website/content/software/qwak.md

title, tags, years, params

title	tags	years	params
Qwak!	duck hunting lightgun	1974	image specs screenshots machines company oc_id source /media/museum/software/arcade_atari_qwak_ss1.jpg label value year of release 1974 label value companies Atari label value type game label value media arcade cabinet label value systems Arcade label value number of players 1 player title subtitle text image with bezel but display not switched on /media/museum/software/arcade_atari_qwak_ss1.jpg title subtitle text image arcade cabinet /media/museum/software/arcade_atari_qwak_cab_1.jpg /museum/misc-arcade-video-games /companies/misc 706 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230602114726/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/software_detail.asp?id=706 2023-06-02

Qwak! is a 1 player arcade game by Atari released in 1974. It simulates duck hunting, where the player must shoot flying on-screen ducks using a light gun attached to the cabinet.

One duck flies across the screen at a time, giving the player three shots to hit it. A hunting dog runs out and collects the fallen prize if the player was successful with their aim.

Qwak! was the first arcade videogame using a light-gun, but not the first videogame ever. The first videogame system, Magnavox Odyssey already was using a lightgun (as an option) as early as 1972!

Qwak is the newest addition to Atari's unique line of video skill games. It's a sensational one player gun attraction with video ducks flying up and around the screen.

The player clutches a rifle - attached to the game by a steel cable - and fires at flying ducks. A specially developped light gun has been installed in the barrel of the rifle, and immediately after pulling the trigger, the screen shows where your shot was placed by lighting up at the exact spot hit.

Players are allowed three shots to hit each duck before it disappears and another fliers out. The flying ducks make unusual authentic "qwak" sounds.

If the player hits the duck, it folds its wings and nose-dives for the marsh below, and the hit duck makes a "buzz bomb" sound as it falls.

To complete the video display, a dog runs out from the right-bottom of the screen toward the fallen duck, picks up the duck, and disappears off the left bottom side. After the dog exits, another duck flies out.

Ducks never fly out of the same place, and never take the same path, and "veer" if a shot is placed near them. The score of hit ducks is visually tallied across the top of the screen.