Here’s looking at you, kid

Included in the $50 US retail package are the USB camera and a Play disc. Setting it all up is just as USB technology promised – plug and play. After plugging the EyeToy into one of the two USB ports on the console and powering up, you’re greeted with a cool blue LED light on the camera that matches the one on PlayStation 2. Then slide the Play disc in, and if there’s no save file detected, it’ll run an introductory video teaching you how to use the EyeToy. It’s so simple that you won’t ever need to consult the manual.

On the Play disc are a dozen mini-games, all of which are for use exclusively with the EyeToy. There’s no need for the Dual Shock controller – in fact, it doesn’t even work! Navigating through menus is done with a flick (or many flicks) of the wrist. From the main menu, whatever the camera captures is projected onto your TV. Ideally, that “whatever” should be you (or your clone). Think of the TV screen as a giant mirror clock and your hands are the, well, hands. A menu is overlaid on top of your image with ‘buttons’ that respond to your movements. For example, to rotate through the selection of games, you simply stick out your arm and wave your hand at around 2 o’clock to go right and wave at 10 o’clock go left. The camera reacts to motion, which can be tweaked for sensitivity in the options menu.