9 "Must-Have" Video Game Peripherals (That Instantly Flopped)

4. Konami LaserScope - NES

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Konami

What it was: Konami's unique spin on the light gun phenomenon popularized by arcades and Nintendo's NES Zapper. The fancifully-named LaserScope, designed specifically for use with Laser Invasion on the NES, launched in 1990, boasting voice-activated light gun entertainment via an accompanying microphone. Cutting edge, right?

Sure, if it had actually worked.

Why it flopped: Even today, voice-activated technology isn't exactly renowned for its reliability, so imagine the trouble Konami would have had 30 years ago, in ensuring that each utterance of the word 'FIRE!' (yes, that command needed to be belted out every time) into the mic triggered the corresponding action without fail.

A lot, is the answer, because while the LaserScope was only meant to fire on command, even so much as a silent fart would be enough to set it off.

Tl;dr - it's a good job Konami decided to focus on publishing games.

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Joe is a freelance games journalist who, while not spending every waking minute selling himself to websites around the world, spends his free time writing. Most of it makes no sense, but when it does, he treats each article as if it were his Magnum Opus - with varying results.