Sony Eye Toy Vs. Nintendo Wii
Sony got the jump on Nintendo on the active video game market, but no one noticed. Sony released a slew of games that worked with Eye Toy: Kinetic, Groove, Antigrav, Operation Spy, Play and Play 2. Play 2 is strikingly similar to Wii Sports, allowing you to box by punching the air with your fists, hit homeruns, and play table tennis.
Why did no one really notice Eye Toy? Why is Nintendo Wii getting so much attention?
Because Eye Toy DOESN’T WORK!
I thought I would do a head-to-head battle between Nintendo Wii Sports and the Sony Eye Toy, but all of that was cut horribly short by the fact that I couldn’t get Eye Toy to work well enough to even try to play the games. There are very detailed instructions on how to get the Eye Toy to work, but even with extra lighting in the room and the sensitivity turned up to the maximum, Eye Toy was a frustrating experience.
Additionally, the software required that we navigate through tons of menus and even try to input personal data before we could even adjust the Eye Toy. Bad programming and even worse execution makes Eye Toy worse than just a toy. It’s a disappointing and frustrating atrocity that isn’t worth the money.
If your kids are clamoring for a Wii and they already have a Playstation 2, don’t think that you will satisfy their hunger by buying an Eye Toy for the console that they already have. It will only be a pathetic letdown compared to the Nintendo Wii.
Here are some quotes from the reviews of the products on Amazon.com that explain the frustration level that comes with Eye Toy:
“I was so excited when I received this game. However, I had to clear out my entire basement and put in a floodlight for it to work with the eye toy. I can’t get far enough back from the screen and the annoying cartoon guy keeps telling me every minute or so to step back. If it wasn’t for that, it would be a lot of fun.â€
“Some of the games are more frustrating than challenging, and the instrutions in the booklet aren’t very clear. Like most Eye Toy games, you have to turn on all the lights nearby and open the curtains to get decent enough lighting. Even when the camera is set to Dim Room. The video messaging is terrible.â€
“This game is the best and worst of the eyetoy. When it works well it is an awesome game. When it doesn’t respond, which is way too often, then it sucks. I’ve tried lots of light, little light, freaking spotlights even. The problem is that when the camera craps out it totally removes all the enjoyment of the game. Say for example you are racing and all of the sudden the eyetoy thinks you are moving to the left (but you are standing up straight). So you try to compensate and end up crashing into a wall. You then pause the game and try to recalibrate. It works ok for a while and then it thinks you are ducking or you hand is your face or something. By this point you have lost the race and are cursing furiously. Repeat as necessary. It totally pulls you out of the game.â€
Sure, Sony got the jump on Nintendo with active games that let you get off the couch and control the game with your body, but the execution was so poor that it ends up more frustrating for the player than helpful. Nintendo did things exactly right with the Wii. They waited until they had a system that worked with a light bar, gyroscopes and accelerometers. With all of that data, the accuracy rate on the Nintendo Wii is good enough that gameplay is seamless and enjoyable instead of infuriating.
We ust got the eye toy because we can’t afford a wii now and it actually is a lot of fun to play. It wasn’t the best out of box experience, but the games are fun and cheap and we only have the one light in the front room and heavy drapes on the windows and it’s bright enough with the dim room setting. It’s pretty awesome for those of us who can’t shell out $350+.
Comment by Sallie — September 9, 2008 @ 8:54 pm
Hello, “Sallie”
Your comment seems very FAKE. I have never heard a normal person say the words, “out of box experience.”
Honestly, there are LOTS of people who have complained to me in email saying that they can’t get their Eye Toy to work asking for help. Maybe you can explain how you achieved your “best out of box experience” with a product that is so broken.
Good try, viral marketer. Next time, try talking like a human instead of a Sony shill.
Laura
Comment by Laura Moncur — September 9, 2008 @ 11:31 pm
This is a very interesting comparison and i have briefly used an eye toy in a best buy store once. I thought it was ok maybe kinda cool. But i recently played the wi for the first time at a friends house and it was not as cool as i thought it would be, I mean it was fun. But when you play Wii golf the wii mote doesn’t track your swing well and it kinda blows, also the graphics for nintendo Wii are about PS2 nintendo 64 level. I think the Wii is fun for a group of people but for a person who wants a serious game Playstation 3 would be the way to go.
PS Your comment about the other womans comment was extremly vindictive and rude. So what if she said out of the box, I think you possiable work for nintendo. Peace Crazy
Comment by playstation fan — December 4, 2008 @ 1:38 am
I play VG ’til 1983. I own thousands of games for a lot of systems. I have an eyetoy. I don’t have a WII. I bought an eyetoy for 20USD, SEGA Superstars included. I’m having a lot of fun with other friends (age 28+), also playing other classic eyetoy games. A little care to light, and that’s all. 20 USD……
Comment by Antonio — December 13, 2008 @ 3:37 am
Hi; I read this article and it was absolutly fake. Sorry to say that Laura. I have a PS2 and Wii and i think it was a waste of money to buy the wii console. My eye toy works PERFECTLY in a room with few ligt. It works also in another room with a projectios screen (almost in the dark). I cannot undestand why you couldn’t do so!!! This article seems more a Wii announce than a serious comparaison. Anyway, i could play wii sports (and others) sitted on a chair: I simply move the command. With eye toy sports (and others) you really need to move and it’s really fun! Everybody who visits my place select de eye toy. Another thing, my eye toy camera was bought on ebay for 10£.
Comment by Joak — January 3, 2009 @ 9:18 am
Joak,
The problem with the EyeToy is that your room needs to be lit VERY brightly for it to work. I couldn’t get my living room bright enough to play anything with my EyeToy, so I returned it.
The Wii, however, works perfectly right out of the box.
I don’t know what trick of light you used to make it work in an almost dark room. Maybe you should write your own blog teaching people how to set it up.
Comment by Laura Moncur — January 3, 2009 @ 2:28 pm
I just wanted to say yea everything has its glitchs or problems and eyetoy isnt perfect, but nothing is. I have had the eye toy for a few weeks now I got it for my little sister and she loves it and suprisingly my grandma and mother loved it as well, we have it hooked up in are living room and the room isnt lit that well, but it still works great, we have all played the wii at my exs house which was fun but my family had more fun using the eye toy, there werent many games for it but 30 bucks is alot better on the ps2, then 250 for the wii for someone who isnt really big into games
Comment by Ernie — March 16, 2009 @ 2:04 pm
I’ve played with eye toy in a very dark room..(at a party , when the lights were very small) and it worked perfectly….
Comment by Julie — April 12, 2009 @ 5:39 am
Personally, I’ve had both the wii and the Eyetoy. I’ve enjoyed both equally. The wii you have to hold a remote all the time and it’s more expensive, however, the sensor is incredible, and a larger range of products are available.
The eyetoy I had when I was younger, (and I still have it, it’s a very good game :D). I never had any problems with sensitivy or not having enough space or lighting, and it was a lot of fun for all my family and friends. We got the eyetoy game 4 and we loved the bannana havok, kittie loves me, and the wishie washie game in particular!
It really depends on which game you’d prefer, I pretty much think they’re not going to create anymore eyetoy games (although it’s always fun to play over and over again) where as the wii games keep being created (but don’t satisfy you as long but are fun to go back to later).
I really disagree that the first comment was a robot or whatever. Lot’s of people now a days say “out of box experience.” and I really just think you have a very biased approch to comments supporting the eyetoy.
I equally love both the eyetoy and the wii. 🙂 Both are amazing video games, and it really depends if your looking for something at any price with a large range of games or something a little cheaper that you can play over and over without getting bored.
Comment by Rebekah — November 21, 2010 @ 1:12 pm