Apple has released a nifty new
mouse that they've dubbed Mighty Mouse.
Plenty's been said about the device's design, but none of it is taking into account what this might mean for Mac gaming. Are the mouse's new capabilities going to introduce new play mechanics to the growing legions of Mac fans thirsty for game content?
One area where we see the mouse having an impact is on sports gaming for the Mac (a tiny category, to be sure). Roller balls have never come by default on any PC, though they've been a common mechanism in arcade-style games for decades. Now that every Mac is destined to arrive with a Mighty Mouse, perhaps sporting games that tend to rely on roller balls (Bowling, Golf, Billiards) will stage a Mac comeback.
Maybe we'll even see some new play mechanics emerge for some gaming control schemes that have become stale.
Or maybe not. Let's not overestimate the impact of this change. Mac market share is miniscule, meaning that few developers are going to target games specifically for the Mac as a gaming platform. We predict that the Mac's little joy button is going to remain an afterthought in game design unless it becomes such a hit that PC or console hardware manufacturers copy it.
Check The Unofficial Apple Weblog's first look at the mouse before following the link below to Engadget's review round-up of the Mighty Mouse.
