I like to Move it, Move it with Sony's new device

When Nintendo announced the Revolution, aka the Wii, in 2006, the video game industry didn't know if the world was ready for motion-controlled games. Sony, the king of the past two video game generations, laughed at the concept, though they also said rumble in console controllers was so "last-generation."

Now, four years later, the Wii's success is no laughing matter. The HD consolemakers, Sony and Microsoft, were faced with the runaway success of the Wii. They went to the drawing board, devising a way to create a motion-control system and games to lure the non-gamer into their folds.

Sony's offering, the Move, beat Microsoft's device, the Kinect, out of the motion-control stables and hit store shelves Friday.

The Move, which utilizes the PlayStation 3, the PlayStation Eye camera and a handheld wand, works with games specifically designed for it. The device, which costs $49.99, works with current games - MAG, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11 - as well as Move games, enables players to be immersed in video games like never before.

To play Move games, you will need to have the PlayStation Eye and at least one Move controller. Once you have both of those devices, you can hop on PSN and download a slew of demos to take the Move for a spin.

The Move also requires an open area and good lighting. Most games will ask you to set the Eye above or below your TV, and in the middle of the TV as well.



The accuracy of the device is stellar. The Eye needs to have a clear line of sight with the ball on top of the Move controller to work great. The Eye can pick up when you turn or tilt the controller in games like ping pong, golf, even the disc golf game.

The best way to experience the Move, however, is to buy an additional controller. Yes, it's an extra $49.99, but really puts you into the heat of the action. When I played the archery game on Sports Champions, I used one controller on one session, and two controllers on the other. While the single controller was great, using two controllers really added depth and realism to the game. You could almost feel the tension of the bow as you pulled back with the second controller.

The initial offering of games is priced at $39.99 each. Most of the launch titles are family oriented and party games.

The feedback on the Move controller is excellent. The tech in the device really shines, but needs to be charged to work great.



The great points about the Move? If the device has the game support and Sony doesn't orphan it like it's done so many other devices - Linux on the PS2 and PS3, backwards compatiblity, BetaMax, to name a few - the future is bright for the Move. The games that are offered right now are launch games - they aren't edgy, kind of gimmicky, but still fun. If Sony can get it right, especially with FPS and really make games to use the Move properly, I do think the hardcore crowd may hop on board.

The bad points? Maybe it's my age, but the ball, when it connects with the Eye, can be a huge distraction at times. The blue haze around the ball really did a number on my eyes. The games are fun but some of them aren't worth $39.99 and could be PSN titles. The graphics are better than the Wii, but the cost for more than one person to play it may scare some potential customers away.

Overall, the Move is an interesting device and has a very bright future on the PlayStation, as long as developers continue to support the device.

There are several games available now for the Move.

Here are the ones I recommend:

Sports Champions - Rated E - $39.99. You have a few ways to get this title. The first, of course, is to buy it along with your Move controller. You can also obtain it in the MOVE Sports Champions Bundle - $99.99, which includes the controller, the Eye and the game - or buy the PlayStation 3 320GB System/PlayStation Move Bundle for $399. The game offers archery, gladiator, volleyball, table tennis, disc golf - think Frisbee - and bocce. There are training modes and local multiplayer modes so you and a friend can go at it. To really enjoy the game, you should pick up a second Move controller.

EyePet - Rated E - $39.99. The game is a cute and lets you manage the life of a darling and adventurous creature. Using the Move controller, you can play with the pet, give the pet a bath or stroke the pet's fur. Children will enjoy taking care of this virtual pet - and don't have to worry about scooping poop.

Start the Party - Rated E - $39.99. The game has 20 minigames, from smashing bugs with your Move controller to giving haircuts to virtual customers who look like they've been in the ring with Mike Tyson. It's definitely a party game and fun for gamers of all ages.

Look for a full review of the Move games - Sports Champions, Racquet Sports, Kung Fu Rider, Start the Party and EyePet - here on Monday.

M4dski11z was provided a Sony PlayStation Move controllers, the PS Eye, copies of Sports Champions, EyePet, Kung Fu Riders, Racquet Sports and Start the Party by Sony before retail release for review purposes. He played through various levels of the games before posting his review.