The Sony PlayStation Move: Now Available and Moving Gamers

One of the Nintendo Wii's strongest features and selling points has always been the wireless motion sense controls that are included with the system. Based on detecting a player's movement by means of technology found in the controller, the whole idea of motion sense control adds an unprecedented layer of gameplay to a variety of titles. While Microsoft's solution, Kinect, is on the way later this fall, Sony's Move system recently hit store shelves. Now that gamers have had the chance to try move on the PlayStation 3 (PS3), does it live up to its own hype, and to the standard that the Wii established before it?

Sony's Move can be considered similar, yet different to the method of control as used by the Wii. In contrast to the upcoming Microsoft Kinect, like the Wii, The Sony PS3 Move requires hand-held wireless controllers. Growingly dubbed as ice-cream cones due to their look, the core controller is a hand-held control device with an illuminated colored orb on the top. Held similar to an ice-cream cone, players engulf in gameplay while using the controller in a variety of motion sensed movements, such as spinning, and rotating - with movement tracked by gyroscope and accelerometer. However, differing from the Wii, the control system is also able to report its location and distance from the PS3 by means of the PS3 system camera known as the PlayStation Eye. Optionally, and in conjunction to the primary orb-topped primary control, a secondary wireless control that can be compared to the Wii's nunchuck is used in a player's alternate hand for additional control in a game title.

How does the control fair in actual gameplay. It's actually quite cool, and quite accurate. If you lack a PlayStation 3, or are considering a Move system, many retailers have one on live demonstration to try out. In essence, the camera is able to keep track of a players movement and location via coloring of the glowing orb-topped control and motion sensing internals. Sophistication in the control's ability to genuinely add enjoyment in gameplay is evident in a live trial.

Available at retailers now are a variety of configurations that may include the camera and an introductory sports title along with a Move games demo disk. While more than 40 Move supported titles are reportedly on the way through early 2011, a variety of existing games including Heavy Rain, and Tiger Woods' PGA Tour 2011 are scheduled with forthcoming free downloadable updates that will introduce and integrate Move gameplay.

Sources/Resources:

Sony PlayStation: Move

Gardian.co.uk: Games Blog: PlayStation Move