CowHunter

CowHunter is a humorous point-and-click shooting game released in 1999, where players hunt cows instead of traditional game like deer. The game features three distinct modes: Skeet Shooting, where cows fly across the screen; Cow Tipping, where players tip over sleeping cows while avoiding dung attacks; and Target Practice, where cows pop out from behind barn doors or haystacks. With quirky weapons like the Cowabunga Rifle and a lighthearted twist on hunting games, CowHunter offers a playful and absurd take on the genre.

CowHunter: A Bovine Bloodbath of Absurdity and Nostalgia

Introduction: The Cult of the Cow

In the annals of gaming history, few titles dare to embrace the sheer, unapologetic absurdity of CowHunter (1999). A relic of the late ’90s indie scene, this point-and-click shooter eschews the gravitas of its contemporaries—Half-Life, Unreal, System Shock 2—in favor of a premise so ridiculous it circles back to brilliance: you shoot cows. Not just any cows, but flying cows, dung-flinging cows, and cows that pop out of barns like whack-a-mole targets. Developed by the obscure Tuna Technologies Ltd. and published by Xicat Interactive, CowHunter is a game that defies conventional analysis. It is neither a masterpiece nor a disaster—it is a cultural artifact, a joke stretched into a full-fledged (if brief) gaming experience.

At its core, CowHunter is a satirical deconstruction of hunting simulators, a genre that, by 1999, was already well-established with titles like Deer Hunter and Cabela’s Big Game Hunter. Where those games sought realism, CowHunter embraced surrealism. Where they offered solemn reverence for nature, CowHunter offered cows firing feces at your disembodied hand. It is a game that asks: What if hunting was stupid? And then it answers that question with unbridled glee.

This review will dissect CowHunter in exhaustive detail—its development, its mechanics, its bizarre charm, and its legacy as a cult curiosity rather than a commercial success. We will explore why, despite its simplicity (or perhaps because of it), the game remains a fascinating footnote in the history of PC gaming.

---

Development History & Context: The Birth of a Bovine Oddity

The Studio Behind the Slaughter: Tuna Technologies Ltd.

CowHunter was the brainchild of Tuna Technologies Ltd., a small development studio that, despite its modest output, contributed to a handful of notable (and not-so-notable) titles in the late ’90s and early 2000s. The company’s portfolio includes Fruit Fall (a casual puzzle game) and later work on Carmageddon 3: TDR 2000 and Xyanide, suggesting a penchant for offbeat, often humorous projects.

The game’s concept originator, Reto Bodmer, and designer/producer Alex Amsel (who also worked on 31 other games, per MobyGames) crafted CowHunter as a deliberate parody of the hunting genre. The late ’90s were a golden age for hunting simulators, with games like Deer Hunter (1997) and Cabela’s franchises dominating the market. These games were often serious, slow-paced, and hyper-realistic, catering to an audience that valued authenticity in virtual hunting.

CowHunter was the antithesis of that philosophy.

Technological Constraints & Design Philosophy

Released exclusively for Windows in 1999, CowHunter was built within the limitations of late-’90s PC gaming. The game runs on 2D sprites and simple point-and-click mechanics, eschewing the 3D acceleration that was becoming standard in shooters like Quake III Arena (also 1999). This was not a technical limitation so much as a stylistic choice—the game’s humor thrives on its cartoony, exaggerated aesthetic.

The development team, consisting of just five people (including programmer Mark Fitt and artwork by Graphic State), had neither the budget nor the ambition to compete with AAA titles. Instead, they leaned into minimalism and absurdity, crafting a game that could be described as:
– A shooting gallery (like Duck Hunt, but with cows).
– A parody of hunting culture (replacing deer with livestock).
– A surrealist comedy (cows flying through the air, firing dung).

The Gaming Landscape of 1999: A Year of Contrasts

1999 was a pivotal year in gaming:
– FPS giants (Half-Life, Unreal Tournament, Quake III) dominated the market.
– Adventure games (Grim Fandango, The Longest Journey) pushed narrative boundaries.
– Simulators (Microsoft Flight Simulator 2000, Deer Hunter 2) catered to niche audiences.

CowHunter existed in none of these spaces. It was too silly for simulators, too simple for FPS fans, and too shallow for adventure gamers. Yet, in its own way, it carved out a niche as a novelty title—something to play for a few minutes, laugh at, and then move on.

Its commercial performance was negligible (MobyGames lists only 11 players who have collected it), but its cultural impact lingers in the memories of those who stumbled upon it in bargain bins or abandonware sites.

---

Narrative & Thematic Deep Dive: The Absurdity of the Premise

Plot? What Plot?

CowHunter has no narrative. There is no protagonist, no villain, no backstory. You are a faceless, nameless hunter (or, in Cow Tipping mode, a disembodied hand) tasked with one mission: shoot cows.

The game’s “story” is conveyed entirely through its gameplay modes and weapon names:
– Cowabunga Rifle (a pun on “cow” and “ka-bunga,” evoking surf culture).
– Mooozi Machine Gun (a play on “Uzi” and “moo”).
– Super Mag Pistol (a generic but amusingly named sidearm).

This lack of narrative is not a flaw—it is the point. CowHunter is anti-story, a game that rejects the increasingly cinematic ambitions of late-’90s gaming in favor of pure, unfiltered gameplay.

Themes: Satire, Surrealism, and the Absurd

While CowHunter lacks a traditional narrative, it is rich in thematic subtext (whether intentional or not):

1. Parody of Hunting Culture

   • Hunting games of the era treated the act of killing animals with solemn reverence.
   • CowHunter mocked this seriousness by replacing deer with cows—animals more associated with farming than sport.
   • The inclusion of flying cows and dung attacks further undermines the “noble hunter” trope.

2. Surrealism as Comedy

   • The game’s humor relies on juxtaposition:
     • Cows in flight (defying physics).
     • Dung as a weapon (turning the hunter into the hunted).
     • Hamburgers as bonuses (a darkly comedic nod to the fate of cows).
   • This surrealism aligns with absurdist comedy, where the joke is the sheer illogic of the scenario.

3. Anti-Violence Satire?

   • Some interpretations suggest CowHunter is a commentary on the violence in video games.
   • By making the targets cows (docile, farm animals) rather than predators or game animals, the game highlights the arbitrariness of virtual violence.
   • The lack of blood or gore (cows simply vanish when shot) further emphasizes the cartoonish, consequence-free nature of the gameplay.

Characters & Dialogue: The Silent Slaughter

There are no characters in CowHunter—only cows, hamburgers, and your cursor.

• The Cows: Exaggerated, cartoonish sprites with big eyes and flailing legs. They are not threatening—they are ridiculous.
• The Dung: In Cow Tipping mode, awake cows fire feces at you, which must be clicked to deflect. This is the closest the game gets to interactive dialogue—a cow’s way of saying, “Not today, hunter.”
• The Weapons: Named with puns and wordplay, reinforcing the game’s comedic tone.

The absence of dialogue is another layer of the joke—CowHunter is gameplay as comedy, where the humor emerges from mechanics rather than writing.

---

Gameplay Mechanics & Systems: Point, Click, Moo

Core Gameplay Loop: The Art of Bovine Extermination

CowHunter is a point-and-click shooter with three distinct modes, each offering a variation on the same basic premise: shoot cows, earn points.

1. Skeet Shooting: The Flying Cow Circus

• Premise: Cows (and occasional hamburgers) fly across the screen in three different pastoral backgrounds.
• Mechanics:
  • Point and click to shoot.
  • Hamburgers act as bonuses, granting extra points.
  • No reload mechanic—you can fire indefinitely.
• Pacing: Fast, frantic, and score-driven.
• Humor: The sheer absurdity of cows in flight (like a bovine airshow).

2. Cow Tipping: The Disembodied Hand of Justice

• Premise: You play as a floating hand attempting to tip over sleeping cows.
• Mechanics:
  • Click on a cow to tip it.
  • Awake cows fire dung projectiles at you—click to deflect.
  • Timing is key—some cows are fake asleep.
• Pacing: Slower, more strategic than Skeet Shooting.
• Humor: The dung-deflection mini-game is both gross and hilarious.

3. Target Practice: Whack-a-Cow

• Premise: Cows peek out from behind barn doors and haystacks.
• Mechanics:
  • Quick reflexes required—cows appear and disappear rapidly.
  • Precision matters—missing a shot means lost points.
• Pacing: Methodical but tense.
• Humor: The sudden, almost jump-scare appearance of cows.

Weapons & Progression: The Arsenal of Absurdity

CowHunter offers three weapons, each with distinct sounds and firing rates:
1. Cowabunga Rifle – The default weapon, balanced and reliable.
2. Super Mag Pistol – Faster firing, less powerful.
3. Mooozi Machine Gun – Rapid-fire chaos, ideal for Skeet Shooting.

There is no character progression—no upgrades, no unlocks. The only “progression” is improving your high score.

UI & Controls: Simplicity as a Virtue

• Controls: Mouse-only (point and click).
• UI: Minimalist—score counter, weapon selection, mode selection.
• Feedback: Visual and auditory—cows “moo” when hit, dung makes a splat sound when deflected.

The lack of complexity is intentional—CowHunter is accessible to anyone, requiring no tutorial or skill curve.

Innovative or Flawed Systems?

Innovative	Flawed
Absurdist humor in gameplay	No depth—repetitive after 20 minutes
Three distinct modes add variety	No difficulty scaling—easy to master
Dung-deflection mechanic is unique	No multiplayer—purely single-player
Hamburger bonuses add risk/reward	No save system—scores reset on exit

CowHunter is not a deep game, but it doesn’t pretend to be. Its flaws are inherent to its design—it is a joke stretched into a game, and it succeeds on those terms.

---

World-Building, Art & Sound: The Aesthetics of the Absurd

Setting & Atmosphere: The Farmyard Apocalypse

CowHunter takes place in three rural locations:
1. Skeet Shooting Fields – Open pastures with blue skies and green grass.
2. Cow Tipping Pasture – A moonlit farm, eerie and quiet.
3. Target Practice Barn – A rustic wooden barn, haystacks, and doors.

The atmosphere is lighthearted and cartoonish, with no attempt at realism. The game embraces its surrealism—cows do not belong in the sky, and yet here they are.

Visual Design: Cartoonish and Crisp

• Art Style: 2D sprites with bold outlines, reminiscent of Saturday morning cartoons.
• Animations:
  • Cows flail their legs while flying.
  • Dung arcs through the air in a satisfying parabola.
  • Hit reactions are exaggerated—cows spin off-screen when shot.
• Color Palette: Bright and cheerful—greens, blues, and browns dominate.

The visuals serve the humor—nothing is meant to be taken seriously.

Sound Design: Moos, Splats, and Gunfire

• Gunshots: Cartoonish “bang” sounds, not realistic.
• Cow Sounds: Exaggerated “moos” when hit.
• Dung Splats: A wet, comical “splat” when deflected.
• Music: Minimal—mostly ambient farm sounds (crickets, wind).

The sound design reinforces the game’s comedic tone—every noise is over-the-top and silly.

---

Reception & Legacy: The Cult of the Cow

Critical & Commercial Reception: A Niche Curiosity

• MobyGames Score: 2.2/5 (based on 1 rating).
• MyAbandonware Score: 3.86/5 (7 votes).
• Retro Replay: No official score, but described as “funny and not boring.”

CowHunter was never a commercial success, but it found an audience among:
– Retro gamers who appreciate obscure, humorous titles.
– Abandonware enthusiasts who dig up forgotten ’90s games.
– Irony-loving players who enjoy games that don’t take themselves seriously.

Evolution of Reputation: From Obscurity to Cult Status

In the 20 years since its release, CowHunter has gained a small but dedicated following:
– YouTube gameplay videos highlight its absurdity.
– Reddit threads (like r/retrogaming) occasionally resurrect it for laughs.
– Abandonware sites keep it available for free download.

It is not a “lost classic”—it is a cult oddity, a game that defies traditional analysis because it was never meant to be taken seriously.

Influence on Later Games: The Legacy of the Flying Cow

While CowHunter did not directly inspire any major titles, its spirit lives on in:
– Parody shooters (Deer Avenger, Postal).
– Absurdist indie games (Goat Simulator, Untitled Goose Game).
– Humor-driven FPS games (Serious Sam, Dusk).

Its biggest contribution was proving that a game could be stupid and still memorable.

---

Conclusion: The Ultimate Verdict on CowHunter

CowHunter is not a good game in the traditional sense. It is:
– Repetitive.
– Shallow.
– Lacking in depth.

And yet, it is brilliant in its unapologetic absurdity.

Final Score: 6/10 – “A Delightful Joke, Not a Masterpiece”

Category	Rating (1-10)	Notes
Gameplay	7	Simple but effective.
Humor	9	The flying cows and dung attacks are genius.
Replayability	5	Fun for 30 minutes, then fades.
Graphics	6	Crisp but intentionally basic.
Sound	7	The “moos” and “splats” are perfect.
Innovation	8	A bold parody of hunting games.
Legacy	6	A cult curiosity, not a classic.

Who Should Play CowHunter?

✅ Fans of absurd humor (if you laughed at Goat Simulator, you’ll enjoy this).
✅ Retro gaming collectors (it’s a quirky relic of the ’90s).
✅ People who need a 10-minute laugh (it’s perfect for a quick, silly session).

Who Should Avoid CowHunter?

❌ Those seeking depth (there is no story, no progression).
❌ Serious hunting sim fans (this is a parody, not a simulator).
❌ Vegetarians/Animal Rights Activists (the premise is deliberately offensive to some).

Final Thoughts: The Cow That Could (Fly)

CowHunter is not a game you play for hours—it is a game you play for laughs. It is not a masterpiece—it is a joke in interactive form. And in that regard, it succeeds spectacularly.

In the grand tapestry of gaming history, CowHunter is a tiny, bizarre thread—one that reminds us that not every game needs to be epic. Sometimes, a game about shooting flying cows is enough.

So load up your Cowabunga Rifle, take aim, and ask yourself: Why are these cows flying?

And then laugh, because the answer doesn’t matter.