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Jun 07, 2023

10 Games You Need Mouse & Keyboard For Instead Of A Controller

Iconic games like The Sims and Left 4 Dead are better played with the mouse and keyboard – opening a whole new world of gameplay. Choosing to play a video game with a console's designated controller

Iconic games like The Sims and Left 4 Dead are better played with the mouse and keyboard – opening a whole new world of gameplay.

Choosing to play a video game with a console's designated controller or a mouse and keyboard is a matter of preference. Some gamers have no problem with a complex gamepad, while others prefer the PC's universality. That being said, there are some games that could only be played and appreciated with a mouse and keyboard.

Besides being some of the most accessible video game controllers available, the mouse and keyboard opened new ways to make and play games for developers and gamers alike. A few of these games could technically be played with a controller, but doing so would water down some of the best video games in history.

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Defense of the Ancients (DotA) and DotA 2 can only exist on the PC. Not only was DotA built from the assets of the currently unavailable classic Warcraft III, but its top-down graphics and emphasis on quick-thinking micromanagement can only be accomplished and appreciated with a mouse and keyboard.

DotA and the countless multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games it inspired were predominantly made to be played with a mouse and keyboard. Playing DotA using a controller is next to impossible. Although MOBAs recently became popular on mobile devices, they're far too simplified and lack the depth of DotA's PC build.

EVE Online is one of the most realistic space simulators ever made not because of its scientifically-plausible ships and space travel, but because of its focus on micromanagement. It isn't hyperbolic to say that players spent most of EVE Online filling up charts. Using a mouse and keyboard wasn't only recommended; it was essential.

Playing EVE Online with a controller is impossible and impractical. Another reason why EVE Online should only be played with a mouse and keyboard was Microsoft Excel. The program was a must-have for dedicated players. CCP Games even released an official tie-in with Excel that cemented EVE Online's exclusivity to the PC.

One of the reasons why The Sims was such a historically significant game was that it proved the PC's potential as a casual gaming platform. Anyone who could use a mouse and keyboard could build their dream house in the nostalgic game and its expansion packs.The Sims made its way to other platforms, but these ports lacked the PC's accessibility.

The Sims' gameplay were made specifically for PCs. Using a mouse and keyboard was the best way to maximize the games' menus and customization choices. The Sims' ports were debatably pointless since they were designed to emulate a PC's controls rather than adapt to a controller, or they just came with a mouse and keyboard attachment.

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It's impossible to imagine StarCraft and other classic real-time strategy (RTS) games being played on anything other than a PC. Not only is the RTS genre inseparable from the PC, but its controls and gameplay can only be done with a mouse and keyboard. It's preposterous to even think of playing a round of StarCraft or its free-to-play sequel on a controller.

StarCraft's menus, user interface, tactical shortcuts, and more were designed with the PC in mind. Pro gamers showed how essential the mouse and keyboard were not just to winning in StarCraft, but in mastering it. There's a reason why outside an all-but forgotten N64 port, Starcraft and its follow-ups were made exclusive to the PC.

Left 4 Dead is one of the best co-op games ever made, and one of the best showcases for why the PC is great for multiplayer games. Part of why Left 4 Dead was so accessible and easy to play was that its controls were made specifically for the mouse and keyboard. The game had an Xbox 360 port, but its controls left a lot to be desired.

The real reason why Left 4 Dead endured as one of the best PC shooters ever made was how customizable and user-friendly it was. A PC setup let players and modders change how Left 4 Dead looked and felt without breaking the game's controls. Thanks to constant updates and mods, the zombie classic Left 4 Deadwill remain a PC mainstay for years to come.

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Most of Bethseda's open-world RPGs are best played on the PC, and Fallout: New Vegas perfectly showed why. New Vegas was also released on consoles, but its controls were at their best and most accessible when using a mouse and keyboard. More importantly, the PC version came with tons of mods and user-friendly customization.

New Vegas is arguably one of (if not) the most modded PC games ever. Even more than a decade after New Vegas' launch, fans continue to make quality-of-life improvements and new campaigns. There will always be a new way to relive New Vegas on PC. The only drawback is that New Vegas crashes a lot due to its rushed state and age.

Half-Life is arguably the most important PC game in history. Half-Life revolutionized the FPS genre and legitimized the PC as a gaming platform almost overnight. Valve's flagship game had a decent PS2 port, but its artistic value and groundbreaking gameplay are best experienced with a mouse and keyboard since it was made specifically for the PC.

Even if its graphics are outdated by today's standards, Half-Life's shooting mechanics, scripted sequences, and environmental storytelling aged incredibly well. Playing Half-Life on anything other than a PC diminishes its groundbreaking experience. The same goes for all its sequels (except the VR-exclusive Half-Life: Alyx), spin-offs, mods, and more.

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Counter-Strike is the ultimate tactical multiplayer shooter for the PC. Besides how it became a staple in the pro-gaming world's PC side, Counter-Strike was built using Half-Life's PC-based resources. Even if it has some passable console ports, Counter-Strike was designed to be played with a mouse and keyboard from the beginning.

Counter-Strike's quick controls, intense pace, and specific community can't be done justice on a controller and console. The base game, its spin-offs, and countless add-ons are best experienced by playing it on a PC. Counter-Strike is a testament to the PC's power when it comes to simple but excellent gameplay. Attempting to play it elsewhere is futile.

Team Fortress 2 isn't just the ultimate class-based multiplayer shooter; it's also the PC's best and most accessible online shooter. Team Fortress 2's nine mercenaries are perfectly-balanced, and the controls and weapons are easy to master. This leveled the field for novices and veterans alike. It's also partly the reason why the game endured for so long.

Even ignoring how its console versions haven't been updated in years and how community mods like "Versus Saxton Hale" are exclusive to PCs, Team Fortress 2 was designed and conceptualized as a successor to classic PC shooters like Quake. The mouse and keyboard are integral to Team Fortress 2's experience and identity.

No game is as synonymous to the PC as Garry's Mod (aka Gmod). Gmod was a sandbox filled with Valve's assets and no objective. Players were encouraged to do whatever they wanted, like make their own games. Modes like "Prop Hunt" or "Trouble in Terrorist Town" were made on and for the PC, which is why Gmod is currently a PC exclusive.

More importantly, Gmod is inseparable from internet culture. Ever since its launch in 2006, Gmod was used in tandem with programs like Vegas Pro and Valve's own Source Filmmaker to create silly meme videos or legitimate short films. The full Gmod experience can only be done and appreciated with a mouse and keyboard.

CBR Staff Writer Angelo Delos Trinos' professional writing career may have only started a few years ago, but he's been writing and overthinking about anime, comics and movies for his whole life. He probably watched Neon Genesis Evangelion way too much, and he still misses video stores. Follow him at @AD3ofc on Twitter, or email him at [email protected].