Recently there has been a lot of debate about the relative merits of Sony's Playstation "Move" motion controller and Microsoft's XBox 360 "Kinect". The debate rages between hardcore gamers and supporters of each platform, but really this is not very helpful for the average consumer who just wants to know which technology they should buy. This article describes in plain English some of the significant differences between the two systems and summarizes the pro's and con's of each to help you make a purchase decision.
Sony PS3 Move
The Playstation 3 uses the Move combined with the Eye Toy camera to enhance game play. The motion detection on the PS3 is amazingly good, registering your movements with astonishing accuracy. In fact, many reviewers have said it's more precise than the Nintendo Wii which has been the benchmark to date. It's very smooth and has little delay. This type of advanced motion detection is possible thanks to the technology enbedded in the PS3, including eight different processors and a great graphics card. The Six Axis technology also helps with detecting motion and makes for a less expensive unit than Kinect's motion controller coming in at $30 for a base price, and a little more for add-ons. It provides a very 'realistic' feeling motion control.
On the down side, many reviewers have compared the MOve motion control to the Wii and consider it a direct copy because of the way the controller looks (ie, the wand and the add on that looks like Wii's nunchuk). Also, att he time of writing there are no solid titles out that can properly demonstrate Move's technology, so gives the Kinect a distinct advantage right now (see below). Also, many claim that it's too traditional and does not offer much creativity or scope to really push the envelope of motion controller technology.
Microsoft XBox Kinect
A big advantage that XBox has going for its motion detection is no controller. Literally. All the motion is detected by natural body movements. You can scroll through different menus on the screen by simply moving your hand back and forth, which does take a little getting used to, but is high on the 'wow' factor. Another unique unique feature it has over the Move is voice recognition. Just imagine saying "Hello" to your XBox and it replies back to you or turns on without you clicking any buttons. Overall Microsoft is to be commended for the innovations in the Kinect and to developers who now have some very interesting interaction possibilities to explore.
On the other hand many argue that all of Kinect's claims will go for naught if it does not work with its future games. So far the mini games have worked well, but is this really a gimmick in disguise? A lot of the games compatible with the Kinect coming out are made for little kids and not really the hardcore gamers. The functionality may also pose a problem, because it's still a work in progress kind of innovation. Many wonder how appealing the Kinect is going to be against the hardcore gamer base of PS3 Move.
Summary
It's clear to see that PS3 Move and Xbox Kinect are two very different motion controllers with two very different objectives. Playstation 3 Move is trying to give a hyper realistic feel to its hardcore gamers with future titles like SOCOM 4, Killzone 4 promising to support the Move controller. Meanwhile Xbox Kinect is trying to give its users more innovation with its controller free interface and voice recognition in games like Kinectables. Of course all this is also very early days...will the Kinect attract enough game developers eager to push the limites of interface design, and if so will the PS3 Move be compelling enough in a couple of years time, or instead will the Kinect prove to be too much of a novelty will not enough truly compelling games to attract the hard core gamers.
The decision for consumers is probably more to do with what kind of gaming they want to do right now. If you are a hardcore gamer the PS3 and the PS3 Move is probably the console for you. But if you are new to gaming consoles and want something really fun for family members of all ages (including the very young) then I would suggest trying the XBox Kinect.
Bradley is an avid gamer and game reviewer, and he's especially excited about the new generation of games that are starting to come out with motion control interfaces. He'll be reviewing all the newest games for PS3 over at PS3 Console as they cone out. He has been a big PS3 fan over the years, but he is now quite excited about the XBox Kinect as well.
