PS3 Informer

Six Motion Control Games We Want on the PS3

Hot on the heels of Xboxist's list of the five games they want developers to make for Project Natal, we have compiled our own list of game ideas that we hope clever programmers will make for the PS3 once its - as yet unnamed - motion control system becomes a reality. The beauty of Sony's system is not to be found in its prototype controller design, which we still think looks unnaturally close to another sort of "wand" with a big ball on the end. No, the brilliance of the design is that Sony has taken what we most disliked about Wii controls - the frustrating lack of perfect 1:1 motion - and made it their first priority to fix. Having perfectly sensitive motion input for games would be a major breakthrough, and here are six ideas that we think would make full use of the new control system.

1) Massive-Scale Medieval Combat

One of the best aspects of the motion control demo on stage at E3 was the brief time spent showing how the motion controller would work with a sword, shield, or bow. The two engineers on stage dispatched a series of computer-generated enemies on screen with these weapons, showing how immersive and fun a true 1:1 motion combat simulator could be. But because it was an early prototype, enemies were slow and few in number. What we imagine is more like an epic battle scene from hollywood blockbusters like 300 and Kingdom of Heaven. Throw us into battle and let us use our hands to slice, dice and bludgeon hordes of enemy soldiers. Imagine Assassin's Creed or God of War with motion control and you start to grasp the possibilities.

2) Light Saber Duel

Look, we don't even care if it is Lucasarts who makes the game at this point. We have been waiting for a perfect 1:1 lightsaber game for so long, it feels like one of those bad dreams where you can never reach the candy because it has infinite layers of packaging. If Sony's motion controllers work as promised in the E3 demo, this should finally be a snap to make. It doesn't have to be complicated either - just give us two enemies, some cool sound effects, and a precarious gangway on Bespin.

3) Silent Scope Arcade

Silent Scope was an awesome arcade cabinet from a few years back where you played as a sniper, picking enemies off of rooftops in a set amount of time. The cabinet had a huge gun peripheral and scope, which made it that much cooler. A lightgun attachment combined with Sony's 1:1 sensitivity could make this a reality on a home console. This is one genre where Sony's handheld controller actually makes a lot of sense - while Project Natal could probably do something similar, Sony's system is the only one where players could actually pull a trigger to shoot.

4) Combat Flight Simulator PS3

On the old space shooter series Wing Commander, players could see their character manipulating the flightstick as they flew their fighter in battle. In this game (and possibly other flight simulators), the motion stick would act as the steering mechanism for the craft, with players forced to steer their jet using real movements, adding to the sense of immersion. Throw in Sony's upcoming 3D television technology, and our minds would be suitably blown.

5) Pangya Virtual Golf

Undoubtedly one of the earliest uses of the PS3 motion controller will be golf title. Not only is the sport incredibly popular in Sony's home country of Japan, but this motion device is perfectly suited to the genre because it can track a player's swing accurately through the entire arc. This game would mark a first for virtual golf sims in that it would be able to accurately record the power and direction of a players swing, down to a minute level of detail. Snazzy outfits and online competition would complete the package, blowing Wii Sports out of the water.

6) Ape Escape Party Apes

There will be tons of casual party games released alongside the Sony motion controller, but that doesn't mean they have to suck. Games like Wario Ware and Raving Rabbids on the Wii have proven incredibly successful and great fun at social gatherings. A casual party game collection for the PS3 - if done correctly - could help bring new gamers into the fold. It order for such a game to work, it has to be easy enough for first-time gamers of all skill levels to pick up the first time. It also has to provide instantaneous and addictive bursts of action. Sony's wily time-traveling simians provide the perfect mix of frantic action and lovable character design. Players would lasso, whip, corral, slap and slingshot wayward apes in their march through 100 unique cooperative minigames.

The Sony motion controller is still a long way off - we doubt we will see it in shops before the holidays in 2010. However when it does come, it needs to be accompanied by a wide range of high-quality games, both casual and hardcore. We hope that Sony and its third parties are hard at work on titles that incorporate at least some of the ideas we've outlined here. Who knows, they might even surprise us.