Videogames, by nature, have the awesome ability to take us to worlds and times that have no basis in reality. Because of this, the medium is also responsible for giving birth to some of the most ridiculously awesome gadgets we've ever seen. Not only that, but some games also give us the opportunity to use real-life gadgets in ways we would never have the chance to in our normal, boring, everyday lives. Our Top 10 coolest in-game gadgets feature will take you on a tour through some of gaming's most insane, deadly, and useful gadgets to ever grace your TV screen. 

10. Gabe Logan's Taser - Syphon Filter (Playstation)

 

 

Every awesome action hero needs an equally kick-ass gadget and Syphon Filter’s Gabe Logan is no exception. Gabe’s gadget of choice, and default weapon, is his taser. You may be asking yourself – “What’s so awesome about a taser?”, and with good reason. A taser isn’t exactly the most exciting gadget in gaming history, but let us explain. You see, while most consumers would only be able to procure a taser device with a 15-foot reach, with law enforcement models maxing out near the 35-foot mark, Gabe’s uber-taser is much more dangerous. Sporting a range that seems closer to 50 or 60 feet, the weapon can be used in almost any circumstance. However, it’s not just the range that makes Gabe’s taser an awesome gadget; it also shames nearly every real-life taser with its amazing 500,000 volts of stopping power. Most consumer-grade tasers max out at around 50,000, with military and law-enforcement models approaching the 400,000 mark, and only a few current models actually meeting or surpassing the power of Mr. Logan’s stalwart weapon… and he had it back in the stone ages of 1999.

 

9. Niko Bellic's Cell Phone - GTAIV (Playstation 3/Xbox360/PC)

 Our next awesome gadget isn’t exactly what you might expect. Niko Bellic’s trusty cell phone isn’t the most amazing, shiny, or technologically awesome piece of hardware we’ve ever come across in a game, but it is so crucial to the progression of the story itself that it can’t be ignored. Niko’s phone allows the player to make contact with anyone he's already met via the phonebook, as well as call any random number he/she chooses (think: cheats). This ability gives rise to the game’s much talked-about “relationship” system that the player must use to gain certain in-game perks, such as weapon drop-offs and more advanced transportation options. In an instant, Niko’s phone goes from a contact point for a casual dinner-date with a lady-friend to a mobile hand of God, dishing out orders for hits and other illegal activity all over the city. To think of how many lives would have been spared if the phone’s battery would have just died three hours into the game is truly mind-boggling.

 

8. James Bond's Wristwatch - Goldeneye 007 (Nintendo 64)

Imagine, if you will, a typical day at the office. You waltz in about five minutes late for your shift and sit down at your desk. In short order, your supervisor makes his way over to you and proceeds to give you a modern-day reenactment of the Spanish Inquisition regarding how you could possibly have thought it was alright to arrive late. A confused look crosses your face as you raise your left arm and glance at your watch. Your boss is tapping his foot on the ground, waiting for an explanation, when suddenly a laser beam jumps from your timepiece, cutting your boss’s tie in half. “Ok then,” he squeaks, scurrying back to his office.

This reality could be yours… if you’re James Bond that is. In Goldeneye 007, you can partake in that reality, as one of Mr. Bond’s signature gadgets makes a very memorable appearance. If you’ve ever enjoyed a 007 film, you’re no doubt aware that amazing gadgets are right up Bond’s alley, and the Goldeneye videogame adaptation was certainly no exception. The coolest gadget to appear in this title (as well as perhaps the most “I-need-that” product of all time) is 007’s unassuming watch. The watch is not only good for dispatching an entire freight-train’s worth of enemies (we’re not kidding--check out the video above), it can also be used to tell… the time! Isn’t technology wonderful?

 

7. Radd Spencer's Bionic Arm - Bionic Commando (Nintendo Entertainment System)

Not all amazing in-game gadgets come to us courtesy of the 3D era, as is proven by the ultra-cool bionic arm sported by Radd Spencer in Bionic Commando for the NES. Very rarely does a game’s entire plot, its entire reason for existing, depend on a gadget — but Capcom didn’t let that stop them from making this late 80’s classic a very unique experience. Spencer is tasked with rescuing a fellow commando from the Nazis (or “Nazz”, depending on the version of the game you own), as they continue work on “The Albatross,” a project set into motion by a gentleman known as Master-D, who strongly resembles Adolf Hitler. Spencer was clearly the man for the job, as he was the only one available with an enormously powerful bionic arm. Yes, it’s as simple as that. The gameplay relies heavily on the player’s use of the arm and nearly everything that is done in the game is somehow connected to this very specific feature. Spencer uses the arm for climbing, swinging from ceilings, and even grabbing and tossing objects and enemies during battle. The arm does have one drawback though, as it is apparently too heavy to allow the player to jump normally; one must instead use the bionic arm to swing across gaps. This doesn't seem to bother Radd though, as he is quoted in the epilogue as saying "Every lady loves a swinger". [Disclaimer: Mr. Spencer has never been quoted as saying that, but it would have been awesome if he had.]

 

 6. The Laptop Gun - Perfect Dark (Nintendo 64)

Certainly one of the most crucial items for any secret agent to own is a laptop computer. It allows the man (or in this case, woman) carrying it to transport vital documents, images, and might even come in handy to beat someone with. Luckily for Joanna Dark, the portable computer she keeps close to her offers a much more efficient way of dealing out punishment than a simple bludgeoning. You see, in the futuristic world of Perfect Dark, firearms are plentiful. Plentiful enough, it seems, to allow some intrepid scientists to install one right into your favorite laptop computer. And we’re not talking about some silly James-Bondish “Press the ‘T’ and ‘Y’ keys at the same time to fire one shot out of the USB port” type of firearm. We’re talking about a mobile PC folding itself out into a fully-functional assault rifle. And, as if that weren’t enough, the secondary mode allows the user to stick the gun/laptop/whatever to a wall and act as a mobile sentry gun which has the ability to recognize friend from foe. Think that’ll be a feature on the next generation of the MacBook?

 

Check out the conclusion in part 2!