Wild Gunman celebrates its 50th anniversary: ​​Nintendo's first arcade machine returns to Ontario Pinfest

The Ontario Pinfest 2026, a show dedicated to pinball machines and arcade games, is hosting on May 30 and 31 a recreation of Wild Gunman, the iconic Nintendo shooter released in arcades in 1974 and arrived in North America in 1976. The event marks 50 years of the arrival of this title on the continent, a pivotal milestone in Nintendo's history.

Wild Gunman, a pioneer of the Nintendo arcade

Released in Japan in 1974 before arriving in North America in 1976, Wild Gunman is one of Nintendo's first arcade machines. The principle is simple but innovative for the time: cowboys filmed in 16 mm appear on the screen, and the player must draw faster than them with an optical pistol. Nintendo used a video capture technique on film with real actors, which gave the game a unique aesthetic well before the era of 3D graphics.

Wild Gunman would later be adapted for the NES in 1984, as a bundle with the Zapper, becoming one of the best-known Zapper games alongside Duck Hunt. The original terminal is today a collector's item sought by museums and collectors.

The Ontario Pinfest recreation

The recreation presented in Brantford, Ontario faithfully reproduces the appearance and operation of the original terminal. Ontario Pinfest brings together hundreds of exhibitors and visitors passionate about arcade and vintage pinball every year, and establishes itself as one of the most important retrogaming events in Canada.

Source: Time Extension