Editor-in-Chief Chris Rasco got a chance to check out the next set of Cabela’s releases from Activision when the team passed through SBG HQ in San Antonio. Here are his impressions.

Fresh off the GameStop Manager’s Show, our friends from Activision and Sandbox Strategies made a quick stop in the great city of San Antonio so we could check out the upcoming Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011. I’ve never given more than a passing glance to past hunting games, mostly because I never figured they would be all that fun. It didn’t take long before I figured out how wrong I was.

Cabela’s is no stranger to video games, with more than 30 titles released carrying the name. The Dangerous Hunts franchise debuted in 2003 for the PS2 to mixed reviews, and boy, has it come a long way. One new feature for the 2011 version of the game is the Top Shot Elite, an all new peripheral that truly enhances the gaming experience. The Wii version of the Top Shot Elite reuses the Wii Remote up front for the aiming and the Nunchuk in the rear for the trigger mechanism. The PS3 and 360 versions appear to be modeled after the Wii version in that they include a standalone sensor bar to help the gun track movement and move the on-screen target. The 360 version uses the built-in wireless technology while the PS3 version comes with a USB dongle which stores nicely in the shoulder mount. The Top Shot Elite for all 3 systems had about the same feel, although the Wii version had a more solid reloading mechanism.

I spent some time playing each version of the game to get a feel for the differences. Graphics on the 360 and PS3 versions were (unsurprisingly) more crisp than the Wii one. That version’s motion tracking was a bit smoother, though, which means a more enjoyable (and somewhat easier) experience.

Dangerous Hunts 2011 has a few different game modes, including Story Mode, Gallery Mode, and even Survival Mode. Story and Survival modes operate exactly as they sound, while we tested Gallery Mode as a 2-player head-to-head competition. Points are scored for each successful kill, and gold animals award even higher scores. Various animals carry power-ups including unlimited ammo, slow motion, and double points. These are activated by pressing a button on the side of the barrel (or the A button on the Wii version).

After getting a healthy dose of Dangerous Hunts 2011, I was pleasantly surprised by the game and quite eager to get my hands on a final build of the game.

Activision’s Cabela’s Dangerous Hunts 2011 will release October 26 on Wii, PS3, and 360. MSRP is $59.99 for the Wii Bundle, $79.99 for the PS3 and 360 bundles, and $39.99 for the standalone version of the game. The Top Shot Elite peripheral will be available separately for 2-player action, but no price has been set. The Top Shot Elite will be priced at $49.99 for PS3 and 360 while the Wii version is $29.99.

UPDATE: Pricing for the standalone version of the game and the Top Shot Elite were updated.

Activision’s Hunt Across America Tour begins today at the Cabela’s store in Buda, TX. A full listing of tour stops is below.

Hunt Across America Tour Stops