3DO came out way back in 1993 before Saturn or PlayStation. It had great graphics for its time and the games were ahead of its time as well. But 3DO cost WAY too much (700 to 800 dollars!) and this is why the 3DO didn't make it the price tag scared everyone away. Then in 95 or so 3DO lowered the price to 400 dollars at retailers all thought this was a great price for "A MULTIMEDIA MACHINE". Yet the price still wasn't low enough for the average gamer. Then the proce was lowered to around 200 around it's demise. It sold a few but still didn't turn very many heads and game companies slowly began to drop off and out of the picture of 3DO. When Playstation came out this was the final blow to 3DO. 3DO died in late 96 early 97, so why you ask why i bought one 3 years after 3DO died? Because I like many of the games for 3DO and the system and games are all very cheap!
3DO is a 32 bit system. There are three different models of the 3DO in the U.S. The Goldstar, FZ-1, and FZ-10. I own the FZ-10 and really like it because it already has the memory manger built in. Where as the FZ-1 and Goldstar you have to by a demo disk in order to use it. 3DO is a CD based system with only one controller port on the system and then a port on each controller so you can plug one controller into another allowing up to eight people to play. There is also a variety of controllers to pick from. There is also a gun, mouse, flightstick, and steering wheel for the 3DO. 3DO has a built in memory that can hold pretty many saves(I think I have saved about 14 or so games.) Also the 3DO caompany gaved liscenses to companies just about no matter what and usually for cheap. This is how Naughty Dog got its start with Way of the Warrior.
3DO also has an expansion port in the back which should have been where the M2 went but that went down the drain.
3DO Company doesn't actually make all of the systems. Mainly Panasonic made them and Goldstar but other companies were going to.

Get this, I e-mailed a really mean letter to 3DO Direct yesterday. I told them about how they abandoned the system and make nothing but crappy Army Men and Might and magic games. I also told them how Sega still supported the Saturn and why 3DO couldn't still support 3DO! I expected no response, or either one saying I should shut my hole. But they did reply and all they said was, "We no longer sell 3DO games, check e-bay." 3DO has no courage to produce new and "different" games. I hate the 3DO company but love the 3DO system. I think Nintendo brainwashed them saying that there could be no more Killing time games or other gory games. I'm sick of all these Army Men games...GEEZE there must be about 15 of them!
The 3DO has many fine peripheals for it. They are all very well made and I suggest you try to get your hands on one of them just as I have. Let's see.... there are countless controllers for 3DO some even have a headphone jack which is pretty neat. Capcom's special controllers works great with Street Fighter and Way of the Warrior. There is also a mouse for 3DO which is great if you can't get a hold of the gun. Which now brings us to the gun, boy this sucker kicks major ass with those gun games. It's like being in an arcade! There is also a steering wheel for the 3DO but I've never actually tried or have seen this in real life but I hear it rocks. Also one of the greatest joysticks for just about any system is the flightstick pro which really enhances gameplay on games like Wing Commander and Shockwave 2.
Even if you do not like the 3DO's many great controlers you can always get the SNES adaptor which allows you to play with the SNES controllers! You can't lose with 3DO.