Get your fill of shooting furry little critters in the face with out top ten list of best deer hunting games.
Setting up and taking out a leaping deer with a perfectly timed shot is a thrilling and satisfying experience that few hunting games can actually do well. For that reason we have taken it upon ourselves to test out copious amounts of hunting games and come up with a list of the top ten best hunting games. It was a long hard slog with many digital creatures finding their way into the light thanks to our trigger finger but it was well worth at the following list will no doubt show you.
10. Sniper Deer Hunting
It does exactly what it says on the tin, you get a sniper rifle and a bunch of deer in your crosshairs. There are few thrills to enjoy with Sniper Deer Hunting, there's no strategy, no tricks to use and no choice in weapons.. While it may sound very basic, and in truth it is, the shooting is still very entertaining and and the whole game is wonderfully crafted for quick action packed snippets of gaming.
Go for a good clean kill
While most games on this list give you a wide variety of locations and animals to kill the focus here is well and truly just on deer, which as I’m sure you can imagine gets a little dull after a while. For that reason, and the fact that the weaponry selection is just the same rifle in different skins, this game is at the bottom of our list. It’s fun but just a little bit limited to be any higher up.
9. Bag a Monster Buck
From the deserts of Texas to the forests of New York you’ll leave a trail of dead deer stretching right across the country with this browser based hunting game.
Bag yourself a prize stag
It’s simple and I do mean that in the nicest possible way. Like an old school shooter deer enter your screen from the left and the right and you are tasked with shooting them down before they exit forever, it's a tried and tested forumla that brings back a few good memories of games from my childhood. Bag a Monster Buck doesn't add anything to this side shooting genre but it doesn't really need to, it's good enough to keep you returning every time you get a little bit bored. Each area of the game gives you a set amount of deer and you have to shoot down a certain amount before you are able to move on to the next level.
It’s a basic principle but one that works quite well, the game is an entertaining way to waste some time and procrastinate while putting off something that needs to be done. Indeed I put more time into taking out deer than I ever needed to while I should have been writing this article simply because it was such an easy entertaining game to play.
8. World of Hunting
Like the previous two games on this list this is an online browser based hunting game that lacks depth when compared to most of the other games on this top ten list. That being said though this is once again a perfect choice for players who are just looking for a quick and enjoyable hunting experience.
The gameplay is quick and fast and the weapons are well balanced and varied, adding a small element of strategy to what would otherwise be a straightforward shooter . The variety of prey is not massive but those animals that are included are well presented in a slick and visually impressive manner.
Boom headshot
This is not a game that is going to take up many hours of your time and it’s not going to be a go to gaming experience for people that really love their hunting. That being said though it’s the perfect browser based hunting experience for those who enjoy shooting deer in the face for five minutes just to waste a little bit of time.
7. Deer Hunter 2014
Deer Hunter is another game aimed squarely at the casual gamer who’s looking for a quick hunting experience without having to create complex plans to stalk and take down the prey. There’s no need to wait for a long time to get the perfect shot in Deer Hunter 2014.
While the gameplay is simple the game does offer the player more depth with an impressive selection of customization options that you don't get in similar games. You can take your favourite sniper rifle and change out a bunch of parts on it, from additional scopes to silencers to the likes of larger magazines. It’s a nice touch that’s a little depth and basic RPG elements to the game.
Always aim for the heart
What really feels great about Deer Hunter 2014 though is the ability to target specific organs on the animals. You can take down a deer with a nice clean shot through the heart or if you are of a more sadistic persuasion you can aim for the lungs and give it a brutal death. It’s a fun concept that’s implemented into the shooting mechanics well and feels wonderfully natural rather than a simple gimmick.
6. Remington Super Slam Hunting: Alaska
Don’t be looking for any semblance or reality in Remington Super Slam Hunting, there’s absolutely no stealth or strategy elements to be found whatsoever. You could play this for hour upon hour and never once get close to doing anything resembling actual hunting. So why is it on our list of best hunting games out there? Because it’s a brilliantly entertaining old school style arcade shooter.
Combo time
This is exactly the sort of game you step up to in an arcade and drain all of your pocket money into. It’s stupid, ridiculous and entertaining as all hell. The animals come on thick and fast and constant upgrades and bonus hits keep the action new and exciting.
There are numerous beasts to hunt and kill from deer right through to leaping salmon. Yes that’s right you read that correctly, you can actually shoot a leaping Salmon in the face with a shotgun, or even a bow and arrow if that’s more your speed. Deer are certainly the most common animal and like most hunting games at heart this is built around killing young bucks and working your way upwards from there to large carnivores like Wolves and even the odd Brown Bear.
Things have gotten out of hand here
Everything here is geared towards quick but fun gameplay and it delivers on that goal with surprising efficiency. A game that just spawns animals and makes them run towards and attack you should, in principle at least, not work all that well. And yet here we have a game that does exactly that and keeps you thoroughly entertained.
Is Remington Super Slam Hunting: Alaska ridiculous? Most definitely.
Is it stupid as all hell? Most assuredly yes.
Is it entertaining as feck? Oh hell yes it is.
5. Deer Drive
Lung shot is a phrase that can induce a sort of primal satisfaction in a man’s heart like few others can. When you’ve just blasted a poor young buck to shreds with your shotgun the voice over screaming Lung shot with barely contained glee is a most satisfying experience.
Just like Remington Super Slam Hunting: Alaska Deer Drive focuses on giving you a more exciting arcade style of gameplay rather than a more traditional hunting simulation game.
Reload faster damn it
Deer Drive goes further into the arcade mode though with a really cheesy but terribly hilarious voice over soundtrack that lets out a big deep “Oh Yeah” when you take a deer through the chest when it’s jumping, the pop up caption of ‘Trick Shot’ seems to rub salt into the poor deer’s mortal wound.
Deer Drive tries to incorporate a multiplayer aspect with a two player competitive option or a more full on party mode for big groups of people. I can only imagine the hilarity of taking down a herd of deer after you’ve pounded back a few cold beers.
The action is extremely fast paced and consists of you mostly aiming as fast as you can and squeezing off accurate shots before the various critters in your sights decide to bring the pain crashing down on your head.
Most of the animals you’ll hunt down will be deer with the odd bear or mountain lion thrown in to keep you on your toes, and oddly enough a couple of squirrels too. It's a nice variety that keeps you changing your weapons and strategies to make sure you are always prepared for the challenges the game throws at you.
4. The Hunter 2012
Unlike the previous games on our list The Hunter 2012 is designed far more for those hunting fans who actually want to have a simulation experience rather than a straight up action shooter that has a ridiculous voice overs congratulating you on shooting a peeing deer.
So pretty
The Hunter boasts a wide variety of different deer to shoot and kill alongside a few other types of animals, including boar and even pheasants.
The Hunter is easily the most visually stunning game on our list so far and its list of available hunting grounds is also thoroughly impressive. Yet what sets it apart from other deer hunting games is the need for strategic planning and forward thinking.
Here the prey are far more difficult to find and more difficult to bring down. You won’t just aimlessly shoot at the Mule Deer until its dead, if you do that you'll miss and the deer will scarper before you can line up your sights once again. Instead you’ll need to plan your approach to the best vantage point and then you’ll take a quick moment to check your shot and pull the trigger. And if you’ve done everything right and if you're lucky you’ll be having a venison steak for dinner.
3. Deer Hunt Legends
On the face of it I think it’s fair to say that Deer Hunt Legends does not come across all that special. It gives you a rifle, a screen full of animals and tells you to go nuts and bag as many headshots as you can.
It comes across as another arcade style shooter that’s fun but at times quite repetitive. Well trust me you can take that initial assumption and rip it up into a thousand tiny little pieces because Deer Hunt Legends gives you vast areas all over the globe to use as your own personal hunting grounds. You get to travel the world and take down some of the biggest and baddest prey in existence.
You start out your career taking down deer and cute little birdies, but by the end of your career you'll be travelling back eons just so you can take down a terrifying roaring T-Rex that is just baying for your blood.
I got a big head and little arms
Quite frankly this game feels incredibly ridiculous to play, probably more so than any other game on this list, and as you can tell from the T-Rex segment the level of authenticity and realism is somewhat low in Deer Hunt Legends.
That being said though it is a greatly enjoyable game with some good shooting mechanics and enough depth and interest to its locations and prey to keep even the keenest arcade shooting aficionado happy and content for hours.
2. Deer Hunter Tournament
We’re back to a straight up hunting game here, there’s no arcade shooting to be found and no messy animal filled screens to be had.
Deer Hunter Tournament is all about taking the player into the most prestigious hunting grounds around the world and giving them a true taste of the hunting life as they struggle to bag themselves a real prize buck.
Let me just stand here so you can get a good shot
The visuals leave a little bit to be desired if I’m honest but that’s really a nit-picking complaint on my behalf, the gameplay mechanics, particularly in reference to the shooting is a very solid and enjoyable experience and with the added trophy system you really get a sense of accomplishment when you take down a particularly large stag.
It also means you have to be more logical and strategic in the way you approach your kills. You cannot simply shoot haphazardly into your targets, you must set up your kills cleanly and efficiently so as to maximise the points the kill earns you.
Deer Hunter Tournament also adds another realistic element by allowing the players to build stands and blinds which not only make you feel more like a hunter but can allow you to take on more exotic animals and give you even more points towards becoming the ultimate hunting machine.
1. Cabela's Big Game Hunter: Pro Hunts
Now this right here folks is a real hunting simulator, in fact it might be as close to simulating a real hunt as you can get on a digital platform. The landscapes are beautifully crafted and the animals look and move like their real life counterparts in a way few other hunting games have managed to achieve.
Meet the pros
If you’re after a hunting simulator rather than a hunting game then you don’t need to look any further than Big Gamer Hunter.
The game has a large catalogue of accurately replicated weapons for you to wage a one man rampage against the furry creatures of the world, they are all beautifully sculpted weapons that pack a real punch when you finally manage to get your target in the centre of your crosshairs. You are also able to employ a number of different tactics to try and get the animals to come to you, including making deer and duck calls.
Is this fecking Bambi?
What Big Game Hunter also adds though are real life hunters that pass on their tips and tricks as they take you out and hunt alongside you. This adds another level of realism to this simulation that truly makes it the very best hunting game for those hard-core hunting fans.
You'll willingly put hours of your life into this game just to make sure you get the perfect shot off at that one prize bear, you'll only see a few animals compared to a lot of games on this but none can match the level of satisfaction Big Game Hunter can give you.
