Gaming peripherals are additional pieces of tech that enhance the gameplay experience. This could be something as simple as a keyboard, or something a bit more complex, like a guitar that is only used in one specific game. Gaming peripherals are nothing new though; they extend back into the retro age of gaming.
Here, we are going to take a look at some of the most unique retro gaming peripherals that would leave young gamers today a bit confused. If you never lived during the era of these peripherals, then you may be left wondering what in the world they were actually used for.
8Game Boy Printer & Camera
First up, we have the Game Boy Printer and Camera. While these are technically two things, they went hand-in-hand. The Game Boy Camera was a tall game cartridge that had a round camera on the top. This would slot into the Game Boy and function as a basic black and white camera.
After taking a picture, you could then use the Game Boy Printer to print it out on a device that looks like it prints grocery receipts. Both of these peripherals were released in 1998, but they were discontinued in 2002 (Game Boy Camera) and 2003 (Game Boy Printer).
7Atari 2600 Screen Overlays
The Atari isn’t quite as popular anymore, but in decades past, it was all the rage. If you aren’t familiar with the Atari, you’d be surprised to learn that there are multiple versions, with the Atari 2600 coming out in 1977.
This version of the Atari had several games that paired with overlays. You would put these up to the screen to essentially ‘create’ the environment. This was used inthe 1982 game Haunted House; the screen overlay provided the layout of the house, with a white square lighting up transparent portions of the overlay.
6Life Fitness Extertainment System
There are a lot of gaming peripherals associated with exercise games. Nowadays, you can buy the ring for Ring Fit Adventure. Some may even remember the belt used for Zumba Fitness on the Wii. Before this, was the Life Fitness Extertainment System. Af first glance, it just looks like an exercise bike.
This impressive piece of equipment was first used in the 1994 game Mountain Bike Rally. You could control the speed by pedaling, and control other aspects of the game with the buttons on the handles.
5Konami LaserScope
In 1991, Laser Invasion launched for the NES. In the game, you basically complete missions as a military operative. This was the first game to use the LaserScope, which was an actual piece of headgear. What’s more, it was actually voice-activated; if you said ‘Fire’, you would shoot.
Although this was made for Laser Invasion, it could be used in place of the NES Zapper (in compatible games). The NES Zapper is also worth talking about here, as it was pretty much a gun that let you shoot directly at the television.
4Resident Evil 4 Chainsaw Controller
Ever dreamed ofcontrolling your game of Resident Evil 2with a bulky chainsaw? If you have the NubyTech chainsaw controller, you can do just that. If you aim to have a serious gaming experience though, this may prove to be difficult. The chainsaw controller was more of a collectible item, although it still worked.
You could also get your hands on a yellow version of the chainsaw, which was paired with the GameCube version of Resident Evil 2. Unlike some other gaming peripherals on our list, the NubyTech Chainsaw Controller really only goes with one game.
This controller is very hard to use; the buttons are laid out in an unintuitive manner that will confuse anyone not used to it.
3Sega Game Gear TV Tuner
We all want to watch TV right from our Game Gear, right? Some of us may not even know what the Sega Game Gear is, so let’s explain for a second. Sega made the Game Gear as a response to the Game Boy, but as you expect, the Game Boy was more popular. The Game Gear’s life ran from 1991 to 1997, but from it, we got the Game Gear TV Tuner.
This tuner functioned similarly to the Game Boy Camera; you would slot it in like a cartridge and watch television on the mini screen of the Game Gear. Sure, it wasn’t the best quality, but it was exciting. The TV Tuner was a bit pricy and the Game Gear itself had a very short battery life, so it wasn’t too popular either.
2SegaScope 3D Glasses
Everyone knows what 3D is, regardless if you are familiar with the grey glasses, split blue/red paper glasses, or the glasses-free 3DS tech. 3D used to be a bit trendy; it seemed that every movie that came out was in 3D. Now, this is less of a gimmick, so young gamers may be a bit confused by the Sega 3D Glasses.
These glasses plugged directly into Sega Master System and created the 3D effect by rapidly closing the left and right lens. We aren’t entirely sure how this worked, but we love the look of these sunglasses-like 3D glasses.
1Exciting Boxing Inflatable Controller
Last but not least, we have the inflatable controller that went with Exciting Boxing. This game launched in 1987 for the Famicom and didn’t require the inflatable controller, but you could buy it separately and use it to play the game.
This is one of the more bizarre peripherals on our list. As expected, this could only be used in Exciting Boxing. It also took up quite a lot of space, as a miniature boxing opponent is printed directly onto the front, making it feel like you are punching a real person.
