A cool new gaming idea needs some cool games to play on it. So have a look at EyeToy Play, the first game made exclusively for EyeToy. EyeToy Play is a collection of 12 crazy fun yet simple games that anyone can play. With Kung Foo, puzzles, dancing, juggling, football, boxing, fireworks, and loads more, there are enough games here to keep you all laughing at each other for hours.
System: PS2
Genre: Party
Release dates: July 4th 2003 (EURO), November 4th 2003 (USA)
Players: 1-4, Sony EyeToy camera for PS2 required
Save: 460KB minimum
Developer: SCE Studios London
Publisher: Sony Computer Entertainment
Origin: England
Sony’s EyeToy is a small digital camera that sits on top of your TV and plugs into your PS2. The motion sensitive camera films you as you stand in front of your TV, putting your image on screen in the middle of the action. Then you use your arms, legs, head, bottom… in fact any part of your body to play the games. EyeToy is an entirely unique party gaming experience for people of all ages. Incorporating a unique USB camera that utilizes motion-tracking technology, gamers instantly become the main character in their own game as interactive entertainment is taken to a new level.
EyeToy includes 12 exciting interactive games based on music, puzzles, sports and other original genres. Each mini-game requires the player to use their body in unique ways, from quick jabs in Boxing Chump, high leg kicking in Kung Foo, rhythmically tapping hands and feet in Beat Freak, and even using high-knees and headers in Keep Ups. The multiplayer mode offers numerous additional challenges and a chance to compete against and laugh with, and at, friends. With no need for a controller, anyone can have fun with EyeToy, and no previous gaming experience is required. Watch as players jump, kick, and flail their arms to create entertaining action with EyeToy.
Watch the EyeToy Play launch trailer.
The 12 different games to play in EyeToy Play’s main mode are:
* Beat Freak — Hit the speakers in time with the music to build up your score.
* Kung Foo — Fight off wave upon wave of nifty ninja nasties.
* Wishi Washi — How many windows can you clean in two minutes?
* Keep Ups — Use your body to bounce the ball around the screen.
* Boxing Chump — Enter the boxing ring and come out a champion.
* UFO Juggler — Get those Unidentified Flying Objects into orbit.
* Slap Stream — Use your reflexes to save QT and Yumi from the Ratmen.
* Plate Spinner — Keep the plates spinning at top speed for top points.
* Boogie Down — Learn some moves and strut your stuff on the dance floor.
* Ghost Catcher — Stop those ghouls from escaping the graveyard.
* Mirror Time — The screen is reversed and rotated to keep you on your toes.
* Rocket Rumble — Use your skill to unleash a dazzling display of fireworks.
Each of the games has its own tutorial screen to help you. Pay attention to the Oracle who will guide you through each game’s features and set you tasks to complete. You can leave any of the games at any time simply by covering the camera lens of the EyeToy camera. You will then be returned to the title screen or if you are in a Play Room, you will be returned to the Play Room selection screen. In this Play Room you get to toy with various EyeToy camera special effects, like lighting up your movements on the TV screen with rainbow colors.
Watch some more wacky EyeToy Play footage.
As a conclusion let’s rate this game on its fun-basis.
FUN FACTOR – 7.5
EyeToy Play works in a very ingenious way, you control the games by moving your body in front of the PlayStation 2 EyeToy USB camera. The motion is detected by the USB camera, and then the software recognizes pixel changes in the video image and compares the proximity of the change to other game objects to play the game. This simplistic input method makes the 12 mini-games featured in EyeToy Play a breeze to play for people of all ages (yes, even my grandma played it), gamers or not (yes, even my non-gamer friends played it). It’s basically the ideal party game for family and friends that lets you beat back ninjas in Kung Foo, perform rhythmical feet tapping in Beat Freak, show your leg work in Soccer Craze and many more simple, wacky — but most of all — fun games! Leave your pride at the door when you enter a room with EyeToy Play in it and get the party of laughs started as you act like a fool in front of the camera and play very enjoyable mini-games. Comes highly recommended, at least if you like having a good time.
Graphics – 6.0
All the game designs are very clean but too simple, as a result the graphics match that fun-but-basic look. Nice and colorful though.
Audio – 7.0
Simple sound effects and catchy music throughout the game. It fits well with the game’s theme.
Ingenuity – 8.5
The most important things to keep in mind with EyeToy games is that they require a well-lighted area to fully detect the player’s body, and not just that, you need to look at the background that’s being played against so your cloths colors don’t accidentally blend in with the background. Then you need to stand back 3 to 4 steps from the TV (with the camera on top of it) and set the camera’s focus and sensitivity. All of those are important notes, because otherwise the game will have trouble picking up your body movements. Once the EyeToy camera picks up your movements, it’s really fun as the game does a decent job translating your movements into on-screen action. The variety of mini-games will give plenty of fun to those of you willing to go all out and achieve every highscore to become the EyeToy Champion. Without the need for a PS2 controller, the ease of use for these motion controlled games shines most with groups of people getting their game on. Especially because people love looking at themselves, even more as the main character of a game on the big TV screen.
Replay Value – 8.0
While the single player experience is over in a brief amount of time, this is the sort of game I still find myself popping in the PS2 once a while over two years after release when there are two or more people around, especially for our favorites like Kung Foo. Each of these 12 mini-games has three levels of difficulty, more replay value is added by the highscore boards on each mini-game where number one’s photo will be displayed to get some competition going.