If you're a gamer above a certain age, you're probably well-familiar with the NES Zapper, the electric orange light gun that served as one of the most popular accessories for the original Nintendo Entertainment System. While you could use it to blow away bad guys in a variety of games, like Hogan's Alley and Wild Gunman, it's often associated with Duck Hunt, the bird-shooting game that starred one of video game's most annoying canine companions.
Well, Japanese gamers looking to blast some ducks these days will need to fork up some serious cash for the privilege. According to a tweet by Kotaku features editor Chris Kohler, the humble Zapper has climbed in price in Japanese markets in recent months. For comparison, the cheapest orange Zapper in the image had a price of 6,000 yen (~$54), whereas Amazon postings for a US Zapper start around $15, including shipping. This can be attributed to two main factors: the Zapper never came out in Japan, since the Famicom had its own light gun that bore a strong resemblance to a real-life revolver; and the gun's appearance as a weapon in Splatoon 2 has raised its profile significantly.
Thanks to its newfound worldwide popularity by appearing in Splatoon 2, the NES Zapper (unreleased in Japan) now sells for a bunch of money on Japanese sites, where it's tagged with "N-Zap" and "Splatoon" pic.twitter.com/u4fBZMjpzB
— Chris Kohler (@kobunheat) February 19, 2020
This isn't the first time that Nintendo has included the Zapper as a bit of nostalgic fan-service. The character Duck Hunt in Super Smash Bros. serves as an elaborate tribute to the light gun, complete with many references to characters from NES light gun games.