PlayStation Move - a buyer's guide

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Come September 15, Sony will have debuted the suite of PlayStation Move motion controllers in Europe, with UK following on September 17 and North America on September 19. It's all part of an effort to increase the mass appeal of the PlayStation 3, by adding to it a high-precision take on the Nintendo Wii's motion controls and attempting to woo newcomers and seasoned gamers alike. So what's needed to take advantage of this new kit?

There are just two essential parts, along with a PlayStation 3 console: a PlayStation Eye camera, and a PlayStation Move Controller. A squishy light bulb on the Move means the PlayStation Eye can track it very precisely, and the Move also sends extra data directly to the PS3.

Sold separately, a PlayStation Eye costs $39.99 / €39.99, a Move Controller is $49.99 / €39.99. There is also an optional Navigational Controller, but a standard PlayStation 3 controller can be used one-handed instead.

The Move and Eye are bundled together in a Starter Pack for €59.99 or $99.99. The European version has a nine-game demo disc, including tasters for Move-enabled titles Sports Champions, Start The Party, EyePet, The Shoot, and TV Superstars - all of which will be available from the PlayStation Network Store. The North American pack instead comes with the full game of Sports Champions ($39.99 / €39.99 on its own).

That's the package most friendly to newcomers, though Start The Party is even easier to pick up and play than Sports Champions, and like other doesn't require more than one Move control for multiplayer fun.

Some Nintendo Wii titles are already making the leap to PlayStation 3, taking advantage of the PS3's advanced power. Critical hit Dead Space: Extraction is to be included with the PlayStation 3 version of Dead Space 2, and No More Heroes will also be Move-compatible on PS3.

Given Nintendo's four-year headstart, it remains to be seen how many homes will plump for the PlayStation Move. Another potential inhibitor is the imminent arrival of the Kinect camera for Xbox 360 mid-November.

The Kinect retails at a higher base price ($149 / €149) but is totally hands-free, cheaper in a console bundle ($299 / €299 as compared to $399 / €349) and can track movement in up to six people - though that figure is reduced to just two when full motion analysis is employed.

Nintendo, meanwhile, is focusing on handheld 3D rather than the 3D TV capabilities of the PS3. Nintendo's 3DS is to succeed the super-popular DS - the company is to announce price and release details on September 29.

See the PlayStation Move examined, explained and played at YouTube.com/user/3DWaggler. Sony themselves go through the basics at http://www.movemadeabsurdlyeasy.com.