Dog (Duck Hunt)

Dog
Laughing Dog's artwork from Duck Hunt.
Series	Duck Hunt
First Appearance	Duck Hunt (1984)
Species	Dog
Created by	Hiroji Kiyotake

The Dog (sometimes called the Laughing Dog) in Duck Hunt for the Nintendo Entertainment System is an infamous character. In Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U, he becomes a part of Duck Hunt. The dog has become a sort of icon of the game due to him laughing at the player whenever they fail to shoot a duck, and his popularity has even got him mentioned on TV.

Despite the fact that you can shoot the dog in the VS. arcade version of Duck Hunt, unofficial titles have been released on the internet where the dog can be shot. These are typically more graphical and often result in the dog dying rather than just a face full of gunpowder like in the Vs. Series version.

Appearances

Duck Hunt

In the game, he would emerge from the grass and laugh at the player if they failed to shoot any of the ducks that appeared during the round. If the player did shoot a duck, the dog would also emerge with the duck in his hands. In the beginning of each game, the dog will appear from the left of the screen and start sniffing the ground, jumping in the grass to hide only a couple seconds later. Some players have thought that the dog can actually be shot when it laughs at the player, though this is not possible in the console version of the game.

In arcade title, however, during the bonus round the player can actually shoot the dog, which will consequently cover his face in gunpowder. Doing so will end the round. After shooting the dog, he'll get mad at the player while walking on crutches, telling him to "shoot the ducks" instead of him.

Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS/Wii U

The dog appears as a part of an unlockable playable character, Duck Hunt. The dog has a duck that sits on his back and assists him in his attacks. This is somewhat reminiscent of another NES originated pair of fighters, the Ice Climbers. Unlike the Ice Climbers where Nana was computer-controlled the dog and duck move as one unit. He can be unlocked by clearing Classic Mode 8 times or by playing 110 VS matches in the 3DS version and making a KO in Cruel Smash or play 100 VS matches.

He is mostly reliant on setting up projectile attacks, and his infamous laugh is used during his entrance animation, a taunt, victory animation and his final smash. He notably not only represents Duck Hunt, but also various other games that utilized the NES Zapper, such as Hogan's Alley (with his neutral special) and Wild Gunman (with his down special).

Other appearances

• Barker Bill's Trick Shooting: The dog appears in one of the five Zapper based games, where the player needs to shoot a number of balloons before they leave the screen. In this game you can actually shoot him, which would cost the player a life and make the dog angry. Just like in Duck Hunt he laughs at the player when all lives are lost.
• WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!: One of the micro-games is based on Dunk Hunt and the dog makes an appearance.
• WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!: Once again the dog appears in the Duck Hunt micro-game, which is the same as in the Game Boy game.
• Tetris DS: The dog appears in level 19 of Standard Mode.
• WarioWare D.I.Y. Showcase: Similar to its appearance in other games, the dog will appear in the Duck Hunt themed microgame.

Non-Nintendo appearances

• Duck Season: The dog that acts as the main antagonist of the game depending on the players actions is based on the dog from Duck Hunt, right down to taunting the player and the way he holds up a shot down duck.