-What's up, Prizefight fans?
I'm Brian Tong and this is another Prizefight that you, the people, have been asking for.
Gamers, get ready.
It's a Prizefight punch out between the Play Station Move and Microsoft Kinect.
Our judges for this fight are Associate Editor Jeff "Back That Thing Up" Bakalar, Senior Associate Editor Scott "The Bottom Line" Stein, and myself, Brian "Hong Kong" Tong.
Now, we'll take all 3 judges' scores and average out to the nearest tenth each round.
The final Prizefight score will be an average of all rounds using the same decimal system.
Who will be the motion control master?
First round is design.
The Play Station Move is a multi-p system.
Its Play Station Eye Camera has remained the same since 2007 and it could really be sleeker.
The Move controller is sleek and sturdy, but it could either be a wand with a glowing ping pong ball or an adult toy, not that I know.
Its navigation controller isn't required
but there are a lot of pieces to the puzzle here.
Now, the Kinect sensor is a one and done.
It's not the smallest piece of hardware and it might be difficult to find a convenient flat space to position it, but it wins style points for its sleek design that reminds us a little of Wall-E.
-Wall-E.
-Microsoft's Kinect takes round 1 with a 4, and Sony's Move gets a 3.
Next round is setup.
If you think these systems are just plug-and-play, it's not that easy.
With the Play Station Move, you just have to plug in the camera and synch the controllers to the systems.
It's actually relatively easy to setup.
But calibrating the controllers in between games can be annoying.
Lighting will be important here but space isn't that big of an issue.
Now, the Kinect's initial setup can be tedious and take almost up to 10 minutes.
But once calibrated, it's good to go.
You also need decent lighting, but the biggest challenge here is space, so get ready to move some furniture.
If you don't have at least 6 to 10 feet of playing space, well, this might not be worth getting.
The Move takes round 2 with a
3.7 and the Kinect gets a 3.
So, after averaging 2 rounds, Microsoft leads by just 1/10 of a point.
Round 3 is interface and control.
These are 2 totally different experiences.
The Move is really like Wii HD.
It's a motion controller with a high level of accuracy and the navigation controller has analog sticks that cater to a more hardcore audience.
What you'll notice here the most is its precision especially with shooters.
The Kinect is unlike any gaming experience we've seen.
You can use your hand to
navigate menus like "Minority Report", or control functions with your voice.
With Kinect, your hands, arms, and legs, and even your booty, are part of the game play.
But there can be a subtle delay from your movements and what's translated on screen.
It all depends on what you're looking for.
But between our 3 judges, Kinect gets the edge with a 4 and the Move gets a 3.7.
Next round is software support.
We're still waiting for more Move titles that showcase what the technology is capable of.
Killzone 3 is the first evidence
that motion and precision can go together.
But many other games just have Move support tacked on.
The current batch of dedicated Move exclusive games feels like the same things we've seen on the Wii, only with better graphics.
Now, Microsoft's Kinect has games that are made just for the platform and there are several that really make the technology shine.
Kinect Adventures is a great party game.
You can't deny the cuteness and interactivity of Kinectimals, and Dance Central is the killer app.
You'll be getting friends who never danced to shake their groove thing even if you don't want them to.
Microsoft takes another round with a 4 and Sony gets a 3.
So, after averaging 4 rounds, the Kinect leads by 4/10 of a point.
The final that decides it all is value.
All right, let's break down the Move cost.
The Play Station Eye is $40.
The Move controller is $50.
And for advanced games, the navigation controller is an additional $30.
Sony offers a $99 bundle with the Eye, a Move controller, and a game.
But for 2 people,
you'll still need an extra controller.
So, you're really talking about $150 minimum for a setup with 2 people.
Now, the Kinect is $150.
It's about half the price of a console, but it's still pretty much around the same price as a Move setup and you don't need any additional hardware--just the Kinect sensor.
The final round ends in a tie at 3.3 points a piece.
So, let's average out all 5 rounds.
And in a battle that was close
early, the Kinect started to pull away taking this battle 3.7 to 3.3 and is your Prizefight winner.
Now, the winner for you might depend on what kind of gamer you are.
But ultimately, it's up to the software developers to showcase both of these technologies.
But you know what I can't wait to get home and play?
Kinectimals.
I'm Brian Tong.
Thanks for watching.
We'll catch you guys next time on another Prizefight.
