Blaster Score: 85% Developer: MadCatz

Function: Although billed as compatible with all light gun enabled games, the fact of the matter is the only Xbox game that currently meets those specifications is House of the Dead III! But the Mad Catz Blaster, which is a very cool and rugged looking device, works well with House of the Dead III, and has an integrated D-Pad, which allows it to work with other games as well. The Blaster is a rather large light gun, and is really meant to be held with both hands. Most of the buttons are easy to get to, even for those of us with small hands. Its features, from auto-reload to multi-blast, are nicely integrated into the device, and this one blaster should serve you well for many years to come.

Performance: The Blaster doesn't really look like the gun used in a game like House of the Dead III, but it's still easy to suspend disbelief once you start blasting away the undead. A smaller barrel would probably make it a little easier to aim with, but the design feels right considering the bulk of the device. Overall, it's pretty easy to recommend Blaster, but considering it's the only light gun available for the Xbox, there's not currently a whole lot of choice.

Features: Vibration kickback Auto fire mode Burst-fire mode Automatic reload Memory card expansion bay Integrated D-Pad Futuristic green molded plastic Heavy duty design

Drawbacks & Problems:: The calibration routine built into House of the Dead III for light guns doesn't work very well, and it is very difficult to get Blaster to calibrate correctly. The light gun actually works fairly well in the game though, so it's difficult to know whether the problem is with the game or the controller. As mentioned before, the Blaster is the only light gun currently on the market, so if you want to play House of the Dead III, and you want to play it with a light gun, then you have no choice but to buy this one. Having said that, you really can't go wrong considering this seems like a very rugged device, and it has an attractive futuristic look.

-Gordy, GameVortex Communications AKA Gary Lucero