Despite impressive tech demos at last year’s E3, Microsoft’s recently re-branded “Kinect†and Sony’s Playstation Move controller felt more dated than the “underpowered†Nintendo console they are trying to out-motion. What do we mean by dated? Obviously this has nothing to do with graphical capability or processing power – something on which both the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3 have a marked advantage over the Wii – but implementation. Playing Kinect and Move feel like playing the Wii 4 years ago.
Again, it’s not that the technology isn’t impressive – on a technical level it can easily be argued that the Move controller is more capable than the Wii Remote and Wii Motion Plus dongle introduced last year – but this technical capability hasn’t translated to game design. Take Sony’s offerings for example – most of the demos available were just point, click, waggle, repeat. Although on Par with Wii games of the same style, it was an experience we’ve all had before – and higher resolution graphics simply aren’t enough to improve upon that experience. Even more action orientated games fall flat, in the new Time Crisis for example, the on screen cursor feels as if it lags behind the player’s quickest movements. That’s not to say there aren’t some interesting titles coming out – EyePet aims to offer a more directly interactive virtual pet experience then we’ve seen before, and Socom 4 and Resident Evil 5’s move controls are the motion dreams of the hardcore – but again, they aren’t anything we haven’t seen on the Wii with Resident Evil 4.
And what of Microsoft’s foray into the controller free video game? Once again, the technology is impressive – the motion controlled Xbox Dashboard interface could one day replace the TV remote control – but it may not topple the Wii. As stated, the technology is impressive, but the implementation feels dated, we’ve bowled our hearts out on the Wii – Kinect Sports Bowling brings little new to the table. Examiner’s Tanya Valdez reports that many of the standalone games on demo at the show felt like they should have been pack-in titles, and the ones that felt complete and able to stand on their own suffered some minor lag issues.  UberGizmo reports that Kinect may have someissues with pointing and aiming – a mechanic important to many “core†games, and something neither of it’s competitors have an issue with.
In the end, it’s all about software and control – and while there is still plenty of time for Sony, Microsoft, and interested third parties to step up their game, nothing shown at E3 this year really made waves in the world of motion control. Nintendo has four years of control implementation experience on them, and this year’s Legend of Zelda: The Skyward Sword demo shows it – a full sized action title with excellent use of full motion control. Nintendo has also shown great success with first person shooter type games with good motion controller implementation, this year showcasing a Goldeneye 007 remake. Stacked against Nintendo’s history of motion, Sony and Microsoft just can’t compare, at least for now. Control is king, a little waggle and better graphics just aren’t enough.
Don’t want to take these criticisms lying down? That’s okay, we hear Kinect is “Optimized for Standing.â€
Mexicano
My Sony Rant at E3
Sony 3D gaming is a big freaking mistake! Ok, a good 3D T.V. is $3,000 to $2,500 + $190 to $200 for each individual glasses. That is to expensive considering that I spent 1,500 recently in a 1800p T.V. WTF? Nintendo prove in E3 2010 that Sony is going in the wrong direction with 3D technology, the Nintendo 3DS prove that you can have 3D that it can be done good and you don’t need dose retarded glasses.
Also if Sony want use to buy the Move you need the PS3 EYE $39.99 + the controllers PS3 MOVE Motion Controller is $49.99 and the PS3 MOVE Navigation Controller is
$29.99 = that is a total of 120 (Remember that you need a Motion controller and a Navigation controller for each person and some game need 2 motion controller.) That is already more expensive than Nintendo.
In reality I am not exited in any game that runs in 3D and the Play Station Move has not done any fig that the Wi has not already done. I am not oppose for 3D gaming but the way that Sony is going to make ti accessible it is a bad idea.
I needed to get this crap out of my chess. =)
gil
i think you meant chest
Jake Barber
It’s cool, but it’s way to pricey. It has to be cheap and extremely simple for it to get in the hands of consumers.
The cheapest PS3 available is $300. The PS3 Eyetoy is $40. The Move controller is $50 and the Navigation nunchuck is $30. That comes to a total of $420. Not to mention, you have to buy a game.
The cheapest 360 is $150. The Kinect’s official price is unknown, but it’s estimated to be about $150. That comes to $300. Not bad, to be honest, but you still have to buy the products separately and find Kinect compatible games.
The Wii on the other hand, is $200. You get a Wii remote, Motion Plus, nunchuck, Wii Sports and Wii Sports Resort.
It’s not going to pull in enough of the casual audience. Queen Elizabeth plays Wii, but I honestly doubt she’ll buy a Move controller or a Kinect thingy.
Jake Barber
That said, I’m kind of interested in the Move controller and might consider buying one if there’s any interesting software support for it. (Just had to throw that in there so I didn’t sound like a COMPLETE fanboy.)
azntofu
Hmm… Hey Mexicano I think that just MAYBE kinnect and move has a opportunity
to make Nintendo wii better.
If both motion control systems create good enough support, then it may force nintendo and third parties to step up their game on the wii. I mean seeing the average quality of third parties for the wii. The putting a 6.0 game and adding motion controls = profit formula may not work once these 2 add ons come out, so this may convince others to be like MH3 Tri, where it looks amazing for even if it’s only on the wii. Especially how wii users get **** ports of hard core games, maybe we could see this as an oppritunity to both revise and improve on the Wii itself. I think that the wii could match up to the quality the “hardcore” titles have if they just try, both casually and competitive. TvC, Monster Hunter, boom blox. I mean we even have a motion plus that’s been overlooked by so many.
On the other hand, ( found this on a blog but forgot where) maybe developers feel to limited on what the wii could do because Nintendo is VERY strict on what games could be published. MS and Sony do have the power, wealth, and system to help create the ultimate adventure game that uses motion. Or maybe they will just get casual titles, which will not appeal because every single guy I know has a wii.
I seriously don’t know what the future is for these 2 ” next gen” consles are going to be.
Mattiac
@gil: I think you meant this: “I think you meant chest, Mexicano.”
Paul
The Move shows a lot of promise once they stop developing Wii games from 2006, as the article here stated. The fidelity of the controller is pretty impressive.
The Kinect, however, seems to have an incredibly niche appeal. Dancing and exercising with it looks to be really cool, but all the “controller-less” talk is just fluff. There is no way that something like Mario Galaxy or Smash Brothers could be handled without a controller.
I’m not sure where I heard it, but I recall someone saying that with Kinect Microsoft solved a problem that didn’t really exist.
bruceleroy
Sony did show 3 new things with the Move that the Wii hasn’t done yet in E3:
1) This is The Fight: Lights Out – a first person fighting/boxing game that actually works.
2) PS3 exclusives w/ Move – we finally can play PS3 exclusives (KZ3, SOCOM, RE5) Wii-style
3) Hardcore mentality – with launch titles such as Dead Space, RE5, SOCOM, Sorcery, KZ3, Sony seems like they are targeting a new audience (hardcore gamers who likes motion control games).
The Move has great potential. Imagine if you can play the next Call of Duty in HD, w/ the MOVE w/o analog sticks, w/o downgrades, & w/ better online capabilities.
peter
Another thing ps3 can do is – http://www.kungfulivegame.com/ Not sure how durable the wii fit is, I probably don’t want to do this on the wii fit board for an extended period of time.
Wallace
@Peter
That’s not a move game, that’s a playstation EYE game, and the EYE has been out for awhile. The sad thing is that this IS only an Eye game, an it’s a PSN game, AND it’s more interesting than a lot of the stuff they showed at e3…
Jane
Natal is just a fancy EyeToy and Sony is using that same EyeToy to try to catch up with the Wii.
ROGY
I don’t know what ppl are talking about. Kinect is remarkable technology. Of course the games are going to look infantile but so did Wii Sports and thats one of the few games that live up to the Nintendo seal (sorry Reggie). If I can ever afford to get back into vgs I am definitely going to consider an X Box 360 with the quality and mass of games under the platform. They have the versatility that Nintendo lacks as far as classic button controlled gameplay and now moving into motion technology gameplay. I would MUCH rather play Dance Central than Just Dance 2… just sayin
Sean
@Rogy
I agree, the technology is great, but the implementation showcased at E3 was a complete waste of the technology at hand. It failed to live up to it’s own hype by far.
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