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Super Scope |
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Super Scope |
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| The Super
Scope is the SNES's version of a NES Zapper;
it is a light gun. However, it is much more than "just a light gun"!
The
Super Scope has to be one of the most interesting looking accessories
for
any console. The gun body is a bazooka shaped device, about just under
2 1/2 feet long. One end, on the bottom, is a curved plastic end, where
you place the gun on your shoulder. Right above it is two buttons, the
FIRE button, which is used to fire at your enemies onscreen, and a
PAUSE
button, for which you use to (surprise!) pause the game. There is also
a switch which turns the Super Scope on, and to either regular or turbo
mode. In the middle, on both the left and right hand side, are two
clips
on which you slide on the site-eyepiece holder. On the far end of the
gun,
on the bottom, is a 6" grip where you hold the gun while the other end
is mounted on your shoulder. On the grip is another, small button
labeled
CURSOR, which, I assume, moves the cursor in some games that use it
(the
Super Scope 6 Game Pak does not). To set up your Super Scope, place the receiver on top of your TV, in the middle. Plug the sensor into controller port 2. Attach the site-eyepiece holder on either side of the gun. Slide the eyepiece into the site-eyepiece holder, making sure the plastic tap fits into the cooresponding slit in the holder. And, put in batteries, of course. Super Scope games have a calibration system, where a target comes up on the screen, and you look through the eyepiece, and when you have the bullseye on the target lined up with the site, you press fire. The one big drawback to the Super Scope is its horrendous battery consumption. It will suck those six AA batteries dry in about 3-4 hours, depending on if you leave the gun on all the time while playing and waiting between scenes, the batteries you use, and such. Also, there is no way to use an AC adapter with it. So, make sure you have a good set of rechargable batteries if you get a Super Scope. The Super Scope uses an infared receiver to pick up signals from the gun. The good news is that infared technology has come along quite a way since my NES days, when I had an infared Beeshu Superstick who's infared sensor was so poor I was almost driven out of my mind; I was lucky if I could figure out where to sit so the sensor on the stick and on the receiver would work, and even then, the control was often very jerky, as if many of my moves didn't even make it. Anyways, the Super Scope doesn't have too many problems with the infared, though, it still isn't exactly perfect. Occasionally, if you are standing close and aim the gun too low, the receiver will not receive the signal from the gun. Also, make sure you don't stand too far to the left and to the right of your TV. One other problem with the Super Scope; the eyepiece, when you slide and snap it in, may become loose over time. This means, the eyepiece will slide up and down its "track". This can be annoying in the middle of a game, especially if you prefer to have the eyepiece all the way towards you. I took the eyepiece, and set it back in with the tab just out of the slit, so it stays in in place, and so the angle of view through the site is still accurate. The game that comes with the Super Scope, the "Super NES Super Scope 6" Game Pak, contains six different games, divided into two groups. One group is "LazerBlazer", the other "Blastris". The Blastris games are variations on Tetris, using a gun, of course and a game similar to "whack-a-mole". In game A, large blocks go across the screen from left to right, and you shoot the individual blocks to make the pieces fit to complete lines up and down. In game B, you have the normal tetris field, with individual blocks of different colors, which you shoot to change color. Arrange four blocks in a row of the same color, horozontally or vertically, and they disappear, and you score. The other Blastris game is "Mole Patrol", where moles pop up randomly for a second before ducking back down into the ground, and then ya shoot 'em! The other group, LazerBlazer, which is more worthy of note, consists of three cool games. One is a game where you shoot oncoming missiles, with four different missile distances from you possible; this is, in my opinion, the best game on the cart. Another game, Confront, is a game where you shoot at flying saucers coming towards and away from you on the screen, and shoot missiles at you, which you can shoot and destory; get nailed with too many missiles, and you are dead. This is actually a very tough game! The third is called Interceptor; it is a game where you have a gunner's perspective on an aircraft, and enemy places are flying towards you, firing missles. You shoot the planes and their missiles, all the while making sure you don't take too much damage or run out of fuel; this game is also quite difficult. All these games are fun for a while, and offer a good challenge, but have little long-term play value. Only one person at a time can use a Super Scope. Too bad; it would have been soooo cool to play a game with two players (or more!), where each player had their own Super Scope! There is a game, Terminator 2: The Arcade Game, where you could play two players simultaneously, where one player could use the Super Scope (one could also use the mouse). Here is an interesting question I have asked: has anyone ever used a NES to SNES adapter, plugged in a Zapper game (like Duck Hunt), and tried playing it with the Super Scope? I have been told it does not work, at least with the Super 8. How about other NES-to-SNES adapters? The Super Scope only had a few games for it (see below. If you know of any I didn't list, email me). Light gun games, regardless of how cool the gun is, have never been very popular; you could count the number of NES Zapper games without taking off your shoes :) . Alas, the Super Scope also had lukewarm support. Nintendo backed the Super Scope, but few else did. Too bad, because the Super Scope really is, as far as light guns go, very nice indeed. Games compatible with the Super Scope:
Info and pics ripped from eBay |
