NES

Gotcha! The Sport!

It's interesting how LJN went to great lengths to downplay the violence angle. For one thing, all your opponents wear protective gear (including goggles). When shot, orange paint splatters across their chest, and they simply run off the battlefield. Oddly enough, when you get shot, you see a big red splotch (I told you to wear that protective headgear - but noooo!). Gotcha's three stages include some colorful scenery, including a lush green forest level with scenic waterfalls, and a city stage with boarded-up buildings. But the third stage is by far the best, with its bright white snow and gorgeous blue mountains. The lounge music on the intro screen sounds a bit out of place, but otherwise the soundtrack is absolutely superb. Gotcha is a fun game that rekindled memories of playing "guns" as a kid.

If you owned a Zapper and loved the games, there'd be no reason not to check this one out. It's got enough of that boardwalk gallery charm to keep Zapper enthusiasts entertained. Unfortunately, that's where the appeal ends. It's too repetitive to be generally enjoyable, or keep anyone's interest for too long. Advanced mode gives you a goal that will require skill to best, but even then, you'll just be furiously working the same high score challenge.