Impressions: 3DO

I've owned or played a lot of systems. Most of it is into the realm of Sega, Nintendo, PlayStation, and Xbox. I look at the mid 90s as an interesting part of the decade of gaming and I finally got my hands on a 3DO system with about 20 games. Trying it out, I liked what I saw, though it's not without its flaws.

A quick synopsis: It came out in the fall of 1993 at 700 dollars. The games were a mix of actual games and FMV games that were common on Sega CD and CD-i. By the time it started getting heavy hitters, no one was buying and waiting for the Saturn and PlayStation. When it finished up in 1996, it amassed over 150 games. Not bad for a system that didn't have instant recognition.

Playing the games, the graphical output was rather strong. Not as great like the PlayStation in terms of 3D, but better than the Saturn depending on the game in question. Lots of ambition. For 2D, it's very good. Street Fighter is a prime example. It stands out a lot more than the cartridge versions. Of course, you got CD audio for the games. That was done very well in a number of games and felt like a step in progress.

The controller was not the most comfortable, though. There is seven buttons. Two shoulders, three face buttons, and a start and select. For the most part, it's decent and you won't be too uncomfortable. However, the directional pad can be a bit stiff. I would take a break every once in a while so your hands don't cramp after a long period of play. Unfortunately, it has only one controller port and with the official ones, you would have to connect another controller into the top of the first controller. A multitap would have been a better choice.

This is a 6.5 out of 10. Not a system I would put into full recommendation, but I wouldn't shun it. I like the ambition of this old 90s system, but a couple of fixes in prices and getting actual games, it could have lasted beyond 96.