What is Kinect?
"We've given Project Natal a name: Kinect for Xbox 360...Kinect brings your living room to life."
Those are the words of Don Mattrick, MSFT Xbox senior vice president who announced this morning at E3 that Project Natal will now be called Xbox 360 Kinect. Kinect is Microsoft's newest endeavor into the controller-free realm of gaming. All the hottest titles such as Halo: Reach, Fable III, and Crackdown 2 will feature playability with Kinect incorperating entirely new elements into gaming.
Video Kinect
Kinect can be utilized through Netflix, Facebook, Last.fm as well as video games. Video connect for example allows users to get together with family and friends anywhere across the globe through video chat on Xbox live or MSN Messenger. Together you and a friend can watch news, sports, TV, movies, and music with others without being in the same house, let alone the same country!
Microsoft seems to have mastered the idea of simplicity for the average gamer and even the everyday person. With 360 Kinect, there is no need to ever adjust the camera as it tracks your body and moves with you. Sounds unbelieveable, but Microsoft has shown the world that it's possible with the Kinect.
For the Sports Fans
Another feature that may please the sports fans in the family is an Xbox 360 ESPN partnership. Through this new arrangement your favorite sports games will be available directly to you. Xbox 360 will feature 3500 live sporting events including college football, college basketball, MLB, NBA, and more directly after launch. Kinect adds an even more personal attribute to the action by allowing you to vote for your favorite teams, access trivia, statistics and more in real-time without leaving the game your watching. And the best news yet, all these features are FREE to Xbox Live Gold Members.
What Games Will Be Available for Kinect?
Kinect is set to launch November 4th in North America with 15 titles that will be available at release.
Kudo Tsunoda, Creative Director of Kinect demoed numerous titles that we can expect either this holiday season or early next year. Here are some of the games featured at E3 this morning:
Kinect Animals - This is an interactive experience in which kids can choose a pet from 40+ animals with over 30 different activities to do and all with no controller. In the demo, the player was able to rub and pet her kitten tiger by doing the motions with her hands. She was even able to jump rope with her pet which did a pretty cool "matrix jump" barely clearing the swinging rope.
Kinect Joyride - A racing game where your hands are the steering wheel. Features numerous modes including stunt mode.
Kinect Adventures - One of the most unique games we saw where your entire body is used to dodge obstacles, collect coins, and get a high score. The players had to jump, crouch, extend their arms and legs and all of their ridiculous poses were caught on camera by Kinect, ready to send to family and friends through Xbox Live Facebook and more. This game will have 20 different adventures from raging rapids to floating clouds.
Yourshape: Fitness Evolved - Exclusively for Xbox 360 Kinect, Fitness Evolved scans you frame and puts your physical body into the game making workouts customizable to the individual player. All the excercise types feature coaches that offer instructions on screen while your doing the movements to ensure that your doing the proper motions. Offers numerous exercises from yoga and martial arts, to boxing, and zen class.
Dance Center - Developed by Harmonix, this dance game might just be the new DDR. With Kinect, your actual movements transfer into the game corresponding to classic dance moves developed by top choreographers. Not only are there over 600 dance moves available, you can dance to your favorite music from Lady Gaga, the Beastie Boys and more. For people with two left feet you won't be left out. The Break it Down mode allows anyone even the most inexperienced dancer to learn the moves and rock out to the music.
Starwars - Lucas Arts is planning a Starwars game for Kinect with lightsabers, force throws, reflecting lasers, and more. To be released 2011.
Forza Motorsport - With Kinect, all you have to do to drive a car is put your hands on an imaginary steering wheel and everything from drifting to going 200mph is more than possible. The game is made for car fans and even has a carshow type mode where players can walk all around the car of their choice, checking out the engine, brakes, tires, or whatever part you'd like! Check out Forza Motorsport when it comes out in 2011.
