The problem with owning lots of 'party' video games is that gatherings are then always at your place - hence, you've usually got the job of tidying up before everyone arrives, and then tidying up again after they've left. Thanks to Start the Party, we may never have that problem again - there's little chance that people will want to come around again after playing this garbage.

This is what we call 'cheating'

Start the Party has some interesting ideas that we'd love to see taken to the next level, but there's barely any content, and even most of what is available is dull filler material. It's hilarious watching your friends on screen bashing moles and swatting bugs the first time around, but very quickly it all gets rather tedious.

Up to four players can take part in this turn-based minigame bonanza, with nine games to take part in. If that sounds like a low number of minigames, that's because it is - there are just enough to keep you entertained for perhaps three playthroughs, but after that you won't be so enthralled.

It would be more reasonable if the minigames were all good solid fun, but around half of them are very average. You've got a bug bashing game, which involves swiping a fly swatter around the screen and splatting everything that moves. However, you can't simply swing your arm like a loon - hitting a red bug causes it to explode, and cuts precious seconds off your time. It's not the most exciting experience.

Spooky Shootout is a lovely use of the Move hardware, but just isn't very much fun. You're given a flashlight and holding the Move controller at the screen will shine light in that particular area. The idea is to shine light on the ghosts to kill them. After you've gotten over the initial 'hey, that's kinda cool' phase, the game itself proves to be pretty tedious.
 

The painting minigame is the most fun by far

Other minigames that we never want to play again - Helicopter Rescue involves moving a helicopter back and forth to pick up stranded people on rooftops, and is easily the most boring game of the lot. The Zapping Robots game is yet another case of interesting the first time around, then very dull. You get the sense that, with these particular games, the developer was aiming for innovation without considering whether the concepts would actually be fun or not, and as a result it failed to achieve both!

Fortunately, they're not all utter pap. The painting minigame sees you grabbing a brush and filling in shapes with colour. It feels wonderfully majestic to put your mark on the screen, and the shapes are always fun to fill, from huge ovals to S-shaped outlines. Blown Away is pretty good fun too - small birds fall down the screen, and you hold a fan underneath to push them into nests. Simple but entertaining.

The shaving game is incredibly difficult, but it's impossible not to appreciate the idea. A picture in the corner of the screen shows the shape in which the boy would like his hair to be shaved and dyed, and you're tasked with making his dream a reality. Armed with an electric razor, getting it into the perfect shape is for the most steady-handed only, but even us ham-fisted wagglers can have a good crack at it.

Finally, the parachuting game and Poppin' are enjoyable thanks to simple yet fun premises. So at last count, we enjoyed five of the nine games on show - not a bad effort, but we can't exactly recommend Start the Party for five minigames. As if to continue the trend, there are barely any options available as well - you've got multiplayer Party mode, a Survival 'keep going until you lose' style of play, and a solo free play mode which allows you to choose any single minigame.

The multiplayer mode verges on fun thanks to some 'wacky' additions. Each game starts with players having their picture taken and recording their voice. At intervals during play, players will have the opportunity to scribble over each others' faces and record different noises (usually swear words, would you believe). Definitely not as hilarious as the game believes.

Start the Party is not worth your time, but taken as a series of tech demos, it does a decent job. Each minigame puts an item or weapon in your hand, and this effect looks brilliant, whether it be a paintbrush or a fly swatter. The flashlight in particular looks pretty amazing - it honestly looks as if you're holding a torch and shining light on the screen.
 

Apparently punching your children in the back makes them better

That's Start the Party in a nutshell - as a Playstation Move launch title, it does a great job of showing off what could potentially be done with the hardware in the future, but as an actual game, it stinks. That's not to say we wouldn't welcome a more meaty sequel - throw in tons of minigames, give us the option to turn off the games we don't like very much, and we'll take that willingly.

Top Game Moment: The painting minigame - colouring the screen against the clock is great fun.