Laserscope
Encyclopedia
The Konami LaserScope is a head-mounted light gun
used with and licensed for the Nintendo Entertainment System
video game console
. Konami
originally released the peripheral in 1990, in Japan
for the Famicom under the name Gun Sight. The LaserScope was manufactured specifically for one Konami
game, Laser Invasion
, but could be used with any game that used the NES Zapper
as a peripheral.
The system did not use an actual gun, but instead was a headset with a microphone and a laser-guided crosshair that covered one eye. The LaserScope was powered through the audio port of the NES, which enabled the user to hear the game audio as well. All a user was required to do was say "fire" and the gun, supposedly, would fire at the target. However, the peripheral would often malfunction and fire at any background noise, which led to the negative reception the LaserScope eventually received.
Light gun
A light gun is a pointing device for computers and a control device for arcade and video games.Modern screen-based light guns work by building a sensor into the gun itself, and the on-screen target emit light rather than the gun...
used with and licensed for the Nintendo Entertainment System
Nintendo Entertainment System
The Nintendo Entertainment System is an 8-bit video game console that was released by Nintendo in North America during 1985, in Europe during 1986 and Australia in 1987...
video game console
Video game console
A video game console is an interactive entertainment computer or customized computer system that produces a video display signal which can be used with a display device to display a video game...
. Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
originally released the peripheral in 1990, in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
for the Famicom under the name Gun Sight. The LaserScope was manufactured specifically for one Konami
Konami
is a Japanese leading developer and publisher of numerous popular and strong-selling toys, trading cards, anime, tokusatsu, slot machines, arcade cabinets and video games...
game, Laser Invasion
Laser Invasion
Laser Invasion, released as in Japan, is a multi-genre first-person action game released by Konami for the Nintendo Entertainment System in . The player takes control of a military operative who pilots an attack helicopter in order to infiltrate various enemy bases and fulfill his mission...
, but could be used with any game that used the NES Zapper
NES Zapper
The NES Zapper, also known as the Beam Gun in Japan, is an electronic light gun accessory for the Nintendo Entertainment System and the Japanese Famicom. It was released in Japan for the Famicom on and alongside the launch of the NES in North America in October 1985...
as a peripheral.
The system did not use an actual gun, but instead was a headset with a microphone and a laser-guided crosshair that covered one eye. The LaserScope was powered through the audio port of the NES, which enabled the user to hear the game audio as well. All a user was required to do was say "fire" and the gun, supposedly, would fire at the target. However, the peripheral would often malfunction and fire at any background noise, which led to the negative reception the LaserScope eventually received.