The 3DO mouse made the 3DO seem more like a computer. I think that's exactly what the 3DO company was going for. They wanted it to be a multimedia machine like they said it was.
The 3DO mouse is misleading though......Instead of being used as a pointer to click on things(like in windows with the icons), it's used to shoot things(same premises but it is different). Basically its main use is for the gun games. The only game that did kind of make you seem as though you were on a computer was Fun 'N Games(previously reviewed), with paint. The mouse is black with the 3DO logo on the front of it. It has a shorter cord than most 3DO controllers, and there is no daisy chain(although you could use it with 2 players if you connected it to a controller with a daisy chain[you just can't use two mice at once]). There are three mouse buttons, arranged at the top upper part with a left, middle, and right buttons. So far I have only found use in the left mouse button but I am guessing that in some games you can use all or the other buttons too(I'll look into it). The left mouse button when used with the gun games, is sometimes nonfunctional or at least the game doesn't know you are pressing it. Maybe if you click a whole bunch of times it screws it up. But maybe one out of thirty shots doesn't fire. It has a plate covering the mouse ball which can be removed by turrning it. The mouse ball is black and too small for the 3DO mouse in my oppinion, so I opted for a regular PC mouse ball which is a little bit larger and roles a lot better. This also enhances the overall control and it doesn't stick as much. The mouse when used with the gun games makes them much funner and easier to play. The GameGun I am guessing would make it even easier but I seem to use the mouse more than I do my Sega CD gun on Lethal Enforcers. Also if you bought the mouse instead of the Gun it not only would be cheaper but you could use it in other games besides the gun games. The mouse is far better than the controller on the gun games(as long as you take the mouse ball out and put a bigger one in). It moves much faster and you don't have to use all the different speeds(pressing B or C and directional pad is a lot harder than just moving the mouse around). Also you no longer have to just move the gun cursor near the bad guy and shoot but you can put it exactly on their head. Much easier in spots where the bad guy is hidden and only part of him/her is showing. In games like Fun N Games the mouse really works well. It is much easier to paint and move from spot to spot with the mouse. Painting used to be a pain with controller and was slow and tedious and now it's a breeze. It would be smart to pick up a mouse while you still can for cheap. On eBay they only cost about 5 to 15 dollars, and some go as low as 3 dollars. It is fairly reasonable for a gun alternative. If you do get one, don't forget to pick up a mouse pad or have a hard surface(I used a book for a while but a pad really does work best). I'd get one with the little thing to rest your hand on if you use it on the floor like me, much more comfortable. OVERALL the 3DO mouse is a really good controller for the money. Although ideally it would work with all games especially games that have a pointer like Cannon Fodder. The fact that the ball is too small detracts from the score and so does the clicking of the button when used with the gun games(sometimes doesn't shoot). But the value gains this back. This is a must-have controller if you are a die hard ALG fan and don't want to pay a lot for the gun. That's why I got it! 7 OUT OF 10 3DO 4 LIFE will not be held liable with what you do with your mouse or attempt to switch the balls. |