How To: Mod Your NES Duck Hunt Zapper into a Real-Life Laser Gun

Who doesn't love Duck Hunt? It's arguably one of the most popular games ever created for the original NES system, even in spite of the mocking dog that everyone hates. I'm sure a lot of people still have their old controllers in the attic somewhere, so unless you're lucky enough to have an NES that still works, why not put that childhood nostalgia to good use?

With this tutorial by the guys over at North Street Labs, you can turn your old gun controller into a real-life Zapper that sets stuff on fire with a high-powered laser, Obviously, this is the kind of beam gun you shouldn't point at your TV.

This is a relatively simple mod. NSL started out by taking apart the controller and removing all the insides except for the switch and trigger mechanism. They added a power wire and got rid of some plastic supports inside the gun to make room for the batteries.

Next, they added the laser component, a 445nm M140 diode. This laser is actually powerful enough to blind you pretty much instantly, so NSL decided to include a safety in the base.

Now, all that was left to do was wire everything together. Check out the video below to see it in all its fire-setting glory.

Want to make your own? Head over to North Street Labs for step-by-step instructions and photos.