First Looks// PlayStation Move Controller

As I've pointed out already, the mini-USB charging socket sits at the back-base of the controller and is used for, well, charging. Apparently a full charge takes up to five hours. Low charge is indicated, as per the standard controllers, with a red flashing light seated just below the Sony logo towards the back end of the unit. Finally, there is the wrist strap: a black, fabric affair that could save your TV and will certainly save Sony's legal bills.

Basically none of it makes you leap back and yell, “What the bloody hell is this monstrosity doing near my black PS3?!” If I'm honest, the Move is certainly more pleasing on the eye than the initial PS3 Fat's art deco Bakelite shininess.

As for the EyeToy (sorry, PlayStation Eye... old habits die hard) camera. As usual, the USB cable is still too short. Unlike the Wii's sensor bar that sits aloof on top of the massive SPOnG flat screen TV - while its tiny white parent console sits about five feet away in the cabinet - the EyeToy needs to be beneath the TV, sat on a box actually. Well, unless you're playing with the EyePet, in which case the camera needs to be near the floor or at least pointing down.

Now, see, there's a thing. Depending on the game or utility you're using with Move, you my need to relocate the EyeToy. I'd advise not being anal and positioning it so that you can't move it, that way lies disappointment.

I'm now going to hand over to Mat Murray for his take on the device as a predominantly Xbox 360 oriented gamer.

The Xbox Fan's Opinion
By Mat Murray

Kinect, as you may know if you listen to the SPOnGCast, is so high on my Want List that at one point last year it actually found itself at the bottom, because such was my love for the as-yet-unplayed-by-myself device, it had actually gone full-circle.

Because of that – and because I don’t own a PS3 – I had next to no interest in Move. “It’s a black Wii!” someone told me. “It’s Wii HD!” said another. “If you so much as bring that black ice-cream cone into this house when we’ve got a wedding to pay for then I will actually kill you”, said my darling bride to be.

But seriously, I watched the E3 presentation with gay abandon, hoping to see something truly next gen from Sony’s ‘new’ motion-controller. The fact is I literally abandoned it to make a sandwich after five minutes of Move demos because, well, we’ve seen it all before, haven’t we?

So, when I heard Sony had delivered Move to the SPOnG offices, I was interested, sure, but not excited. In fact, I was more interested to just hold the thing in my hands because, as regular listeners of the podcast will attest, I do like a good gadget and/or shiny piece of plastic and/or Apple product.

The first thing that hit me – other than Tim’s flailing arms as he failed in his attempt to control a virtual Frisbee – was how well built the thing felt. Yes I know Sony have been making those TV things for a while and they may have learned a thing or two from building stereos, but seriously, the Move controller felt great. Much more than the cheap white plastic they make those Wiimotes from.

But I could only touch up the controller for so long before having a go. And have a go I did.

I played a game of Bocce from Move Sports Champions. Bocce is a game where one (vs AI) to four players (vs each other) take it in turns to throw balls (Bocces?) towards a little yellow ball (the Pallino), aiming to have their balls (steady) closest to the yellow target ball.