Ready, Aim...FIRE!
And So It Starts...
Sharp Shot was one of the first video games to be targeted at a "young" audience. The box I have claims it is a "specially designed game for children over 4. Its appeal to these younger kids was certainly true back in its heydey. This was one of the only games that I could play with my father and have any chance of beating him at (mainly because it is a button pressing game that has few rules and very little strategy).
The game is made up of four mini-games, which you play one at a time:
1) Football Passing (based on NFL Football)--> you are a quarterback who must call the hike and complete a pass to a computer-controlled receiver
2) Spaceship Shooting (based on Space Battle)--> you are a gunner and must shoot ships as they pass through your crosshairs
3) Submarine Torpedoes (based loosely on Sea Battle)--> your sub must shoot torpedoes at boats that pass nearby
4) Maze Shoot (based loosely on Advanced Dungeons & Dragons)--> you shoot arrows through a maze to hit dungeon dwelling creatures like spiders and demons
Control
The disc moves you back and forth in all games, and the side buttons are used for shooting. The simple play control makes it very easy to pick up, and the fact that all of the games are timed to a single minute means that you have ample chances to beat your best score.
Graphics and Sound
It suffices to say that this game is on par with graphics at the time. If you haven't played the games that each of the mini-games are based on, the graphics and sound will seem somewhat dull. These are essentially watered-down versions of the titles they are based on. The only novel approach is in the Maze Shoot game, which is only loosely based on AD&D.
I know that I enjoy the football mini-game a lot because I was unable to grasp the complexity of NFL Football (with its accompanying playbook!) when I first began playing the Intellivision.
Will This Gather Dust?
Although this game doesn't have the deepest story, (aka none at all), it is a very easy game to pick up. I find myself playing it and promising myself "just one more game" to try to hit one more ship or kill one more spider!
Overall Recommendation:
Buy this if:
* You liked the games NFL Football, Space Battle, Sub Hunt, or AD&D.
* You want to play a game with a young child and not have to sit through cinematics.
* You played it when you were young. It's still as good.