Remember that episode of The Simpsons where Homer acquires a pistol and uses it recklessly for everything, from changing the TV channel to opening a can of beer? Sniper Dan takes that concept and runs with it, swapping the pistol for a high-powered sniper rifle. From the top of his tower, Dan looks down on the citizens below and helps them as best he can, firing rounds to chop down trees, help a dentist extract a bad tooth, and even remove poop from a posh man’s shoe. No job is too big or too small for this cheerful crack-shot.
After a brief tutorial, you’re presented with several Where’s Wally/Waldo-style dioramas, each containing around a dozen things to find and shoot. The day can only be called a success after ticking off every job, although hints are available if you get stuck. The stages gradually grow larger and more complex, progressing from a park and a dock to a city and, eventually, an airport. Familiar characters frequently return in amusing or daft predicaments, helping to maintain the playful tone throughout.
It commits fully to its sniping premise: even the menus are navigated by aiming and shooting. That extends to the market square, where you buy décor for Dan’s office and upgrade his rifle by firing at your chosen options and next mission. It’s a clunky way of doing things, but you have to admire the dedication to the joke.
Each job is described only briefly, giving you a rough idea of what you’re looking for. Some targets spring into view almost instantly, while others require you to think differently and scour the scene more thoroughly. Completing the final job after a good five minutes of searching is often satisfying. Fulfilled requests also trigger short animations, some of which are completely unexpected, such as champagne erupting from a chimney after helping pop the cork.
Each stage has three different days – and therefore three job lists – to complete. However, the scenes don’t change from one day to the next, apart from quest-specific NPCs and objects. This means the third day is usually a breeze, as you’re only really looking for things that have changed. There is still quite a bit to explore and see, though, including bonus shooting galleries, challenging boss battles against a giant shrimp and a carnivorous plant, and harder difficulty settings that introduce time limits and limited ammunition. The market square also has bowling and tennis minigames to purchase, although they require a hefty outlay of fame points. While completing the six main locations takes only around four to five hours, there is plenty of ‘scope’ to stick around for much longer.
Visually, the game is a little crude, presumably designed with the original Switch or low-spec PCs in mind. It isn’t without merit, though: each scene is appropriately busy and contains enough animation to feel alive without obscuring the objectives. The gormless, Duplo-like characters pair well with the daft humour, too.
Sniper Dan proves to be a compelling experience, driven by the desire to complete every objective before discovering the challenges – and joyful sights – awaiting you in the next stage. It’s mechanically sound, too, largely because it keeps things simple. What we have here is essentially a hidden-object game with foolproof sniping. It’s easy to imagine younger gamers finding this a hoot, and the irreverent humour should appeal to an audience beyond that – even those old enough to remember when The Simpsons was the funniest thing on TV.
Denki’s Sniper Dan is out now on PS5, Xbox Series, Switch 2, Switch and PC. Published by PQube.