If you're not sure what to give for a video-game gift this holiday season, then it's time to get moving -- not just to the stores, but also to play the hottest games this year.
Four years after Nintendo's Wii up-ended the video-game world with motion-controlled gaming, the other major consoles have gotten in on the action, too. Sony's PlayStation 3 now has the Move system, and Microsoft's Xbox 360 has Kinect. In keeping with the advanced consoles, both are more technically sophisticated than their older counterpart. They're also in high demand in stores.
The PS3's Move is similar to Wii in that players wave around a wireless controller, but it's much more precise. Movement can be tracked down to the angle at which the controller is being held, even twisted, instead of the broad -- and occasionally imprecise -- strokes of the Wii. A TV-mounted camera also can tell where in the room the controller is, a combination that creates much more dynamic and accurate game play.
A bundle that includes one Move controller, the camera and the multiplayer game "Sports Champions," whose six events include archery and gladiator combat, sells for $100. You also need a PS3, of course, or you can start from scratch with the Move bundle and console for $400. Additional Move controllers are $50 each, with an add-on navigational controller (like the Wii's nunchuk, but cordless) going for $30.
With the Xbox's Kinect system, the player is the controller. A large camera-equipped sensor, which is mounted by the TV, tracks players and mirrors their movements with on-screen characters and action.
The $150 Kinect startup bundle includes the sensor and the game "Kinect Adventures," which sends players on virtual activities that include running an obstacle course and exploring an underwater observatory. If you don't already have a 360, bundles that include the console and Kinect go for $300 to $400. Extra controllers are free -- just invite someone into the room.
As with any new technology, the games for Move and Kinect are hit and miss as developers explore the potential of the systems. Good bets for Move include the boxing game "The Fight: Lights Out," the arcade shooter "The Shoot," the kid-friendly "EyePet" ($40 each) and the Mature-rated mystery "Heavy Rain" ($60). Kinect winners include the hip-shaking "Dance Central," the critter-centered "Kinectimals," the "Wii Fit"-like "Your Shape: Fitness Evolved" and "Kinect Sports" ($50 each).
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