The PlayStation Move was Sony’s attempt to capitalize off the motion control trend that swept the gaming industry in the late 2000s and early 2010s. The PS Move was primarily used as an alternative control method for PS3 games that could otherwise be played traditionally—think Killzone 3 or Heavy Rain.
However, there were a small handful of games that could only be played using the PS Move, and amongst them lie a handful of hidden gems. These motion-based games were a glimpse into the true potential of the PS Move and proved that the technology could create memorable experiences, even if ultimately there were only a handful of them.
8 The Shoot
The Shoot is an on-rails shooter that lets you gun down a series of Hollywood sets based on popular movie genres. From the wild west to a zombie apocalypse, each of the different sets pays loving homage to its particular genre and ensures The Shoot is packed full of personality.
The gameplay is also a blast. Motion controls and on-rails shooters go together like peanut butter and jelly and The Shoot offers some of the best gun-wielding action on the PS Move.
7 Funky Lab Rat
Funky Lab Rat is one of the few downloadable games that could only be played exclusively with the PS Move, and Hydravision Entertainment’s quirky puzzle platformer makes you wonder why that is the case. Funky Lab Rat uses motion controls to manipulate various aspects of a level, while the actual platforming is done via a DualShock 3 or the seldom-used PlayStation Move Navigation Controller.
From fast-forwarding through long stretches of walking to rewinding moments of failure, Funky Lab Rat gives you a range of fun tools to find creative solutions in each level. The game’s art style pops and its cheeky sense of humor gives it enough personality to leave a lasting impression.
6 Diggs Nightcrawler
The Wonderbook was a neat idea by Sony—but one that never really got off the ground. There were only ever four games released for the peripheral, and while three of them were little more than half-baked concepts based on popular IP, Diggs Nightcrawler was an entirely original game that showed off the full potential of marrying together motion controls with augmented reality.
Diggs Nightcrawler is a family-friendly detective game that features a myriad of fairy tale characters in a surprisingly atmospheric noir setting. The game uses the Wonderbook in inventive ways that really makes it feel like you are Diggs’ assistant detective helping him solve the case.
5 Sports Champions 2
Sports Champions 2 suffers a bit from having an uninspired collection of sports—especially when compared to the original—but no developer knew how to master the PS Move technology quite like Zindagi Games. Even if boxing, golf, bowling, skiing, tennis, and archery feels like a shameless homage to Wii Sports, there’s still plenty of fun to be had with how well it implements its motion controls.
Bowling, golf, and archery in particular are some of the most finely tuned motion-based minigames ever developed and are still fun to dip back into after all of these years. Sports Champions 2 also surrounds its sports with enough modes and multiplayer fun to ensure its legacy as a worthy sequel to one of the PS Move’s greatest games.
4 Echochrome 2
Echochrome 2 feels like a puzzle game that was designed with motion controls in mind from the ground up. It takes the basic idea of the original game—manipulating perspective to help a mannequin traverse a twisting pathway—and infuses it with new ideas that seamlessly align with the PS Move.
The PS Move controller is turned into a light source that can illuminate different objects and paths in each level, often having to find a precise angle to get the desired results. It’s a fascinating new twist to the gameplay that adds even more depth to a brain-bending puzzle that’s brimming with creativity.
3 Sorcery
The PS Move controller shares a noticeable resemblance to a magic wand—an idea that developer The Workshop ran with for its magical action game Sorcery. Sorcery’s main selling point is its spell-based combat, which allows you to shoot out several different elemental attacks with a flick of the PS Move controller.
Thankfully, the rest of the game doesn’t lose any of the combat’s magic. The characters are endearing, the enemy designs are memorable, and the world is brimming with Celtic influences. Sorcery was one of the poster games for the PS Move, and it more than earns that title.
2 Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest
Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest was Zindagi Game’s attempt to translate a handful of the mechanics in Sports Champions into a narrative-based action-adventure game. The results? One of the most fully realized games to come out for the PS Move, and one that continues to be a blast over a decade since its launch.
Medieval Moves works because of how well it brings together its different ideas. The sword fighting, archery, and throwing stars mechanics feel effortless when using the PS Move controller, and the cartoony setting and story add enough depth and context to the gameplay to elevate the experience beyond most motion-based games.
1 Sports Champions
When the PS Move launched back in 2010, Sports Champions was positioned as the must-have game to pair with the new technology, and for good reason. Because, even after all of the other PS Move exclusive games that came out afterward, Sports Champions never lost its title as the best of the best.
While beach volleyball, disc golf, archery, bocce, and table tennis all have their own merits, gladiator duel is what brings Sports Champions right to the top of the pile. This action-packed minigame is the perfect showcase of the PS Move’s capabilities and proves just how great the technology could be when in the hands of the right developers.