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Big Buck Hunter

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Big Buck Hunter
Developer(s)Play Mechanix, Inc
Publisher(s)Raw Thrills (arcade)
Game Mill Entertainement (Switch, PS4, Xbox One, Windows)
Platform(s)Arcade, iOS, Microsoft Windows, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch
Release
  • Arcade
  • 2000
  • iOS
  • October 29, 2009
  • Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One
  • October 25, 2016
  • Nintendo Switch
  • October 16, 2018

Big Buck Hunter is a hunting video game developed by Play Mechanix, Inc. Primarily developed for arcades, it centers on shooting up bucks without shooting a doe or female animal, thus ending the player's turn prematurely.

The initial series of games from 2000-2005 operated on a single gun platform and allowed four players to compete round robin style through various treks and bonus stages. Big Buck Hunter Pro and Big Buck Safari introduced a two gun platform, allowing head-to-head competition in addition to a variety of new animals and critters to hunt.

Gameplay

Inspired by Duck Hunt, the game's goal is to shoot the male animals as they run across the screen. The round ends when a female one is shot.[1] Each scene will begin with a couple of animals walking without any suspicions. After a first shot is done, the animals will begin running and the hunt starts.[2] Big Buck Hunter is separated in five screens, also known as "treks". A hunting sessions concludes in a bonus round.[3] The players can either participate solo or one on one by using two plastic rifles.[4] How much points will be earned depends on certain factors like distance, weight and accuracy. There are different states to choose from with a variety of animals, like antelope or moose.[5] The hunting can be done in different conditions varying from fog to snow, with overall 16 bonus rounds.[6] All of the Big Buck HD machines are networked so they can track the players' rankings through online leaderboards.[7] Big Buck HD was the first edition to integrate Facebook and Twitter. That allows players to share and compare scores and awards via social networks.[8]

Tournaments

Big Buck Hunter game cabinets that have been connected to the CoinUp Network can support local and national tournaments. If a game cabinet is participating in a current tournament, the 'Tournaments' button will appear on the first Game Selection Screen. After selecting the Tournament button, the player can scroll through all tournaments currently playing on that game cabinet. The Big Buck Hunter National Tournament runs monthly (usually from the 7th to the 27th of each month). Players can find out about current tournament, prizes, participating locations and follow their tournament ranking at the Big Buck Hunter Website.

Beginning in 2008[9], a World Championship Tournament was introduced.[10] It brings in 64 people from all over the world in an elimination tournament, where the highest rated players in each region get to earn an invite for the event.[11] Regional Qualifying tournaments occur in August and September, with winners advancing to the World Championship Tournament, which occurred in Chicago for 6 years. On November 10, 2012, the Big Buck Hunter World Tournament was held in the Altman Building in New York City.[12] It has also been in Minneapolis, Austin, and Las Vegas.

Development

Big Buck Hunter's concept came from George Petro, the Play Mechanix's founder, while thinking about what to do next with the company. Petro thought that hunting games were popular in homes but there was also a lack of those in arcades. He pitched the idea to the design team, and shortly after started developing the prototype with Incredible Technologies doing the manufacture of the arcade machine. Needing financial support to do an improved version of the game called Big Buck Hunter Pro, the developers contacted Raw Thrills in 2006. As a part of the agreement, Play Mechanic got a design role, while Raw Thrills took over the production and distribution.[13] The game was intended for the adult drinking community, hence it was being marketed more to be used at bars than arcades.[14]

Release

It spawned a series of new arcade versions including Big Buck Hunter Pro and Big Buck Safari. In 2012, Big Buck HD was released. It includes elements from both Big Buck Hunter Pro and Big Buck Safari in high-definition.[15] In 2009, an iOS version of Big Buck Hunter Pro was released.[16] Following that, an iOS version of Big Buck Safari was released in 2011.[17] In 2016, the game was released as Big Buck Hunter Arcade for Microsoft Windows, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 and then ported for Nintendo Switch in 2018.[18][19]

The developers partnered with Anheuser-Busch InBev, offering a special permit that unlocks a special "Great White Buck" level. The money earned from purchases of those went to the National Forest Foundation to help preserving forests in the United States.[20] Big Buck Hunter has sold around 7,500 units in 2006.[14]

References

  1. ^ Gallagher, Matt (May 5, 2015). "One Man's Mad Journey to the Big Buck Hunter Championship". Wired (magazine). Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  2. ^ Poff, Curt (November 26, 2009). "Big Buck Hunter Pro for iPhone". Macworld. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  3. ^ Halpering, Alex (November 25, 2012). "Big Buck Hunter: Meet the world's best fake marksmen". Salon (website). Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  4. ^ Lipinski, Jed (May 20, 2011). "City Dwellers With Time to Kill". The New York Times. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  5. ^ Goldman, Adam (July 25, 2006). "Deer hunting game is a surprise hit". NBC News. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  6. ^ "Big Buck Hunter". Killer List of Videogames. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  7. ^ Hill, David (December 22, 2017). "The Hunting Party: Two Wild Days in Vegas at the 'Big Buck Hunter' Championships". Thrillist. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  8. ^ Eisenband, Jeff (July 19, 2012). "Big Buck Brings HD And Social Media Technology To Arcade Game". ThePostGame. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  9. ^ Annear, Steve (November 8, 2013). "Somerville Couple Competes for Big Buck Hunter Championship". Boston (magazine). Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  10. ^ Roenigk, Alyssa (September 21, 2011). "Big bucks". ESPN. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  11. ^ McCann, Zach (November 12, 2012). "'Big Buck Hunter' championship hits NYC". ESPN. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  12. ^ Robinson, Ben (November 9, 2012). "The Big Buck Hunter Is The Hunted: Stalking The Chance To Play For The Video-Deer-Shooting Championship". Deadspin. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  13. ^ Zimmerman, Jenn (February 23, 2011). "'Big Buck Hunter' a trophy kill for Glen Ellyn company". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  14. ^ a b Gerdeman, Dina (July 11, 2007). "Shootout at the local pub: Big Buck Hunter is a direct hit". Pekin Daily Times. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  15. ^ "BigBuckHunterHD". Play Mechanix. Retrieved 8 September 2012.
  16. ^ Chiappara, Damian (October 31, 2009). "Big Buck Hunter Pro Review". AppSpy. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  17. ^ "Merge Interactive Launches Big Buck Safari® on iTunes". Business Wire. October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  18. ^ "GameMill Entertainment Launches Classic Big Buck Hunter® Arcade on PlayStation®4, Xbox One and Windows PC". GameMill Entertainment. October 25, 2016. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  19. ^ "The World Ends With You tops this week's big Nintendo Switch eShop update". Polygon (website). October 14, 2011. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  20. ^ Paynter, Ben (August 28, 2019). "Drinking beer and killing virtual deer is now a good way to save America's wildlife". Fast Company. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
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