Collection essentials #65: Gotcha! The Sport (NES)

This game is loosely based on the 1985 film “Gotcha!” which I have never seen. But the game doesn’t have a plot so familiarity with the movie really doesn’t matter anyway.

I love the Zapper light gun accessory, and this game stands out as a worthy user of it. Not only do you use the Zapper, but you also have to use a controller to move around, which is not typical for a light gun game. It’s a “capture the flag” sort of deal where you’re pitted against an enemy team, and you have to move across the map to grab their flag and then go all the way back. You have to be careful not to be shot by enemies on your way, and you have limited ammo too so you have to be careful with your shots and grab ammo when you can. Also, the enemy is also trying to do the whole flag-grabbing thing, so sometimes you have to seek out and shoot the flag-carrying goonie when they’re trying to race from one side to the other. 

The main issue with the game is that there’s not a lot of content. There are three levels that will loop as you play, upping the difficulty with each loop. Still, I really appreciate a good and creative light gun experience, and this game delivers!