Developed by Nintendo and released in 1984, Wild Gunman is an iconic action shooter for the NES. Set in the Wild West, the game drops you into intense quick-draw duels against a cast of pixelated outlaws. Originally designed as a showcase for the NES Zapper light gun, it tests your reflexes as you wait for the exact moment your opponent draws before firing your own shot.
How to play
Your objective is to shoot the outlaws before they can shoot you, but only after they signal their draw with a flash of their eyes and a “FIRE!!” prompt on screen. Game A features single duels, Game B puts you against two opponents at once, and Game C is a saloon shootout where enemies pop up in the windows. Note that in a web emulator, your mouse cursor acts as the light gun (click to shoot), while standard gamepad controls are used to navigate menus:
| Gamepad control: | ||
| Player 1: | Player 2: |
| â | â | – |
| â | â | – |
| â | â | – |
| â | â | – |
| A | X | – |
| B | Z | – |
| SELECT | Shift | – |
| START | Enter | – |
Tips
- Watch for the foul: Shooting before the outlaw’s eyes flash and the “FIRE!!” prompt results in a foul and costs you a life. Patience is just as important as speed.
- Prioritize your targets: In Game B, the two outlaws will draw at slightly different times. Watch closely to see which one reacts first and take them down before moving to the second.
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