Keyboard like thing, with graphics on it, In PC shops years ago??

[David_VI]

The subject is hard to understand I had no idea what to write.

Just something came into my head earlier. When I was young I remember being in the purple shop and seeing one of the first Tomb Raider games on a PC you could try out. But the keyboard wasn't a keyboard it was an object that had like pictures of Tomb Raider on but touch buttons that told you the controls so you could easily play it, I guess?

I'm sure I saw other games doing the same thing but can't quite remember, just the Tomb Raider one sticks out to me.

Is this memory something i've made up? Or did these exist and were they just for use in shops?

I've tried googling and failed as I have no idea what to search for so I thought i'd ask some people who have been into PC's as long as I have, but were probably a bit older so remember

Thanks
David

 

[David_VI]

This was in the 90s, Zboard looks quite new? It didn't seem to be a keyboard with an overlay either, it was mostly flat, like touch buttons not actual keys.. Hmm.

Thanks for your help!

 

[David_VI]

I think what you are referring to is the saitek pc dash.

My copy of tomb raider 2 came with one of the sheets that you used to control the game it had a bar code on the back and as you inserted it the pc dash would recognise what the control layout each game was.

YESSS.
At last my mind is at rest! I could have sworn it wasn't Tomb Raider 2 though, as I ended up owning that game and what I saw in the shop wasn't in it.. But that still seems to be the thing!

Time to do a bit of googling on it now I know the name!
Thanks!

David