Posted December 31, 1969 by Scott Parrino

Many a gamer nowadays wants to get as immersed to the feeling of holding a gun amidst the action on their screen as possible. Of course this has limited them to holding lightguns for their consoles or trips to the arcade to get this feeling. Now for the PC FPS gamer they can finally have the feeling of holding a gun, pulling the trigger, and pretty much feel like they are putting rounds into their enemy with MonsterGecko?s PistolMouse FPS.

Carrying one of the most straightforward installation instructions out there (1.) Plug in 2.) Fight!) the PistolMouse acts like a two-button mouse (the second button is right below the trigger guard where your middle finger would be resting) with a scroll wheel but looks like a genuine semi-automatic pistol. Not only do the pictures speak for themselves, but also as I was bringing this baby back from E3, I was blessed with the opportunity to see airport security in action when they scanned my luggage for carry-on and saw this on their screens. For the looks of the PistolMouse, it sure nails it in every way, down to grip and even the weight of it. The look alone would be a FPS gamer?s dream to have on their mouse pad or even for display on their desk.

Looks aside, does it function properly or is it just a gimmick? Well after plugging this baby into any USB port, I set out to try my mettle on Doom 3. Surely as with every Doom title, they start you out with a pistol and I was going to experiment to see if it delivered the feel of a pistol in my hand to the digital screen. Before I start, the PistolMouse functions like a mouse but because of its offset sensor to the front, you can aim it like you would in real life. With a twist of the wrist you have basically emulated the effect of dragging your mouse to the left or right. Pretty cool huh? Back to my adventures in Doom 3, it took a while to get used to the feeling of not using a standard mouse to fight the demons from Hell. After an hour or two of playing I was getting the hang of it, although my hand would inadvertently jerk up to aim up or likewise to aim down. I guess this is a good think since the feeling of holding the PistolMouse is just like the real thing, which is what MonsterGecko, was aiming for. After a few more hours it became second nature to hold the PistolMouse and control it.

That being said, the PistolMouse isn?t perfect. Twisting it to emulate aiming the pistol became difficult, as you would have to pick up the PistolMouse to re-center it and continue to aim properly. Standard mice don?t really have this problem as they are handled different for FPS gaming. If you can stand re-centering your PistolMouse then it isn?t so much of a problem, but my desk space is limited and so it became somewhat of a nuisance for me. Another problem of the PistolMouse is its scroll wheel. While located conveniently near the rear of the pistol where your right thumb can scroll it, it is somewhat sensitive and can perform many movements with minimum movement. If you are trying to select a crucial weapon during an intense FPS fight, having this happen to you can mean the difference between life and death. And while you can click the scroll wheel for another function, this can inadvertently lead to an accidental scroll again, which can bring headaches to those who are not steady with their hands. The final flaw is the location of the second button, right under the trigger guard. To click this button it requires your middle finger to move up rather down. While some games downplay the right mouse button which means it isn?t so much a problem with the button location and use, there are a majority that employ the right mouse button as a secondary weapon, or a use function, or generally an action related to the weapon that is necessary in combat (sniper rifles). Overall this is just bad button placement that can hopefully be relocated in future designs.

Aside from giving the rush of holding a pistol during combat and actually pulling a trigger, the PistolMouse is very durable. I believe the designers had gamers who beat on their mouse during gameplay and the PistolMouse is designed to be top-notch durable. Mainly made of a military-grade high-density ballistic plastic with a sturdy construction all along the base and handle of the pistol, you can bash on the PistolMouse as you get your rear handed to you in combat and not fear of parts breaking or chipping. I?m also sure that a lot of you are lucky that the PistolMouse isn?t a loaded weapon for I am sure the abuse some of you could give it would cause it to turn on you and proceed to beat on you!



Overall the PistolMouse is both a gimmick and a functional tool in gaming. The enjoyment of holding a pistol in your hand as you deliver round after round into your enemies is unto itself very satisfying. With an ergonomic grip and Gecko Gel grips you can comfortably hold this pistol and not be worried of hurting your wrists as you blast away demons, soldiers, or if you?re into it, solitaire cards into oblivion. I recommend MonsterGecko?s PistolMouse to the gamer that wants to get more into their first-person shooters and have a nifty display piece on their desk. For you RTS players and casual PC users, I recommend sticking with the mouse.