Sixaxis to tilt several PS3 games

Today Sony is holding a Gamers' Day press event in San Francisco to show off the latest builds of its upcoming PlayStation 3 games. In coordination with the event, the company has released new information on several previously announced games, most involving the tilt-sensitive capabilities of the new Sixaxis controller.

Tony Hawk's Project 8 will use the Sixaxis to control steering, balance, precision foot placement in the Nail the Trick feature, and more. GameSpot recently tested the Sixaxis in the game--read the preview to find out more.

Tilting will be incorporated into Madden NFL 07 as well. By moving the controller in various ways, gamers can fake the snap, jump the snap, control the lead blocker, and bear down on ball carriers with brutal hits. Read GameSpot's preview for more info.

Placing backspin, topspin, and sidespin on the ball in Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07 for the PS3 just got a bit easier than repeatedly tapping a button. Pushing the controller in the direction gamers want the spin to go will control spin direction, and the longer they hold the tilt, the more spin will be added. GameSpot recently teed off with the PS3 version.

2K Sports recently revealed that NBA 2K7 will use motion sensitivity for its free-throw mechanic, but it appears as though Sony is taking it a bit further. In NBA 07, jerking the Sixaxis back and forth will control dribbling moves such as crossovers, spins, and jukes, as well as perform moves in the post.

Hockey fans will also move the controller back and forth to control their goalkeepers in 2K Sports' NHL 2K7. When entering the first-person view in the crease-control system, gamers will control the cursor by tilting the controller, thereby thwarting slapshots from goons. The Sixaxis' tilt sensitivity will also be used to check opposing players, but it is optional. For more details, read GameSpot's preview of NHL 2K7 for the PS3.

While gamers have known for a while that Blazing Angels will use the Sixaxis' new feature, they didn't know they could also turn it off. For those worried about carpal tunnel syndrome from too many barrel rolls, the tilt sensitivity can be turned off and the classic controls used. It's currently unclear how many PS3 games will also make tilt sensitivity an option.

Blazing Angels will also feature a new multiplayer mode that lets competing teams try to attack each other's bases in the shortest amount of time possible. This brings the total number of multiplayer modes in the PS3 version to 13.

Fighting fans looking for some super-high-definition beatdowns got some disappointing news today. It appears as though the highly anticipated Virtua Fighter 5 will max out at a 720p resolution, not the PS3's highly touted 1080p.

Tucked away in the press release for Marvel: Ultimate Alliance is a listing of prices for the game. While the $59.99 price tag for the PS3 version isn't surprising, the game's price on another platform deserves a double take. Activision lists the game as costing $49.99 on the Wii, which appears to confirm what the publisher hinted at before--that third-party Wii games would generally be priced at $49.99. For the record, first-party Wii games will also cost $49.99.