can wear off quickly, especially when the controls become frustrating.
The biggest problem is accuracy and responsiveness. As anyone who has used the NES Zapper can attest it is far from as precise as it should be. On its best day the stupid gun is maybe 70% accurate at detecting your shots. Unfortunately Gumshoe is a game that demands precision. The Zapper’s limitations make precise control inconsistent and you need that to time Stevenson’s jumps at the right time to avoid danger. You do not have a life bar so any missed shot will result in death. The control issues essentially turn this in to frustrating game of trial and error rather than a fun experience with a unique gameplay concept. The challenge feels more like fighting the controls than mastering the game. Speaking of challenge……
Gumshoe is incredibly difficult, largely due to its control scheme. Enemies appear frequently and you often have less than a second to react. Between making sure Stevenson does not fall in to a pit, shooting potential enemies and avoiding evil blocks the game tries to do too much at once. The game almost has the pacing of a run and gun game in terms of action. They should have dialed back on the enemy spawns a bit to make things fair. That rapid fire pacing feels worse as the levels are extremely long. I will say when everything is working properly the game is fun if repetitive. If you can reach the end the game ends on one of the most insane boss battles I have come across in a while. I still do not know if I like it or hate it.
In Closing
Gumshoe is a bold and creative experiment that tries something completely different with the NES Zapper. While the idea of controlling a character by shooting is clever, the execution is held back by imprecise controls and repetitive gameplay.
