Gumshoe is a side-scrolling/Light Gun Game for the Nintendo Entertainment System.
R.L. Stevenson is an FBI agent-turned-private eye whose daughter Jennifer has been kidnapped by the gangster King Dom, who demands you bring him the five Black Panther Diamonds in exchange for her life. You must navigate Stevenson through each stage of the game by using your Zapper light gun to shoot Stevenson, which makes him jump, and shoot down any obstacles and enemies in his way, from wild animals to glass bottles.
No connection to the tabletop roleplaying game of the same name.
This game provides examples of:
- Cyclops: The final boss of the game is Zulie, a one-eyed monster that guards King Dom's hide-out.
- Endless Running Game: Mr. Stevenson is always moving, and the player has to use the light gun to either make him jump over obstacles or kill enemies.
- Everything Trying to Kill You: You'll face all kinds of unlikely enemies and obstacles, from out-of-control mob cars to birds, fish and, thrown bottles.
- Grievous Bottley Harm: One of the obstacles in the game you have to shoot down are glass bottles thrown by an unseen assailant.
- Hostage for MacGuffin: King Dom has kidnapped Stevenson's daughter Jennifer in order to get him to collect the Black Panther Diamonds.
- I Have Your Daughter: Dom has Jennifer captive to get Mr. Stevenson to do what he demands.
- Light Gun Game: Combined with Endless Running Game, the light gun is used to make Mr. Stevenson jump or kill enemies before they kill him.
- Mineral MacGuffin: The objective of the game is to collect the five Black Panther Diamonds as a ransom for Mr. Stevenson's daughter.
- One-Hit-Point Wonder: Stevenson will die if he hits any obstacle, unless you collect the Power Drink power-up that lets him take an extra hit.
- Shout-Out: The Black Panther diamonds would seem to be a reference to another comical detective story.
- Single-Use Shield: Power Drink helps Stevenson to take an extra hit.
- Solid Clouds: Clouds can be walked on.
- Treasure Is Bigger in Fiction: Diamonds are as big as Stevenson's head.
