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List Price: $99.99
Sale Price: $53.94
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The Starter Bundle makes it quick and easy for those who already have a PS3 to get an idea of what Move is about. Depending on what you already have on your PS3 and of what/how you are planning to play, all you may need could be just the Move controller and nothing else or you may want to order some additional controllers instead of this bundle.
If you don't have a PS3, then the PlayStation 3 320GB System with PlayStation Move Bundle should be the way to go.
WHAT YOU GET, WHAT ELSE YOU MAY NEED/WANT
Briefly, this is what you get in with this bundle and I will make it very short because there's a lot of info. at the Amazon page:
* Move controller, of course
* PlayStation Eye camera (must have for the Move to work)
* Sports Champions (Ping Pong is simply awesome, some of the games play much better with a second controller)
* A disc with Demos which should be available at the PSN store as well
Depending on how you are planning to play your games, this is what you don't get but may end up buying eventually:
One more additional Move Controller (some games will either require two controllers or will play better with two)
Navigation Controller(s) (you can use the DualShock in your left hand but it feels weird)
One or more extra USB wires if you don't have enough already to charge your new controller(s) OR
Dedicated charger, especially if you have more than one Move controller and/or Navigation controller(s)
GO FOR THE STARTER BUNDLE OR NOT?
The Motion Controller and the PS Eye are the minimum needed to bring 'Move' to a any PS3 console. No exceptions. If you already have a PS Eye then the controller alone is the only purchase necessary. On the other hand, to fully enjoy certain games, you may want TWO Move Controllers. This starter bundle makes sense if you don't have the Eye already and you are into the type of games that Sports Champions has. You could still get it and then sell the Eye if you already have one. The same goes for the Sports Champions. It comes sealed so you can sell it as 'new' and recover some funds in the process.
MOVE'S MOTION CONTROLLER
The Wikipedia has a very thorough review of the technology inside the controller impressive. It's probably worth going there to get an idea of what's under the hood.
From a user's point of view, the Move could be viewed as approximately the right side of the DualShock 3 where the motion tracking function is the R3 analog stick, R1 is the MOVE button and the R2 becomes the Move's T(rigger). You also get the 4 Square/Circle/X/Triangle, in a square (not 'diamond') formation, the PS button as well as the START and SELECT. So far, the most used buttons during gameplay were the MOVE and the T(rigger).
In addition, you get a wrist strap. At the opposite end of the microphone-shaped Move there's a USB Mini-B port for charging and another port that seems to be proprietary must investigate.
The controller is quite substantial as far as both size and weight I like that and liked its being shaped in a way that makes it easy to grab and hold. Very much like a microphone or a very thick magic wand; NOT a remote control.
Based on my experience so far, Move's ability to track your motions far surpasses anything that I'm aware of in the gaming universe. Every single movement, up/down, left/right, toward/away and wrist rotation are accurately captured and almost instantly reflected on the screen and so is acceleration that would usually translates as 'force' in games such as sword fights or ping pong. In addition, there is haptic (tactile/rumble) feedback, a little too weak in the games I played so far, making the gaming experience that much more realistic.
I am not writing a lot about the Eye camera because... it's just there and it's not the subject of this review. For as long as it can see you, it simply does its part so that you may enjoy your game.
THE GAME
Sports Champions consists of 6 separate events where you play through one of the available characters either against the other characters provided by the game or against another player will need a second Move controller for that. As expected, there are levels of difficulties, medals and various bonuses.
PING PONG shows Move's nothing short of amazing ability to track its controllers position in 3D space and, better, even detect moves such as wrist rotation and to track acceleration as 'force' and do it in real time. Playing Ping Pong is challenging, fun, frustrating and addictive. My entire arm, from wrist all the way up to the neck hurts already and I'm not even done with the Bronze Medal challenge yet (almost there).
ARCHERY is probably second most popular, at least in our household. We like it because, unlike PING PONG, we don't sweat a lot while playing it. ARCHERY is also one of the 3 included games that make it quite clear that you will be much better off with TWO Motion Controllers. Some of the challenges look quite cheesy shooting at floating money bags but we've spent some time playing it and it's likely that we are going to play some more in the future.
The GLADIATOR SWORD FIGHT game, even more than ARCHERY would benefit from TWO Motion Controllers one for the sword/axe and a second for a shield. With one controller only, you must pull the trigger to raise and use your shield or use the sword otherwise. Yes, Sony gave us BUTTONS but the game is ten times more realistic when you actually push your shield forward the way you would actually do it in real life rather than pull the trigger to raise the shield and, at the same time push the Move button while making a 'push' motion.
BOCCE... ever played it? I have a couple of times. Plays well with one controller but it can be a little boring. Good simulation.
FRISBEE GOLF is not bad. Actually played it in real life on the course we have at the nearby state park. It's a little slow but it's good relaxation after you sweat yourself out on PING PONG or GLADIATOR.
VOLLEYBALL, again, can be so much better with two Motion Controllers. Also, be careful if you play in a room with low ceilings or anything that hangs from the ceiling like a ceiling fan or a priceless crystal candelabrum.
Considering that Sports Champions is an early game, my expectations were not that high but, surprisingly, Ping Pong exceeded my expectations. I've been playing real Ping Pong ever since I was 11 or 12 so I probably know what I'm talking about and the Move version of Ping Pong is GOOD. As for the others... sword fight, not so good. Archery was okay, Bocce was so-so, Frisbee Golf not too bad.
For the games I've played so far, this is NOT a couch experience. On the Sports events I was sweating after a few minutes and my Move arm is now hurting from the wrist all the way up to the neck.
MY RATING
It's 5 stars for the technical merit, ease of setup and for the overall experience. Hopefully, lots of good games will be coming quickly.
Click Here to Read More Reviews >>
Positives:
Intuitive design.
Excellent precision.
Realistic anti-waggle feedback.
Almost no detectable delay.
Negatives:
Obnoxious disco ball light.
Bundle comes with only 1 controller.
You must have plenty of space to play with it.
Buy PlayStation Move Starter Bundle Now
In a nutshell the Move brings the motion tracking of the Wii to the awe-inspiring graphics engine of the PS3. It's enough to make one salivate at the possibilities.
Please note that I'm rating this primarily from a family/kid oriented perspective (given how we use it in our home), and not as a hard core individual gamer. This is just my opinion for what it's worth and I don't intend to offend anyone's sensibilities. My intent is not to stoke a PS3 vs. Wii war, and I'm just using the Wii as a comparison point, given my personal experience with both systems.
While I was an early Wii adopter, most of my game investments have been for the PS3 (Bioshock 1 & 2, Infamous, Fallout 3, IL2 Sturmovik, Valkyria Chronicles, ...), primarily for the depth of gameplay and graphics that it makes possible especially on large screen televisions.
Well, the Move signals that the PS3 has finally caught up with the Wii and in many ways has actually surpassed it.
Unfortunately, though the implementation of the Move is technologically a 5-star, the fun quotient for this particular game is closer to a 3-star especially when a kid-oriented audience is concerned.
What is awesome about the Move?
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1. The Playstation Eye Camera actually follows the bright light at the end of the controller, so is able to sense the minutest movements in all three dimensions. It is actually fairly uncanny how well it tracks your movements. This brings an air of realism to games that is sometimes unreal!
2. The accompanying games are well executed and quite bug free a huge feat in itself. In addition, the games seem to have an amazing amount of physics realism that really begins to get challenging at harder difficulty levels. For instance, with archery you need to consider the parabolic trajectory of your arrows which gets progressively more important as the targets move farther out from you.
3. The motion controller acts as a navigation controller so you don't need your DualShock PS3 controller. Press the "T"rigger button, and then use horizontal/vertical gestures to navigate the PS3's XMB interface.
What bothers me about the starter bundle?
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1. There isn't a single game that can be played simultaneously by a family of 4. I remember very fondly the family tennis games with the Wii but that's not going to happen here. The only games that support 4 players, require each player to take turns in sequence (i.e., Bocce Ball and Disc Golf).
It's also a pity that the games are fairly limited in number no tennis, bowling, or even golf.
2. It comes with only one motion controller.
This is a problem because some of the games in the pack really require 2 controllers for it to be fun. For example, without a second controller games like archery devolve into a point-the-controller exercise, which is rather fatiguing for small arms. For adults, Gladiator Duel feels a bit silly with just one controller.
3. Gone are the friendliness of the Mii characters. The characters on the Move starter pack are mildly annoying and even quite aggressive in jeering at you when they win which was off putting for my youngest. Fortunately, you can shut them up with a click of the Next button.
In addition, you can't customize your avatars which used to be a source of endless amusement for kids (and parents) when using the Wii.
4. Each time you play, you start with a predefined character (Kenji, Giselle, etc.), and these characters are shared across all family members. As a result, kids don't get to have a "personal best" score associated with their own character. This was a key draw for us on the Wii, as we kept trying to better each other's scores. Unfortunately, Sports Champion doesn't give us the same emotional attachment to a character and there's no permanent digital scoreboard that let's the kids feel superior to us.
Conclusion:
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If I were rating just the hardware, I'd give it 5 stars. My rating is for the overall enjoyment that my family and I derived from the starter bundle.
In summary then, we liked the Move but with some caveats.
1) It isn't a game changer for family evenings we'll still use our Wii for that.
2) I'm awed by the technical brilliance of the Move, and I'm waiting for games that will take full advantage of it.
In the meantime, it definitely is a fun curiosity that I'm sure I'll use occasionally.
Happy Move-ing!
Read Best Reviews of PlayStation Move Starter Bundle Here
I've had a PS3 since Nov. of 2006 and consider myself to be a hardcore gamer and technophile. I've been researching the different controller schemes for quite some time and I feel that Sony has the right combination for it's motion control device (MOVE). The problem I've had with the PS3 is finding a game that my wife can play with me that really allows her to share gaming time with me. Since the Move has come out she asks me everyday for a game of bocce (a highly addictive and competitive gaming event included in the Sports Champion game). I picked up the Sports Champions bundle along with an extra move controller and the navigation controller. The camera and controller combination that Sony has employed with this device allows for true 1:1 tacking of your motions which makes it easy to lose track that you have a controller in your hands as you are taken in by how well you can control your character in the game. Yesterday, I had a friend of mine over that owns a Wii to get his take on the device. After playing it 6 hours straight he told me that he loved the controller and how it performed and that he was considering selling his Wii to purchase this. Try it yourself and make the decision but from what I've found, it is a solid device and will only get better. Congrats to Sony.
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The Wii was a revolutionary experience, and really really fun. Nintendo did a great job with it and deserve all the credit (and money) they got for it.
The Move takes what the Wii did and builds on it with great success. It's just a better device. Precision and accuracy are considerably better, the device feels good in your hand, and with standard Sony design, it just looks better. I've always been a proponent of matching (all black) media equipment, so I never liked how my Wii stood out like a sore thumb in my entertainment center. The Move fits a lot better.
The Wii's precision left a lot to be desired. The hand icon would shake a lot as you were pointing and clicking, even when I was aiming directly. That's no longer the case with the Move. It really feels like it's a mouse for your TV; that level of control, that level of accuracy, that level of precision.
The games are good, although I've always enjoyed Wii games, so I'm not sure that Sony has done any better on that front. That said, I'm sure as more and more games come out for this, it'll be better than the Wii games (just because PS3 games are always awesome.)
One final thing is price. You already spent nearly $300 on your PS3, and then another $100 for this is a lot of money when you can get a Wii for $200. So if you are budget conscious, perhaps the Wii is the better option. The Move is certainly better, but not for someone who would also need to buy a PS3. What I"m saying is, don't buy a PS3 just so you can get Move. If you have one already, definitely go for it. If you don't, and you want to save some money, go with the Wii.
Enjoy!
