Duck Hunt: Difference between revisions

Official artwork of the dog and a couple of ducks as they appear in the Japanese and European cover of ''{{s|wikipedia|Duck Hunt}}''.

'''Duck Hunt''' ({{ja|ダックハント|Dakkuhanto}}, ''Duckhunt''), known in [[PAL]] regions as '''Duck Hunt Duo''', is the name of a playable tag team composed of the player's hunting dog and a duck from the NES light gun game, ''{{s|wikipedia|Duck Hunt}}''. After ducks made cameos as a trophy in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Melee]]'' and a sticker in ''[[Super Smash Bros. Brawl]]'', both the hunting dog and a duck became a playable fighter from the ''Duck Hunt'' series as of ''[[Super Smash Bros. 4]]''.

The hunter is the playable character in all versions of ''Duck Hunt'' and is supposed to represent the player. Accompanying the player is a non-playable {{s|wikipedia|scent hound}}, who flushes out the ducks for the hunter to shoot and picks up any ducks that are shot down by the player. If the player fails to shoot down any ducks, the dog infamously laughs at the player's misfortune before slinking back down into the grass.

Although the home console version of ''Duck Hunt'' doesn't allow players to shoot the dog, the arcade version, ''[[wikipedia:Duck Hunt#Vs. Duck Hunt|Vs. Duck Hunt]]'', actually allows players to do so in the bonus rounds. However, successfully shooting the dog immediately ends the bonus round and yields no points.<ref>[http://uproxx.com/gammasquad/how-to-shoot-the-dog-and-other-facts-you-probably-dont-know-about-duck-hunt/2/ How To Shoot The Dog And Other Facts You Probably Don't Know About 'Duck Hunt']</ref>

A concept similar to [[Assist Trophies]] was considered for ''Melee'', with one example being the ducks from ''Duck Hunt'' flying around the stage and interfering with characters. However, the idea was scrapped due to developmental circumstances.<ref>[http://www.sourcegaming.info/2016/01/31/dufl-sources/ The Definitive Unused Fighter List in Smash - Source Translations]. Source Gaming (January 31, 2016). Retrieved January 31, 2016.</ref>

''Super Smash Bros. Brawl'' marks the second appearance of the ''Duck Hunt'' universe. Instead of a trophy, the universe is represented with a [[sticker]] of a duck. Fittingly, the sticker can only be applied to the {{SSBB|Ice Climbers}}, {{SSBB|Mr. Game & Watch}}, {{SSBB|Pit}} and {{SSBB|R.O.B.}}, all of whom debuted in the 1980s like the hunting dog and ducks and all of them are considered "retro" characters (although Pit would later on lose the title).

''Super Smash Bros. 4'' marks both the third appearance of the ''Duck Hunt'' universe, and the debut of an [[Unlockable character|unlockable]] fighter for said universe. [[Masahiro Sakurai]] stated that the inclusion of a playable ''Duck Hunt'' fighter was influenced by that respective game's worldwide sales numbers, and his feeling that the ''Duck Hunt'' universe had not been viable for such representation until ''SSB4''.<ref>[http://www.gamnesia.com/news/sakurai-explains-duck-hunts-inclusion-in-smash Sakurai Explains Duck Hunt's Inclusion in Smash]</ref> Although the hunting dog and a duck fight together as a team,<ref>[https://www.smashbros.com/en_US/blog/index.html?category=cat02_fighter_59 Super Smash Blog | 59: Duck Hunt]</ref> they do not truly fall under the tag team archetype like the [[Ice Climbers]], {{SSB4|Olimar}}, and {{SSB4|Rosalina & Luma}}. Duck Hunt were the final [[newcomer]]s to be officially revealed for the base version of ''SSB4''.

Three of Duck Hunt's [[special move]]s also reference other "Light Gun Series" games contemporary to their home game. Neutral special involves a tin can from the "Trick Shot" game mode in ''{{iw|wikipedia|Hogan's Alley|video game}}'', down special involves the gunmen from the NES game ''{{s|wikipedia|Wild Gunman}}'', and their [[Final Smash]] collectively involves a flock of ducks from ''Duck Hunt'', the cardboard cutouts from the ''Hogan's Alley'', and the gunmen from ''Wild Gunman''. Outside of these moves, their smash attacks also make use of the {{s|wikipedia|NES Zapper}}.

Although [[Duck Jump]] is a maneuverable recovery move that grants a decent amount of vertical and horizontal distance, it is slow and unprotected; this leaves Duck Hunt wide open to edge-guarding, and forces them to use the dog's [[wall jump]] more often than not. Their reliance on projectiles is also highly ineffective against characters who can counteract them, such as those with [[Reflection|reflectors]] and especially against Rosalina & Luma, who can completely nullify their projectiles with [[Gravitational Pull]].

Like in SSB4, Duck Hunt return as unlockable characters in ''Super Smash Bros. Ultimate''.

In the transition to ''Ultimate'', Duck Hunt's once-infamously unreliable smash attacks connect much more reliably (though their final hits may still fail to connect in rare instances), thus significantly improving their once-notoriously inconsistent KO potential. Each of Duck Hunt's special moves have also gained particular buffs. Trick Shot deals more damage and knockback, travels farther, has less ending lag, and can now be hit while it is in midair. Clay Shooting has improved combo potential, thanks to it keeping the opponent in place upon contact and having less ending lag. Duck Jump can now be canceled with an attack or air dodge after 50 frames, similarly to [[Winged Pikmin]]. Lastly, Wild Gunman deals more damage, fires faster, and has less ending lag.

**Off-screen, there is a third member of the team (a human player) who uses the {{iw|wikipedia|NES Zapper}} the original controller used for the Light Gun series of games. This player shoots the screen with a colored target reticle and participates in Duck Hunt's [[smash attack]]s, [[Trick Shot]], and [[Clay Shooting]].

***This off-screen player makes Duck Hunt one of the only characters, along with [[R.O.B.]], to have a direct connection to the real world.

*During {{SSBU|Banjo & Kazooie}}'s reveal trailer, Duck Hunt were used as a bait-and-switch to introduce them a la {{SSBU|King Dedede}} during {{SSBU|King K. Rool}}'s reveal trailer. This was likely done because of Duck Hunt also being a team consisting of a bird perched on a mammal's back, as well as in reference to a running gag among the ''Super Smash Bros.'' community in which Duck Hunt were perceived by fans as substitutes for the long-requested Banjo & Kazooie. Additionally, Duck Hunt has an {{SSBU|alternate costume}} that bears a passing resemblance to Banjo & Kazooie, which is referenced in the latter's {{SSBU|Classic Mode}} route, where Duck Hunt (using this costume) appears as the first opponent.