Summary
Nintendo is rumored to be working on a revival of the Zapper light gun for theSwitch 2. Once a popular accessory, light guns have long been shelved, but their technology was so ahead of their time that they are still regarded as one of the industry’s standout innovations. Many credit the NES—predecessor to theSwitch 2—for popularizing light guns with its first wave of memorable Zapper-compatible titles.
For those unfamiliar, a light gun is an alternative controller that lets players aim at the TV to shoot targets or interact with the game. Old-school gamers might rememberDuck Hunt,one of the most iconic light gun titles, which let players shoot flying ducks using this tech. What made Nintendo’s light gun unique at the time was its compatibility with nearly all TVs, thanks to a clever trick: the gun itself had a built-in receiver that detected whether it was aimed at the correct target. Despite its innovation, the Zapper and most of its peers eventually faded out as flat-screen displays like LCDs and LEDs replaced the old CRT televisions. Still, recent developments suggest there may be hope for a comeback.
Nintendo has recently trademarked the term “Zapper,” a name historically associated with its once-flagship light gun accessory. Some see this as a subtle hint that the company may be planning to revive the device for its next-gen console. An interesting detail in the trademark application is the inclusion of terms like “controllers for game consoles” in the classification. This isn’t the first timeNintendo has renewed one of its iconic trademarks. For example, the company recently renewed its famous Seal of Quality, once used to certify officially licensed products.
Nintendo Might Be Working on a New Light Gun Technology
One interesting theory is that Nintendo is developing a modernized version of the Zapper. If true, the company may also be quietly working on a lineup of games compatible with the updated tech. While thelist of confirmed Switch 2 titlesremains relatively short, it’s already shaping up to be impressive. The future addition of Zapper-compatible games could easily heighten fan excitement—and potentially give the console’s sales a notable boost.
TheSwitch 2 has already broken some sales recordsand might not need a boost from the rumored accessory. Still, it’s clear that such nostalgic technology would attract even more gamers, especially if the new controller works with original NES games on Nintendo Switch Online. For the record, the original Zapper was seen as a key reason for the NES’s strong North American sales despite the video game market crash at the time.
