USB Missile Launcher Series Review

From top to bottom, Wireless USB Missile Launcher, MSN Missile Launcher with Webcam & the original wired USB Missile Launcher.

Being a cheap USB gadget, I wasn't expecting anything of high quality and these definitely aren't (nor do they need to be). Each of them weighs under a pound and all three use the same darts. Both the wired and wireless missile launchers require a single USB port while the MSN launcher requires a second one for the webcam.

Operating the USB Missile Launchers...

The Wired USB Missile Launcher is where it all started and is the base of the Wireless and MSN USB Missile Launchers. The Launcher holds three foam missiles that resemble miniature NERF darts that you played with when you were a kid. After installing the program provided with the launcher, I was ready to go in just a matter of minutes.

The missile launcher application couldn't be any more user friendly. It has all the essential buttons for controlling the launcher, a radar screen that lets you see how much further you can move the turret in any direction, a reset button to recalibrate the turret position, and an exit button.

You can control the launcher by clicking on the appropriate buttons or using the arrow keys. If you don't have the sound effects disabled a sound is played resembling that of a real turret moving. Pressing the fire button causes the launcher to enter its firing sequence where it charges the air up and shoots the missile.

During this three second period you also hear a warning sound that I can only imagine is what you would hear with an ICBM launching followed by an explosion as the missile launches and hits its target. After three shots it is time to gather the darts back up and do it again... and again... and again! The missiles shoot a solid 15 feet and then skill becomes a factor trying to lob the missiles to your target. This range is effective for all three of the launchers we tested.

The Wireless USB Missile Launcher disappointed me the most, simply because of the wireless. Other than the wireless transmitter/receiver, it is identical to the wired launcher. The receiver on the launcher lets you turn it on and off as well as choose four different frequencies to operate on. This lets you have up to four of them in the same area without any problems.

Wireless USB Missile Launcher's receiver & transmitter.

I constantly had problems with the wireless signal unless the receiver and transmitter were within about five feet of each other. Sometimes the turret wouldn't move, sometimes it would get stuck and just keep moving, and sometimes it wouldn't fire. Once I moved the transmitter and receiver within five feet, I ceased to have any problems. I would rather just have a longer USB cable to avoid the problems but I can see where the wireless would be handy, especially if you were a cable management freak. This is yet another reason why we need wireless USB so desperately.

The MSN USB Missile Launcher is the ultimate evolution of the original missile launcher. Sporting a webcam attached to the top, you can now accurately aim your shots. The webcam simply makes the launcher very versatile. You can use the missile launcher application to launch missiles as you please, view through the webcam while you do it for increased accuracy, or let people shoot you while chatting with them on MSN. What more could you ask for out of the missile launcher?

Unfortunately the webcam isn't of great quality but it is functional. The cam captures at 30fps and features fixed focus and white balance as well as a ton of features to do color correction and to change resolution, etc. You can even capture video with it and share the executions of your co-workers.

The fun for everyone else comes when you get on MSN, share the webcam so that they can see you, and start the MSN USB Missile Launcher game. From what we can tell, both users need to be utilizing Windows Live Messenger as it wouldn't work with the old MSN messenger. You then need to share your webcam so your friend can see you and then start the MSN Missile launcher game to bring up the window below.

Windows Live! chat session with launcher panel active.

From then on the person watching you has control over your launcher, allowing them to pan around and fire missiles as whatever they wish. Control of the launcher is intuitively simple through the chat window as you can see above. Once all the missiles are shot, there is a rearm button that tells the owner of the missile launcher to reload so the watcher can keep shooting. The shooter is even treated to the same sound effects as if they were using the missile launcher application.

Recap
The USB Missile Launchers from Dream Cheeky are great gadgets to have fun with. Aside from the wireless problems that we had, everything worked flawlessly. These are great for around the office and also make great geek gifts for the techie that is so difficult to shop for. We only wish there were more than three missiles bundled with each launcher.

By Zac O'Vadka, Contributing Editor