party games for PS4,XO?

[Shifty Geezer]

The whole coop party thing is just weird. Really unsupported. I was just on co-optimus looking for something to play with friends. It's so barren! A few games a month, and often niche titles too. Kinect didn't get properly supported. Neither did PSEye in its various guises. Does that mean there's no market? Or is it going completely overlooked? I suppose there's a certain physicality your audience is after that tends to be missing from most party games such as Buzz. And then there are just plain broken ideas like 360s In The Movies.

 

[joker454]

Maybe the types of people that play these sorts of games don't have a high enough attach rate for the companies to target them. Or maybe it's at year 2 or 3 of the consoles life when they will be targeted? Not sure...

 

[Rockster]

Fibbage seems like it could be interesting but haven't tried it.

 

[Bigduo209]

Maybe the types of people that play these sorts of games don't have a high enough attach rate for the companies to target them. Or maybe it's at year 2 or 3 of the consoles life when they will be targeted? Not sure...

It's definitely the later, casual gamers (especially of the co-op party game variety) by nature don't invest into expensive hardware so early in a product's life-cycle, they tend to get it when it's lower in price.

The XB1/PS4 aren't near that level of market penetration to make those kinds of game worth it for most gaming companies. They appeal more to the gaming/tech enthusiasts right now, but you can probably find/discover some of the more casually playful games on the download-only side since that kind of selection is steadily growing (just do some research here and there).

Wii U is still casual-gamer central though, you can play regular Wii and Wii-U games on the console, and most of those still work with the Wiimote (simple waggle) so there isn't a huge reliance on the newer Wii-U controller (tablet/buttons).

 

[Arwin]

I just tried Just Dance 2015 on PS4 with the camera, and it seems like it is tracking quite well. Had to put the camera up high and to the side to get my 1.90m in there, but it showed my full body cut out from the rest in green, similar to what Kinect 1 does but it wasn't phased by nearby objects and seemed to have no lag. This was in the evening too. I was pleasantly surprised. More tests later

 

[joker454]

I bought Just Dance 2015 right when it came out and left it at the house for them to play with. I had the ps4 camera mounted on top of the tv, but when I was at the house last time I noticed it was moved on top of the speaker, so that tells me they are still having issues with the camera working right because they tend to move it around when the game complains about not enough light. It doesn't matter too much to them though as they still seem to have fun with the game regardless, but the limited light in the game room definitely seems to give the ps4 camera a hard time alas.

 

[Arwin]

The game wants the camera at 1.5m (specifies this and persists. But yeah, I could see not enough light being an issue.

 

[joker454]

The game wants the camera at 1.5m (specifies this and persists. But yeah, I could see not enough light being an issue.

Ah didn't know that, I'll admit I didn't read the manual, I just dropped the game off and let them sort it out. Makes me wonder why they sell a tv mount though when the camera doesn't work mounted on a tv. Aside from that the party game scene still seems dead alas, guess it will be a few years before that audience gets targeted. Gonna peek at other options like Amazon Fire Tv, etc, maybe those will have more games suited to casuals. They don't seem very happy with the media player options on the PS4 anyways so maybe I'd be better off replacing it, seems like it's missing too many apps that they are used to for playing back movies and so on.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Cant beat Hungry Hippos.

 

[joker454]

Hey guys I'm reviving this thread because I'm thinking of replacing the ps4 with an old gen console, either a ps3 or 360. I think I made a mistake getting a ps4 for that location as it's really missing the media apps they tend to use and the party game list is just too small and it looks like it's not going to grow any time soon. Right now they use the ps2 the most for gaming because they *love* the ddr games, and the Roku 3 for media apps, so the ps4 mostly sits idle due it lacking both the games and media apps that they tend to use. Both ps3/360 seem to have a ton of party games but as far as media apps go, is one better than the other or are the ps3 and 360 basically about the same? They tend to use stuff like Amazon Prime, Blockbuster Movies, HBO Go, etc... so those types of media apps.

 

[joker454]

I'll answer myself here as I just did a chunk of research on this. Turns out all the consoles suck at media apps compared to the little Roku 3. I was surprised to be honest, but the Roku 3 really is in a league of it's own. So nevermind, I'll just leave it all as is with the Roku 3 for media, along with PS2 + PS4 for their party game needs. They ended up disconnecting the PS4 camera because it kept giving low light errors and have asked for move controllers, so I'll get some of those instead. One day I figure the PS4 will be able to replace their PS2 for party games but that time isn't yet so I'll just keep both there, hopefully by next years holiday though the PS2 will no longer be needed.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

One day I figure the PS4 will be able to replace their PS2 for party games...

When it gets BC.

 

[joker454]

When it gets BC.

Yeah, prolly I asked if they wanted me to replace the PS2 with a PS3 or Xbox 360 because those are more modern and still have a good amount of party games, but they said "Only if they play all our PS2 games". I'm having the same problem with the new Singstar, they only want it if they can use all their old songs with it, but apparently PS4 singstar won't support the old discs of course. So the lack of bc is keeping them in the PS2 era, hence looks like the PS2 will remain the primary game player there for some time to come although they do use the PS4 for the Just Dance games so I'll leave it there as well. In the meantime they have asked for a second PS2 ddr pad, need to locate one of those.

 

[Arwin]

It has to be said, DDR remains great and timeless fun, imho. I came across someone who still plays that, he had it on PC with a shitload of songs. I still have a imported 10th Edition disc for PS2, which has some 110 songs or so and back then was considered the best. I really enjoyed having a go again, and it remains great exercise too.

Singstar PS3 I think plays all the PS2 discs, but I'm not sure. Singstar PS4 does something similar with most PS3 discs, no idea if PS2 discs would work though. I have a Dutch kids Singstar disc however that does not work with the PS4 version. Haven't tried the other discs yet. Perhaps I'll try that out tonight or this week.

PS3 version Singstar (and not the latest version that just came out) seems to be the best Singstar currently out there, with even Move Dance Songs that were quite decent. I also thought the Move Dance Star game was one of the best dancing games for PS3 with very accurate Move tracking. And the somewhat tacky Sports Champions is still one of the best motion games out there, imho. Just amazingly natural motion controls, just like the real thing. And Move Fitness is also one of the best fitness things out there, especially if you like boxing exercises.

As for media, consoles are not likely to ever compete with boxes that are free of big corporate digital rights management pushing stuff, but the Xbox One surprised me with among others MKV support in a recent update. But otherwise, those roku, popcorn etc boxes are hard to beat. You have versions that have a Netflix style interface to illegal downloads for everything, and they are hard to beat if you just don't care (I am not one of those, always pay for my stuff, but let's just say that in the Netherlands I am in the minority for sure).

On the PS2 I also really loved the Time Crisis and Point Blank games. I think Point Blank was actually PS1? But it was one of the best party games out there, everyone loved it.

 

[joker454]

It has to be said, DDR remains great and timeless fun, imho. I came across someone who still plays that, he had it on PC with a shitload of songs. I still have a imported 10th Edition disc for PS2, which has some 110 songs or so and back then was considered the best. I really enjoyed having a go again, and it remains great exercise too.

Yeah they just seem to *love* that game, I think the one they are playing is called Supernova or something like that. I guess the good part of being stuck in ps2 era is used games should be dirt cheap, I should check for other ps2 ddr games and get them.

Singstar PS3 I think plays all the PS2 discs, but I'm not sure. Singstar PS4 does something similar with most PS3 discs, no idea if PS2 discs would work though. I have a Dutch kids Singstar disc however that does not work with the PS4 version. Haven't tried the other discs yet. Perhaps I'll try that out tonight or this week.

I checked the faq here:

http://www.singstar.com/news/How-To-Transfer-Your-Songs-From-PS3-To-PS4.html

It seems like you can import digitally purchased songs, but the old discs are not supported. They only have ps2 discs so they are doa basically.

PS3 version Singstar (and not the latest version that just came out) seems to be the best Singstar currently out there, with even Move Dance Songs that were quite decent. I also thought the Move Dance Star game was one of the best dancing games for PS3 with very accurate Move tracking. And the somewhat tacky Sports Champions is still one of the best motion games out there, imho. Just amazingly natural motion controls, just like the real thing. And Move Fitness is also one of the best fitness things out there, especially if you like boxing exercises.

Does Move Fitness only work on ps3? I have a ps2 and ps4 at the location so it would have to work on one of those. If it works on ps4 then I'll get it, they would definitely like the boxing exercises since some of them tend to be really fit, and I may be getting the move controllers for the Just Dance ps4 games anyways.

As for media, consoles are not likely to ever compete with boxes that are free of big corporate digital rights management pushing stuff, but the Xbox One surprised me with among others MKV support in a recent update. But otherwise, those roku, popcorn etc boxes are hard to beat. You have versions that have a Netflix style interface to illegal downloads for everything, and they are hard to beat if you just don't care (I am not one of those, always pay for my stuff, but let's just say that in the Netherlands I am in the minority for sure).

Well they don't have any of their own media at all, they just watch various movie and tv services. So like last time I was there they were all huddled upstairs around the smaller 40" tv in the living room that has a Roku 3 on it. Meanwhile the main tv room downstairs with large 60" tv, speakers, ps4, the works wasn't being used so I had to ask why and they told me because the ps4 didn't have the Blockbuster service the were using but the Roku 3 does, so they were all watching upstairs. I just thought that was insane so I went to Frys which is 2 minutes away, got another Roku 3 and put it downstairs in the main tv room. That's when I started doing some research on media players and realized that the Roku 3 was the king of the hill. I just watch directtv at home so I was not up to speed on the state of media apps and players at all, and I just assumed the consoles would be king there given their abilities and so on but boy was I wrong, they are actually very limited compared to an $85 Roku 3 which is just crazy to me! I never would have expected that in a million years, I thought those smaller media boxes like Roku's were just toys.

On the PS2 I also really loved the Time Crisis and Point Blank games. I think Point Blank was actually PS1? But it was one of the best party games out there, everyone loved it.

Oh I remember Time Crisis, the old gun game. Hmm that may be easy enough for them to play. I should check that one out.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

I'm having the same problem with the new Singstar, they only want it if they can use all their old songs with it, but apparently PS4 singstar won't support the old discs of course.

Eurogamer's review of PS4's SingStar was extremely damning, citing angry negative feedback from users. I don't think even that staple has survived into next-gen in a decent, fun state.

 

[Deleted member 86764]

Sports Friends on PS4 is good fun. Best with 4 pads, I've only got two and the vita though, woe is me.

 

[Deleted member 11852]

Sports Friends on PS4 is good fun. Best with 4 pads, I've only got two and the vita though, woe is me.

Life is hard!

 

[Deleted member 86764]

Life is hard!

Says he with the 4k TV.

 

[Arwin]

Eurogamer's review of PS4's SingStar was extremely damning, citing angry negative feedback from users. I don't think even that staple has survived into next-gen in a decent, fun state.

I know, but you also know who wrote it. And I think it's a fair score for the PS3 version, a bit less so for the PS4 version if you ask me.

Some of the criticism is fair, but I bought the game and was up and running in no time on PS4, everything worked, and some of the criticism was just plain false or misinformed. I'm sure there are big issues, but I didn't have any. Downloaded the app, I could even hook up my external microphone to the iPhone that I have for iPad and iPhone and hook that up and got much improved sound-quality. I thought the accuracy was really good too. Working with the PS Camera requires me to sing a little louder though. And you can change the name of anyone who makes it into the leaderboards, which is actually more efficient than setting up users in advance.

And I didn't pay anything either - just downloaded the PS4 version, downloaded some of the songs I'd already purchased on PS3 online, and ready to go. I did have trouble connecting with the App at a later time though, but didn't have much time to check out in detail. Overall though I liked the new version, but it did seem clear that it is not quite feature complete versus the PS4 version. That's no big deal in itself because it's on a new platform, and they can patch it in. But they shouldn't have bothered with a PS3 version that's a step back from the other versions.