Duck Hunt NES box art

Nintendo Entertainment System · Shooter / Sports

Duck Hunt

Certified classic

SystemNintendo Entertainment System
Released1984
GenreShooter, Sports
DeveloperNintendo
PublisherNintendo
Players1 player
CommitmentAn evening or two (Roughly 1–6 hours to see it through)
ESRBE
LegacyCertified classic · legacy score 36

Duck Hunt is a shooter released in 1984 for the Nintendo Entertainment System, developed by Nintendo. It blends shooter and sports elements.

It belongs to the NES's earliest wave of games. Other notable NES releases from 1984 include Mappy, Wild Gunman and F-1 Race. Among the 33 NES shooters in our database, it ranks #1 by legacy score.

Nintendo also made Super Mario Bros., Super Mario Bros. 3 and Super Mario Bros. 2 for the NES.

This is a solo experience: one player, no waiting on anyone else.

Pick it if…

  • you want to fight, blast and test your reflexes
  • you have time for an evening or two (roughly 1–6 hours to see it through)
  • you want to experience one of the NES's defining games

Maybe skip it if…

  • you are not a fan of fast-paced aiming and twitch reflexes
  • you are looking for something to play with friends

What playing Duck Hunt is like

Shooters are built around aiming and firing, from first-person corridor blasters and light-gun games to run-and-gun stages and multidirectional arcade shooters.

Tip for newcomers: Retro shooters were designed for CRT TVs and original controllers; light-gun games in particular need special hardware or alternative controls on modern screens.

Duck Hunt gameplay screenshot on NES
In-game screenshot (NES)

Duck Hunt cheats & codes

21 codes on file (Game Genie, Action Replay, Other codes). Here are a few Game Genie codes to start with:

Infinite AmmoSZNIPPVG
Always Hit The Duck In Single-Duck ModeELXSLZEI
Always Advance To The Next Round (Miss All Of The Targets To Get The Perfect Bonus)ALSIPLEI
Get The Perfect Bonus For Hitting At Least 10 TargetsZEUIYZAE ??USP?UU
Always Get The Perfect BonusAASIAUZA ALSIPLEI
Get The Perfect Bonus Only For Hitting 20 TargetsGPSIAUZA ALSIPLEI

See all Duck Hunt cheats

Duck Hunt walkthroughs & guides

Stuck, or want to go deeper? These trusted sites have full walkthroughs, completion times and more for Duck Hunt.

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Playing NES games today

NES games are short on paper but often famously tough, so expect to replay levels and learn patterns. Many first-party titles are available through Nintendo Switch Online, original cartridges remain easy to find, and you can play backups of games you own in an emulator such as Rec0m88.

Duck Hunt FAQ

When did Duck Hunt come out on the NES?

Duck Hunt was released for the Nintendo Entertainment System in 1984.

Who made Duck Hunt?

It was developed by Nintendo.

Is Duck Hunt multiplayer?

No. Duck Hunt is a single-player game.

How long does Duck Hunt take to play?

As a shooter, Duck Hunt typically falls into the "An evening or two" category: roughly 1–6 hours to see it through. Your time will vary with skill and how much you explore.

Read more about Duck Hunt on Wikipedia. Facts on this page are compiled from the open libretro database and Wikidata; "legacy score" reflects how widely a game is documented across Wikipedia's language editions. Spotted an error? Let us know.

Not sure? Let the Matrix pick for you