Light Gun
Point and shoot gaming
The input device category that enabled shooting gallery games from arcades to living rooms, using screen detection technology.
Overview
Light guns are pointing devices that detect where on a screen the player is aiming, enabling shooting gallery and rail shooter games. The technology evolved from 1930s shooting gallery machines through arcade games to home consoles, creating an entire genre of gaming.
The original CRT-based technology depended on detecting screen phosphor timing, which is why classic light guns don’t work on modern flat-panel displays.
Fast Facts
- First use: 1936 (Seeburg Ray-O-Lite)
- First video game use: 1972 (Magnavox Odyssey)
- Technology: CRT detection, later infrared
- Peak era: 1980s-1990s
- Decline: Transition to LCD/plasma displays
How CRT Light Guns Work
Classic light guns detected screen timing:
- Trigger pulled, screen blanks momentarily
- Target areas flash white sequentially
- Photodiode in gun detects flash
- Timing of detection identifies target
This required CRT displays - the technology read the electron beam position.
Key Light Gun Hardware
Different platforms had their own light guns:
| Device | Platform | Year | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| NES Zapper | NES | 1984 | Orange icon |
| Sega Light Phaser | Master System | 1986 | 3D glasses compatible |
| Super Scope | SNES | 1992 | Wireless, bazooka style |
| GunCon | PlayStation | 1995 | Time Crisis |
| Dreamcast Light Gun | Dreamcast | 1999 | House of the Dead |
The Arcade Golden Age
Light guns thrived in arcades:
- Operation Wolf (1987) - Military shooter
- Lethal Enforcers (1992) - Police action
- Virtua Cop (1994) - 3D polygons
- Time Crisis (1995) - Cover mechanic
- House of the Dead (1996) - Horror theme
Modern Alternatives
When CRTs disappeared, new technologies emerged:
- Wii Remote - Infrared sensor bar
- PlayStation Move - Camera tracking
- Light gun attachments - Hold controller like gun
None perfectly replicated the CRT experience.