Sony Playstation 3 and PSP 3D gaming on PlayStation 3

The Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) is the only games console capable of running immersive 3D games which run on 3D TV, thanks to a firmware update to the console in June. It’s also capable of playing 3D Blu-ray discs. We tested the 3D gaming capabilities of the console on the 40-inch Samsung C7000 3D TV, a recent Best Buy.

If you want to play 3D games, be sure to read Which? reviews of 3D TVs.

Setting up 3D gaming on the PS3

It’s fairly easy to set up the PlayStation 3 to play 3D games. You just download the latest firmware update online. If your console is connected to the internet, you will automatically be asked if you want to do this.

The PlayStation 3 must be connected to the TV via HDMI. Other inputs will not carry the 3D signal to the TV.

The PlayStation 3 automatically recognises when a game has 3D capabilities, and shows a message stating that 3D glasses should be turned on. The 3D can easily be turned off if required.

Availability of 3D games

There isn’t a lot of content available for those wishing to play their games in 3D, but the future looks bright, with Sony revealing that lots of big titles such as Gran Turismo 5 and Killzone 3 will include 3D features.

Wipeout HD is a 3D compatible game

Owners can download a 3D games pack from the PlayStation Network, PlayStation’s own online store. This is available for £23.99 and includes full 3D versions of Wipeout HD, Super Stardust HD and Pain, as well as a one-level demo of Motorstorm: Pacific Rift. These games aren’t available to sample as free demos, which seems a shame considering they’re available to download in the US in demo form so you can try before you buy.

Read our reviews of the PlayStation 3's rivals, the Nintendo Wii and Microsoft Xbox 360.

Playing in 3D

Wipeout HD and Motorstorm: Pacific Rift are racing titles, and the 3D effect seems made for these titles. When manoeuvring through Wipeout’s futuristic courses, the feeling of speed is considerably increased, and the extra depth of field gives obstacles an added danger. Motorstorm is similarly impressive, with shrubbery and dirt track all seemingly coming to meet the player as they are ploughed through.

Super Stardust HD is a futuristic top-down shooter which has been available on the PlayStation since launch. Already visually stunning, the 3D adds a depth to the gameplay, but in a more subtle way than in the racing titles. While the initial effect is certainly impressive, after a while it was easy to forget the game was in 3D, especially with the frantic on-screen action keeping the player busy. The best use of the technology came when the player lost a life and their spaceship exploded. Debris from the ship is blasted straight towards the screen to great effect.

Initially, playing these games in 3D was slightly disorientating, especially with the fast-paced Wipeout HD. The tendency was to over-compensate control in relation to the perceived 3D space. The playing field gave the illusion of having been changed considerably, and some adjustment was required to take into account the effect. However, after a few minutes the 3D became second nature. 

The menu systems for the games we played really popped in 3D, as if the developers were trying to show off the technology from the off. This didn't add anything to the experience, but neither did it detract from it.

Is 3D the future of gaming?

Sony seems committed to 3D titles, with many of its big games of the future utilising the new technology. The success of these titles, and the amount of excitement that will be generated around them, will no doubt dictate the future of 3D gaming on the console. With the 3Ds from Nintendo launching next year, it seems Sony isn’t the only one to think that this is the way gaming is headed.

From what we’ve seen, 3D certainly works, and can be effective. It won’t appeal to everyone, and it’s not going to replace more traditional 2D gaming any time soon. What it does do is give gamers another option as to how they play their games, and it will be interesting to see how Sony incorporates the Move, its motion-sensing controller, into 3D games.

Read our review of Sony's PlayStation Move.