It seems like a lifetime since we first caught wind of Microsoft's idea for motion-control gaming, and even longer since we were writing about Sony's Wii-challenging light wand. Both are now in homes and both will be vying for your cash this Christmas. We've spent a week living with the Kinect and Move, so which one gets our vote?
Xbox Kinect Vs PlayStation Move: Set up
Xbox Kinect
Unlike playing Wii, which for the majority means picking up a controller, turning on the console and getting your swing on, just setting up the Kinect is an occasion. Because it picks up full body movement, everything within at least a six-foot squared distance from the sensor must be cleared. Trunks, chairs, small dogs, all must be out of sight. Kinect would rather you were positioned around eight-feet from the sensor, which won't be possible in many hobbit-style UK homes. If it's a bright day, you'll need to shut the curtains, too. The sensor doesn't react well to direct sunlight. Well, it's unplayable.
Balancing the chunky sensor on top of a slimline TV, such as our LG LX9900, is also unfeasible – you'll need a separate mount or floor stand (from ￡25), which frustratingly isn't included in the box. Instead, the x-axis-rotating sensor needs to be positioned with enough room to move in front of the TV. The sensor also needs its own power source, as well as occupying an Xbox USB port.
Using its built-in microphone, Kinect will automatically scan the room for background ambient noise to optimise audio levels. You'll also have to endure a speech test to setup voice commands and perform fruity moves in front of the sensor for it to calibrate you and your playing space correctly. It all takes less than five minutes, though
After digesting the setup, we were in no doubt who MS is aiming Kinect at. The process is cutesy, the background music might has well have been composed by Nintendo and the avatars are like grown-up Miis. Fun for all the family it may be, but 'serious' gamers may not concur.
PlayStation Move
Plug in the USB PlayStation Eye, switch on the console, ensure the Move controller(s) are charged and away you go. Unlike Kinect, which has been designed to integrate into the DNA of the Xbox Dashboard, the Move is an accessory for games, nothing more. The lightweight Eye sensor has a tendency to be pulled out of position by its USB cable but its small design means it will fit over the top of your TV and stay in place, without the need for a bracket. We doubt Sony's engineers intended this, but who cares. It works. The Eye also suffers the direct sunlight problem, so rainy day or closed curtain play only. However, because the Eye only detects the Move controllers, you don't need to be so militant with your furniture clearance.
XBox Kinect Vs PlayStation Move: The games
With the exception of one launch title (Fighters Uncaged) that requires you to roundhouse, punch, headbutt, elbow and knee the gizzards out of your opponent, all of the Kinect's launch games are good, clean family fun. Kinect Adventures, Kinect Sports and Kinectimals are all arcade-y, multi-participant group games that are so twee you feel like you have to brush your teeth after playing. Even the boxing is described as 'friendly'. Dance Central and Kinect Joy Ride are slightly more 'edgy' but you still feel come away thinking that it's the taking part that counts and that we're all wholesome winners in the eyes of Xbox. One advantage Kinect has over the Move is that many games are voice-controlled, which adds a level of interactive depth we've not seen on a games console. Kinect also trumps the Move on amount of launch titles, which will undoubtedly appeal this Christmas.
Best game of Xbox kinect
Star Wars Kinect
A Star Wars game with a motion-controlled lightsaber? Indeed!
The dream of millions of Star Wars fans may soon come true if this game lives up to its potential. With all the power in your hands (literally), you'll be able to fight epic battles against other Jedis and use all your Force-powered abilities to win.
The graphics seem top-notch too, so Star Wars is looking like Kinect's main "hardcore game" and worthy of the first spot in this "top 5 best Xbox Kinect games" article.
PlayStation Move
Of the handful of Move games we have played, our experience leads us to think that Sony is going for a more mature market. Sprites and graphics are less vernal and the feel of the games require more skill than those on Kinect. The fact that stellar titles such as Heavy Rain, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, KillZone 3 and Resident Evil 5 are being updated to support Move indicates the audience Sony is after. Yes, there are still the post-pub titles - Start the Party, Singstar and Sports Champions - that will go down a treat with a group of players, but the range looks better for PS3ers.
best game of PS 3 move
For many people (including me) Zelda Ocarina of Time was, is, and always will be the best game of all time. Sure, the graphics from the original Nintendo 64 game haven't aged well, but the feeling of playing Zelda OoT for the first time war almost mystical. After finishing this masterpiece the only thing you wanted to do was play it again to discover all the secrets: magic spells, extra swords (the Biggoron Sword!), strange items, ghostly entities (Poes)...
Well, now you'll be able to play this game with the new Nintendo handheld, featuring glorious 3D graphics and many improvements compared to the original, including a touch-enabled menu, little tweaks to some temples (especially the infamous Water Temple) and maybe an extra-dungeon. Be prepared for the return of this masterful classic!
Xbox Kinect Vs PlayStation Move: The motion control Xbox Kinect
Using your whole body to interact with games, results are genuinely impressive. It's quite bizarre watching an animated replica of yourself prancing around the television screen knocking down balls, jumping for headers and dancing like a buffoon. Accuracy is almost most of the time but you really need to be at least six foot away from the Kinect sensor. More, if you have the space, and certainly nothing like the Kinect game packet shots would have you believe.
We also encountered fleeting lag problems. Only a quarter of second out here and there, but if it's an accuracy or timing based game – largely all of them – then it can become frustrating.
The dream of millions of Star Wars fans may soon come true if this game lives up to its potential. With all the power in your hands (literally), you'll be able to fight epic battles against other Jedis and use all your Force-powered abilities to win.
The graphics seem top-notch too, so Star Wars is looking like Kinect's main "hardcore game" and worthy of the first spot in this "top 5 best Xbox Kinect games" article.
PlayStation Move
Of the handful of Move games we have played, our experience leads us to think that Sony is going for a more mature market. Sprites and graphics are less vernal and the feel of the games require more skill than those on Kinect. The fact that stellar titles such as Heavy Rain, Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11, KillZone 3 and Resident Evil 5 are being updated to support Move indicates the audience Sony is after. Yes, there are still the post-pub titles - Start the Party, Singstar and Sports Champions - that will go down a treat with a group of players, but the range looks better for PS3ers.
best game of PS 3 move
Zelda: Ocarina of Time 3D
For many people (including me) Zelda Ocarina of Time was, is, and always will be the best game of all time. Sure, the graphics from the original Nintendo 64 game haven't aged well, but the feeling of playing Zelda OoT for the first time war almost mystical. After finishing this masterpiece the only thing you wanted to do was play it again to discover all the secrets: magic spells, extra swords (the Biggoron Sword!), strange items, ghostly entities (Poes)...Well, now you'll be able to play this game with the new Nintendo handheld, featuring glorious 3D graphics and many improvements compared to the original, including a touch-enabled menu, little tweaks to some temples (especially the infamous Water Temple) and maybe an extra-dungeon. Be prepared for the return of this masterful classic!
Xbox Kinect Vs PlayStation Move: The motion control
Using your whole body to interact with games, results are genuinely impressive. It's quite bizarre watching an animated replica of yourself prancing around the television screen knocking down balls, jumping for headers and dancing like a buffoon. Accuracy is almost most of the time but you really need to be at least six foot away from the Kinect sensor. More, if you have the space, and certainly nothing like the Kinect game packet shots would have you believe.
We also encountered fleeting lag problems. Only a quarter of second out here and there, but if it's an accuracy or timing based game – largely all of them – then it can become frustrating.
t does a very good job of picking up multiple players too, but again, you need a decent amount of floor space to spread players apart so that Kinect doesn't mistake one for another. It's freakishly arresting how Kinect recognises different faces to log into character identity and Live services, though
.There's no doubting the landmark here. Along with PrimeSense, Microsoft has brought both full-body motion control and face and voice recognition into the living room. It may not be everyone's cup of tea, but very impressive nonetheless and will leave many wide-eyed and open mouthed.
While the PS3 Eye only picks up the Move controllers, the results are more accurate than Kinect. What's more, you can play some games sitting down, without having to move furniture out of the way first. Yes, it's very similar to playing Wii, but it's a definite step forward in terms of how sensitive the controllers are and the depth at which you can interact with characters and objects.
In Sports Champions' table tennis, the bat can be rotated in all directions, on all axis and with zero lag. Being able to reach over the table, step back from the table or put realistic spin on the ball from any angle all works towards making it a more realistic experience. Add to this the more humanistic graphics and the fact that you're holding something when playing a game, makes the experience more believable than Kinect. It picks up multiple players with aplomb, too
XBox Kinect Vs PlayStation Move: Price
Xbox Kinect
One of the biggest sticking points with Kinect is the price. Yes, the technology is woven into more than just the games, but ￡130 for the sensor alone is costly when compared to what Sony is asking for its accessory. There's no doubt you are getting more tech for your buck but we fear many will baulk at the price. An Xbox (250Gb) with a Kinect sensor and Kinect Adventures costs ￡300. On the plus side, you won't need to buy extra controllers as you ARE the controller
PlayStation Move
The PlayStation Move Starter Pack (with PlayStation Eye Camera, Move Controller and Starter Disc) costs ￡57 (or around £45 online). Each controller is then around £28, So, four controllers and the Eye camera will cost you ￡133, which is more expensive than Kinect. However, it's a system that can be added to over time and the upgrade path for PS3-ers might seem more value for money. A PS3 console (320GB) costs around ￡280
Xbox Kinect Vs PlayStation Move: Overall
Kinect is an impressive piece of technology that offers a glimpse of things to come for how we will interact with consumer electronics. It's impressive as a gaming accessory and will undoubtedly be a hit with the Wii generation (all, but non hardcore gamers) this Christmas. While the face, voice and motion recognition isn't perfect, it's completely playable under the right conditions. If you've already got an Xbox, it's quite a pricey accessory. If you haven't, the Xbox Kinect bundle is cheaper than buying a new PS3 and Move kit.
ony's Move is for more serious gamers. The games are more grown up, the skill level is a little higher and it's less arcade-y. The rate at which developers are making big games Move-compatible is also telling.
So, it boils down to the type of gamer you are. At this stage, we'd plump for the more mature Move but can see the draw of the Kinect for family fun gaming.
Winner: PlayStation Move
