The original Zapper dates back to a simpler time, an NES time, when it didn’t matter if a nearly-flat shiny grey light gun was vaguely shaped, as its name suggests, like a G-U-N. Soon after, we would discover that it must be painted toxic orange to avoid confusion with the real thing. As more time passed, we learned that, in fact, toys shaped at all like guns, especially the ones used to play video games, are EVIL, and it’s just a matter of years before Junior wants to play Duck Hunt for real - using people.

Fast forward to present day and the Wii Zapper. As you can see, this is a Zapper in name only, more a chassis that casts a Wii Remote and a Nunchuk in a mildly weapon-like silhouette. It’s the clever type of workaround required to get anything into the market these days without protests as to potentially harmful angles and points.

For what a hollow piece of plastic is worth, it also gets the job done quite well in the pack-in game, Link’s Crossbow Training. The two-fisted approach makes holding and using the thing quite a riot. The price is right, too.

Posted on December 29th, 2007 by katie