The Panasonic 3DO was a revolutionary gaming and entertaining system when it launched in the U.S. in 1993 and in the UK in 1994.
It took gaming to a whole new world.
Gone were cartoon graphics and in came full video based gaming experience not seen anywhere except a small number of arcade games.
Gamers and tech geeks stood open jawed as some of the amazing video sequences that could be experienced on the 3DO were put out for the world to see.
It is incredible to think such a gaming system launched almost 30 years ago now.
I never managed to get my hands on a 3DO when it first launched.
I was happy with my Atari ST, ZX Spectrum and SNES consoles for gaming, plus the price tag was extortionate for a console.
Nevertheless, I secretly and truly wanted one.
It took 3 years from launch until I went all out and bought a second hand 3DO along with a few games, way back in 1997.
Many regard the 3DO as a flop, but to me it was absolutely spellbinding. Real video sequences not only in the opening scenes but during gameplay.
Of course, with so much hard pushed resolution on what was still an early device in terms of processing speed and memory, things had to give.
Many games have a less than perfect frame rate, or video sequences happen after a button press, but still the magic was there, and is still there today.
Having owned a 3DO and many games for such a long time I have managed to dust off the old console and try those games out again, to see if the magic is still as true today in the age of phones, tablets, and ultra HD streaming video as they were back in the day.
Here are the best 3DO games, tried, tested, and rated.
The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes

The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes 3DO Review
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I may be a little biased, but The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes was by far one of my top three go to games on the 3DO.
I spent hour upon hour playing this back in the day until I finally managed to complete the game, and still wanted to start all over again.
There have been many puzzle and clue based games over the years, and even some Sherlock Holmes titles, but never one with video footage of the exchanges between the characters.
Better still, as the player you could ask the question for the character to reply – in video and real speech.
A truly masterful touch.
Many 3DO games took video footage too their very heart, and as a result some of those games lacked any substance.
The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes mastered this with a combination of animation and video sequence to keep the game stylish, moving, and interactive.
It is a slow paced game with lots of clues, puzzles, and trinkets to examine and find clues to get you ever closer to the perpetrator. The Lost Files of Sherlock Holmes on the 3DO is a hidden and lost gem of yesteryear.
Pebble Beach Golf Links

Pebble Beach Golf Links 3DO Review
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Another fond game of my youth has to be Pebble Beach Golf Links.
The real video sequences of the actual Pebble Beach Golf Club in California was used, and the layout of each of the 18 holes realistic.
The players are based on video sequence shots of real golfers, rather than simple animations, Even the caddies are video extras used for the game.
Pebble Beach Golf Links blends together beautiful real live video shot on site, as well as animation sequences to help keep the game flowing.
Playing today it shows signs of ageing.
The graphics are pixelated, and gameplay can be a little slow. It has though one of the best intro video sequences of any golf game I’ve played.
For a true taste of the world of golf beyond cartoon characters, and a step into the realm of real PGA type graphics and gameplay, this is surely the best place to start.
The controls are a little frustrating at times, although I remember them to be a little easier back in the day. Maybe I need more practice!
Road Rash

Road Rash 3DO Review
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There’s always a buzz loading the Road Rash CD in to the 3DO and watching the opening video sequence.
Speed, video graphics and taking opponents down with a swift kick to the leg or punch to the head.
What’s not to like!
The desire of 3DO developers to add video interactivity to the majority of games slightly diminishes the overall gameplay, but not by much.
This CD I almost wore out playing when I was kid. Despite the clunky graphics by todays standards, it still encouraged me again and again to keep playing and progressing.
Its fun, fast and frantic on the roads – although watch out when falling from your bike as competitors are waiting to run you over as you run back to your bike.
Controls are pretty decent. The bike handles quite well considering the video landscape and fast rendering required.
The graphics are, well very 3DO!
The video sequences are great but due to the fast gameplay the rendition of buildings, cars and pedestrians look a little dated, although revolutionary and stunning 30 years ago.
Sewer Shark

Sewer Shark 3DO Review
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Sewer Shark was often portrayed as a showcase game when the 3DO launched.
The game as a whole works as one long video sequence but watching for arrows on the top panels whilst fast approaching different directional tunnels show the way.
The controls work by simply left d-pad, right d-pad, and fire to move the craft within the sewers at the right moment to take the right tunnel.
Get it wrong, and you’ll crash and burn.
Sewer Shark runs at an incredibly fast pace with twists and turns happening often.
Due to graphics, memory and rendering many video based 3DO games worked on a notion of timing of control pad buttons for control, rather than directly controlling a player or craft,
Despite Sewer Shark being no different, this has to have been my most addictive game on the 3DO playing as a teenager.
The controls are great, although basic, and graphics are really stunning even for a 3DO. It truly enters you into an immersive world.
Supreme Warrior

Supreme Warrior 3DO Review
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Supreme Warrior took live video gameplay to a whole new level.
Almost exclusively live video action, the player takes on some pretty fierce opponents in fighting sequence that relies a little less on moves and combos, and more on precisely timed button and d-pad work.
The 3DO wasn’t the only port made by Digital Pictures, but the end result here for the 3DO is rather satisfying.
The player is tasked in protecting the good half of the mask to prevent Fang Tu from having and possessing untold power.
Button presses can punch, kick, and defend but the timing has to be right in order to fight and defend through the live video fight sequences.
Its an incredibly advanced kung fu game for its time and a completely different type of fighting experiences the likes of Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat put out.
The controls are difficult to master, and the perfection in the timing is a frustration but no true legend of a game should have easy controls.
The real life video gameplay though is incredibly well put together.
Although this is another game I played endlessly as a teenager, It is unlikely to keep even kung fu game fans entertained for more than a couple of hours, but this game has to be played even if for nostalgic reasons.
Night Trap

Night Trap 3DO Review
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Night Trap on the 3DO has acclaimed a cult like status in history now.
Its less of a game than an interactive cheesy but fun and dark movie.
The game plays out by watching a scene being played out live on various cameras set up within the house.
The interactive full-motion video is continuous with various dialogues running concurrently through the cameras and switching the cameras creates a live view – oh, and your aim is to keep a watch out for the vampires.
This game really was put together with a movie producer mindset in all manner of ways.
It didn’t come without harsh critiques who pushed for copies to be pulled from toy store legend Toys R Us due to its violence and sexual conduct and aggression towards females.
The aim is to set traps around the house to catch the vampires, but a series of codes are required which are spoken by the characters in the game and must be used in the right place and right time.
The games outcome also changes depending on how the game is played and which characters are saved in the game.
Fun, eh?
It was a first time look at what was felt as the future of interactive gaming, but after the 3DO and Sega CD things changed, and the continuing popularity of the Playstation and Xbox consoles emerged as the future of gaming. It is a game that requires thought and patience to see it all the way through.
FIFA International Soccer

FIFA International Soccer 3DO Review
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Being a huge soccer fan the excitement of getting FIFA International Soccer, on a console like the 3DO no less, has me as an excited as a 6 year old on Christmas Eve.
Having owned and played many soccer games across many systems from Emlyn Hughes on the ZX Spectrum to Goal on the SNES, this game was expected to be ground-breaking.
Unfortunately, it didn’t quite achieve its goal.
As powerful as the 3DO was in the mid-1990s, it felt as if the developers had tried to pack as much soccer power as a PS2 could handle in a machine not quite ready.
The game does play a little slow and sluggish as a result.
The unique part arial view is good for a soccer game of its time and, if anything, it opened the door for developers of the PS1 and PS2 to take soccer games much further.
The controls are a little slow when playing, and slightly cumbersome.
The 3DO of course only has 3 buttons as opposed to the usual four on the Playstation, although Manchester United on the Amiga played well with just a one button joystick.
FIFA International Soccer on the 3DO may not be the best looking soccer game, or easiest to play, but it was a defining moment in soccer games and one that set a trend and a path into the future.
Suggested Reading: Find other 90s classic 32-bit retro games in our best Sega 32X games tried and tested feature!
Killing Time

Killing Time 3DO Review
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Killing Time is another game to have been created to make use of the new video interactivity the 3DO was becoming famous for.
I remember being in awe of this game as a teenager, having live video sequences play out as you navigate around the castle and the grounds in search for clues, zombies, and killer ducks of course.
The game plays as a first person shooter, poised and aimed ready to take on all manner of dead things.
Killing Time is fust and frantic which can often see the player bounce off the walls as much as navigate corners of the courtyard or castle, the controls are decent, but it can be a struggle to keep full control in the mayhem.
The graphics are pretty cool for a game almost 30 years old.
The zombies are a little solid and haphazardly placed but this is a game that did a good job combining animation with interactive video.
Killing Time, like a lot of the games on this list were made once for the 3DO and are likely never to be repeated again.
A cult gaming classic.
The Need for Speed

The Need for Speed 3DO Review
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I was a huge fan of Need for Speed on the 3DO back in the 1990s.
Gone were cartoon racing games like Outrun, and in were fully immersive close to video quality graphics as you could find, racing across various U.S. freeways and highways.
The developers, Electronic Arts, did everything they could to push the processing power of the 3DO to the max, and they did a good job.
The opening video sequence will get any racing game fan hyped.
The gameplay is fast and fun, although the video rendering can cause the controls to be a little tough at times, especially on fast bends.
Need for Speed graphics are very well created and at the time it sure gave me the feeling of cruising across a large city like Los Angeles.
Need for Speed on the 3DO is a great game everyone should play at least once.