Lately, videogame peripherals seem to be getting more sensitive than Enrique Iglesias. If you're not already waving your arms around like Emily Rose on crack during a game, you soon will be. Here are five motion-sensitive devices which prove once and for all that the Nintendo Power Glove anticipated cool, working gaming technology.
We tip our plumber's cap to the Big N for pushing the stagnant gaming business into uncharted territory with the Wii. The oddball controller is entirely unlike anything you've seen before. It looks and feels much like your TV's remote, but instead of channel-surfing, you can actually use it as a virtual tennis racket, a golf club, a baseball bat, a steering wheel, a machine gun, a bow, and a katana. Just pick it up and start swinging/shooting/steering/stabbing.
Just when Nintendo seemed to have cornered the motion market, Sony stepped in at the 11th hour with a "mo-sens" version of their classic DualShock controller for the PS3. The new DualShock looks unimpressively like the old DualShock, but inside you'll find a device that detects pitch and yaw. Tilt the new DualShock to the left, and your jet in Warhawk tilts to the left; tilt forward, and the nose dips forward. If you're one of those people who foolishly leans during racing/flying games, this new controller has your name written all over it.
With a new line of tricked-out gaming phones, Nokia might just lose the badge of shame pinned to them after the N-Gage debacle. Creatures Of The Deep is a fishing sim that let's you use your Nokia handset like an actual fishing rod. "Cast" your virtual line by flicking your wrist; the game uses the phone's built-in camera to determine the distance of your cast.
BodyPad
Developer: XKPad Inc.
Platform: PlayStation 2, Xbox
While the BodyPad sounds like something you might find in the feminine hygiene aisle at Walmart, it's actually the world's first full-body videogame controller. Strap the BodyPad's sensors to your limbs, load up a fighting game like Soul Calibur III, and bloody Voldo's nose by throwing actual punches and kicks through the air. Consult a physician before using this device, as it could result in shortness of breath, dizziness, and difficulty in consuming pizza and fish sticks while playing.
Eye Of Judgement camera
Developer: Sony
Platform: PlayStation 3
Here's a bizarre little game that requires an EyeToy-like camera called The Eye Of Judgement. It's actually a card-based strategy game in the same vein as Magic: The Gathering. The game's camera, perched above the playing field, actually recognizes cards as you place them within camera-shot. Make like Gandalf, and wave your hand above the card. Voila! You've summoned an animated creature!
