Gear up and participate in eleven popular winter sports right in the comfort of your own living room as Winter Stars serves up a chilling and pleasantly well-delivered sports game for the Kinect.

The standard that we’ve come to expect of sports related games on the Kinect is that they’re usually, well, substandard. There aren’t many decent titles in that genre, so the first impression that Winter Stars got from the gaming community is a collective shrug. However, to classify it as another cheap sports game is a serious mistake, as Winter Stars is actually good. Developer 49 Games gave it a solid effort, and it really shows.

Winter Stars is a compilation of eleven sports games involving ice and snow in one form or another. However, it’s not just a bunch of minigames strung together in one package. The sports themselves are lengthy events that take a while to get used to, and they all try to mimic the real deal as close as possible. Although some of them come out as generic, most of the events are highly creative and give you the adrenaline rush you want. Also unique to the Kinect Winter Stars game is an RPG-style level up system that allows you to purchase better sports equipment and apparel as you obtain experience points by getting first place and performing tricks.

Kinect Sports Season Two Average Rating: 172 total customer reviews...

Just Dance 3 Average Rating: 150 total customer reviews...

The game has a solid career mode that begins with a contestant who gets his leg mangled in a skiing injury. No longer able to compete himself, he turns to managerial duties instead and assembles a group of fine athletes to vie for the gold cup in an upcoming winter sports team competition. The game then follows the lives of the different members of the team as they get ready to perform their respective events. It probably doesn’t come out as quite the soap opera tale one might expect, as the dialogue is pretty cheesy and the plot itself isn’t that enthralling, but for what it is, Winter Stars delivers an acceptable premise that lets competing in the different career events and challenges – close to 60 of them – have a purpose.

The main attractions are definitely the different winter sports. They include downhill skiing, bobsledding, snowmobiling, snowboard cross, ski jumping, figure skating, biathlon, free ride skiing, paraskiing, short-track, and curling. All of them sound exotic at first glance, but the game lets you practice for a while and provides a helpful tutorial for beginners.

The controls are tight and responsive, and they all go beyond the usual leaning, jumping, and running motions that Kinect users will probably have grown tired of already (although you’ll still be doing ample amounts of the three in this game). For example, the biathlon event, which is a combination of skiing and target shooting, has at least twelve movements to memorize for starting, accelerating, jostling, steering, aiming, firing, reloading, and others. It’s quite a chore unlike other sports games that only have a few basic move sets, but it gives an excellent feel and adds more depth overall.

All the sports are well-simulated, but others shine more. Although it mostly depends on individual taste, some of the great ones include free ride skiing, downhill skiing, bobsledding, snowboard cross, figure skating, and ski jumping. They contain most of the movements and the excitement you’d expect from the real thing. The good ones are short track, curling, and snowmobiling, while so-so events are paraskiing and biathlon. However you decide which is which, it’s clear that the number of excellent events far outweigh the number of average ones.

Finally, there is multiplayer support containing numerous challenges for you and your friends to enjoy. Online play and leaderboards also provide the proverbial icing to this chilly cake.

Cons:
In terms of visuals, the Winter Stars Kinect game doesn’t really offer anything breathtaking. There are also some minor details missing like the lack of spraying snow when you sharply turn a curve. Although not really important, they take away from the overall realism of the game.

Audio is also quite limited during the events. After a brief introduction to the history and details of the sport, you’re left with a narrator yelling buzzwords every few seconds such as “checkpoint!” and “you’re first!” The soundtrack provides the necessary adrenaline rush, but it’s limited to generic beats.

Although some of the events needed a little sprucing up, Winter Stars did a fine job in the end.

Features:
Winter Stars is available for the Xbox 360 console and requires the Kinect sensor to play. It has support for online multiplayer and leaderboards.

Conclusion:
Winter Stars proves that a Kinect sports game can be great if made with deliberate effort. This is more than a mere compilation of minigames and will actually provide you with lots of entertainment. The career mode is a welcome addition, including the unique level up mechanism that allows you to upgrade your gear. Although some of the events could have been done better, the rest are topnotch. Winter Stars is a good game by any measure, especially if you’re a fan of winter sports.

Tying-in with the movie bearing the same title, Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is a dance game suitable for young fans of the high-pitched trio.

Pros:
Usually, developers working on a video game tie-in are expected to meet rough deadlines to coincide with the film’s debut. When this happens, the safest way to meet the demands and still come up with a fairly decent release is often to settle on a gameplay experience using tried and tested mechanics pioneered by previous titles. The same is true for Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Kinect game. Utilizing the control scheme from Dance Central, the game is a fairly decent clone that also adds its own unique flair.

In Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked, you copy some basic dance moves performed onscreen by The Chipmunks – Alvin, Simon, and Theodore – as well as their female group counterpart The Chipettes composed of Brittany, Jeanette, and Eleanor. You can choose to play which character you want to take the lead, and in case you’re undecided, this decision is also made automatically for you via a short quiz at the start of the game which matches your personality with one of the chipmunks.

The dance routines are somewhat repetitive and easy to perform, but they are challenging and suitable enough for youngsters. If you own Dance Central and notice that your kids can’t seem to keep up with the moves, this Alvin and the Chipmunks Kinect game will be right up their alley in terms of difficulty and enjoyment. The game also uses cue cards that scroll along the bottom of the screen to help players prepare for the next move, and helpful different colored lights indicate whether a dance step is being done properly or not. The motion detection of the Kinect is forgiving as well, so young players are practically immune to the frustration of failing a level.

Alvin & The Chipmunks: Chipwrecked Average Rating: 9 total customer reviews...

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Single-Disc Edition) Average Rating: 113 total customer reviews...

As you do consecutive moves correctly, you earn points and the label “Munk-tastic!” which eventually leads to your Munk Power Meter to slowly fill up. After you accumulate enough points in the meter, the lead Chipmunk then performs a finishing dance move that, while flashy and fun to look at, really does nothing to affect the overall gameplay. Also, collecting enough points enables you to exchange them for items in the game such as hats and clothes to customize the look of your Chipmunks.

Other modes in the game include Story which lets you play through the whole selection of dance numbers in a ladderized campaign which is frequently interspersed with scenes and dialogue from the movie; Free Play which lets you jump to any song you want; and Coop which allows you to team up with a friend and take turns dancing a routine.

Probably the only thing that saves this Kinect Alvin and the Chipmunks game from being a fairly poor release is the audio and song selection. The tracklist contains popular hits from past decades including “Only Want to Be With You” by Hootie & the Blowfish, “Play that Funky Music” by Wild Cherry, and “Video Killed the Radio Star” by The Buggles. The catch is that they’ve all been “Alvinized”, which means that they are sung and slightly modified in the extremely popular and addicting (if not slightly annoying) high-pitched chipmunk voice. The lyrics suit younger audiences, so you won’t have to worry about your children hearing inappropriate words. All in all, the “Alvinized” tracks are fun to listen to even if you don’t plan on dancing to their beat. They’re definitely the highlight of the entire game.

Cons:
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is a light dance game that doesn’t have any real depth to them. Even the storyline featured in the campaign is nothing more than jumbled stills from the movie that don’t really reveal any coherent plot to those who haven’t seen the film.

However, the greatest strength of the game, the tracklist, is ironically also its greatest weakness. Since Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is geared towards younger players, it’s unfortunate that only a few modern tracks were included in it. It’s highly doubtful that the kids who play this game are raving fans of Culture Club or The B-52’s; even if their hits are timeless classics, they still remain highly unfamiliar to children. In fact, the most “recent” track in the game might be “All Star” by Smash Mouth which was released more than a decade ago.

Features:
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked can be played on the Xbox 360 and requires the Kinect peripheral. It has support for two-player dance coop.

Conclusion:
Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked is suitable for kids who are fans of the Chipmunks and enjoy dance games. Anyone else may want to skip this title. However, the “Alvinized” tracks that feature numerous hits from yesteryears may appeal to older gamers even if they don’t plan on dancing to them. It would have been nice if the game had included modern tracks for kids, but sadly, this is missing. Overall, it’s a decent game, but only for a very specific niche of players.

It is probably difficult to fully appreciate Tin Tin since most people these days were not brought up on the classic Herge comics between 1929 and 1983, but the interpretation of the young reporter translated well into the theaters, and now we have some Kinect games based on this movie in the form of the Adventures of Tin Tin Kinect.

The success of this video game is entirely based on very simple design. Rather than deal with the typical path of making CG actors and implementing a wealth of 3D effects, Ubisoft instead elected to embrace the same aesthetic that Tin Tin originally succeeded in: crisply drawn 2D panels with an obvious trace of human caring. While the visuals are of course not the same as what Herge would have done, they still have great personality and a warmth that is also shown in the boisterous gameplay.

Kinect Sports Season Two Average Rating: 172 total customer reviews...

Just Dance 3 Average Rating: 150 total customer reviews...

This is made very clear in two primary areas: the control over the experience the player can have and how he can fight enemies. The former shows that Ubisoft went pretty linear. There is some freedom as far as the puzzles you can perform on the screen, but otherwise, the single player experience is very tightly regulated, though there are plenty of little witty ideas that show up every now and then to keep your momentum going well. For example, you might illuminate a room with a flashlight and then suddenly have to swing alongside a large boat.

The Kinect integration works well, doing its job to support the level design and great visuals. For example, one hand motion lets you perform certain functions while another motion takes care of all the combat, such as basic punches against most of the bad guys. Of course, nobody in the game really dies when you attack them, but rather they collapse alla slapstick, complete with the circling stars.

Kinect Disneyland Adventures Average Rating: 119 total customer reviews...

Additionally, there is a co-op mode so a friend can join you, but it is strictly local; there is no online co-op, and it really just feels like a missed opportunity on the behalf of Ubisoft in this case.

The Adventures of Tin Tin is most definitely a successful title to tie in to the otherwise controversial film. It is just unfortunate that — whether it was due to resources or budget reasons — there are a few parts that feel a bit truncated. For example, there is no online co-op mode, and despite being decent, the single player is a bit too limited for my personal liking. Outside of that, the game is still pretty amazing game, especially if you are a fan of the Tin Tin film and enjoyed the comics from way back when.

Recreated in stunning detail for the Xbox 360 and Kinect peripheral, Disneyland Park comes alive in your own living room as you explore every inch of the happiest place on earth and experience the thrill of rides that only Kinect Disneyland Adventures can provide.

Let’s face it: Disneyland really IS the happiest place on earth. Those who are fortunate enough to live in an area that has its own Disneyland Park are among the few lucky souls on the planet. For the rest of us, going to Disneyland would mean buying a plane ticket and flying to the nearest location, purchasing an expensive pass, and queuing in the back of long lines. The majority doesn’t have the means or patience to accomplish such an endeavor, so Disneyland remains but a passing dream for many.

Fortunately, the next best thing arrives in the form of the Kinect Disneyland Adventures game. Frontier Developments stunningly created a virtual model of the entire Disneyland Park for you to enjoy at your own leisure. The attention to detail borders on obsession as the game’s park benches, stores, attractions, walkways, signs, rides, concession stands, and even hidden Mickeys are mirrored as close to their real life counterparts as possible. You get to experience landmarks such as Main Street USA, Mickey’s Toontown, and The Matterhorn as familiar Disneyland music accompanies you. Furthermore, throngs of animated families and tourists engaging in loud conversations are all around while the bright open skies serve as your ceiling. The virtual Disneyland doesn’t feel boxed-in at all and offers the same amount of freedom and magic that Disney is known for.

Kinect Sports Season Two Average Rating: 172 total customer reviews...

Just Dance 3 Average Rating: 150 total customer reviews...

As you explore the park, popular Disney characters are positioned at various locations to serve as your welcoming party. These aren’t your costumed park employees either; these guys are the real deal. You get to meet up with 40 Disney toons and interact with them. Give Snow White a hug, let Pluto slobber all over your virtual face, high-five Donald Duck, get Mickey’s autograph, dance with Sleeping Beauty, or receive a cold handshake from the Queen of Hearts. A wide range of exchanges are possible, and kids will simply be enthralled by the concept of meeting and playing with their favorite Disney stars.

The main campaign is actually quite extensive for a kid’s game. Although it mostly involves running errands and fetching items, the quests are mainly used as an excuse to let gamers try all the rides in Disneyland Park. The rides have been re-imagined as minigames to suit the Kinect’s capabilities. As usual, basic movements such as leaning, waving, jumping, and throwing are prevalent all throughout, but the Disneyland Adventures Kinect game adds enough variety so that it differentiates one ride from the other. Whether it’s swashbuckling with the evil Captain Hook aboard his pirate ship, flying through the open skies with Peter Pan, dancing with the Mad Hatter, playing hide-and-seek with Nemo, or creeping inside the Haunted Mansion, players won’t find themselves short on things to do.

Some games suit adults better while others are more kid-friendly, but there is practically no way to lose a game, although competitiveness is bolstered by the points you receive and the achievements you unlock. To top it off, a variety of collectibles and other hidden items are scattered all throughout the park.

Cons:
That’s not to say that Disneyland Adventures is completely flawless. Kinect motion sensing is often awry at times, and the game may not register your movements at the appropriate moment which can lead to some minor frustration. However, considering the wide scope and breadth of the virtual Disneyland and the forgiving difficulty level, this is something that can easily be ignored.

Features:
Kinect Disneyland Adventures is available exclusively for the Xbox 360 and requires the Kinect sensor to play. The game supports cooperative multiplayer.

Conclusion:
You’d be hard pressed to find a better game on the Kinect that caters to both kids and adults, provides cooperative multiplayer, features impressive graphics and audio, and offers a wealth of entertainment than Kinect Disneyland Adventures. This game is simply a masterpiece that brings the magic of Disneyland Park to your own home complete with all the fireworks, popular rides, and lovable characters. It’s a game that parents and kids can both enjoy, and a love for Disney is something that is timeless for everyone.

In 2010, Microsoft made their contribution in the world of motion sensors with the Xbox 360 Kinect sensor. This device is made up of cameras and a microphone, allowing you to play Kinect-specific games without having to turn on the regular controller, instead controlling the game by moving your body. Before you can jump into playing your Kinect games, however, you must properly set it up.

Setting up the Kinect Sensor

01. Positioning the Kinect Sensor
The first step to getting your Kinect sensor set up is to figure out how you will use it and to consider your entertainment setup. For example, if you use an entertainment center to house your television, you likely have a little extra space in front of your television where you can place your sensor. The exact place you set your sensor will vary depending on your setup, but the same warnings and requirements apply no matter your situation:

• Locate a stable, flat surface to rest the sensor on. This can be on top of a non-flat screen television or directly in front of it on a desk. Ensure the sensor is between two and six feet (0.6 to 1.8 meters) from the floor for best results.
• Avoid placing the sensor more than six inches (15 centimeters) either below or above your television screen.
• Do not allow the Kinect sensor to sit within a foot (0.3 meters) of your audio speakers.
• Do not allow the Kinect sensor to rest in direct sunlight.
• Do not tilt the sensor in any direction; the device is designed to automatically adjust itself.
• Avoid placing the Kinect sensor anywhere it can fall as falling can damage it.

02. Setting up the Play Area
One of the key points regarding the Kinect sensor is that it needs to see your entire body to accurately depict your motions and utilize its facial recognition software, as well as its other abilities. As you will see, the Kinect does demand quite a bit of free space in order to accurately recognize your motions, you can purchase add-ons that help the sensor recognize you when you are closer than six feet from the sensor. However, these instructions and tips assume you are using the basic, vanilla setup:

• Keep in mind that your play area must allow the Kinect to see your entire body.
• Move all furniture and other potential obstructions from the play area.
• Ensure your play area is between six and twelve feet (1.8 to 3.6 meters) wide.
• Clear all of the flooring between the players and the Kinect sensor.
• Stand six feet (1.8 meters) back if you are playing Kinect by yourself.
• Stand eight feet (2.4 meters) back if you are playing Kinect with a second person.
• Ensure the room with your setup has even and bright lighting with minimal obstructions in the background.

03. Connecting the Cables
Simply placing the Kinect on the table and clearing your furniture will not allow the Kinect sensor to begin working; like any other electronic device, the Kinect needs power in order to run. If you purchased an Xbox 360 console prior to June 2010, you undoubtedly have the original Xbox 360 console — this version is smooth, rounded with an audible push-power button, and it can be either white or black. Additionally, this has the iconic four green lights around the power button when turned on.

If you purchased an Xbox 360 console in June 2010 or later, you may have an Xbox 360 S console — this version is more jagged and sharper, features a pressure power button without lights surrounding it, and it is always black; this console was designed to mimic gaming PC cases. This can also be identified by an absence of ports for a wireless adapter, since this version was designed to have a wireless antenna internally. Again, powering your Kinect will vary a little depending on the console you have:

Original Xbox 360 Console

1. Locate the USB port on your original Xbox 360 console. There are two located in the front side of your console and two located on the back side. If you use an Ethernet cable to supply Internet to your console, you can plug the Kinect directly into the back of the console.
2. Attach the USB extension cable that came with your Kinect sensor if you use a wireless Internet adapter. This extension cable will lend your Kinect enough length to reach the front side USB ports.
3. Move any other USB accessories you have to the ports on the front side of the Xbox 360 console.
4. Plug the other end of the Kinect wire into an available wall outlet.

Xbox 360 S Console

1. Remove the power plug half of the cable from the Kinect if it came with one. Kinect devices that came bundled with an Xbox 360 S console do not have this, so you can skip this step.
2. Attach the other half of the Kinect cable into the port marked “AUX” on the back side of your Xbox 360 console.

04. Updating the Console Software
Before you can use your Kinect sensor for the first time, you may see one of a few possible messages that indicate you are required to update the software of your Xbox 360 console. These possible messages include:

• Update Required: Insert the disc that came with the device.
• Update Required: A system update is required.

You can update your console software in one of two ways:

• Sign in to any profile that is connected to Xbox LIVE. You will automatically receive a message prompting you to update the software on your console if there is one available. Otherwise, you will not receive a message.
• Place any Kinect game disc into your console’s disc tray — most early Kinect sensors come with Kinect Adventures already in the box. Follow the on-screen instructions to install the content.

Setting up Kinect Software
With your software up to date and your Kinect sensor set and powered up, you will be required to undergo a small tutorial in order to familiarize yourself with using the device. After turning on the Xbox 360, the console will detect Kinect for the first time and prompt you to begin using the tutorial immediately. Though the Kinect sensor is designed to replace the controller in some games, you will need to turn on your controller for the duration of the tutorial.

1. Press the “A” button while highlighting “Continue” when your console prompts you to begin the tutorial.
2. Highlight “Test Background Noise” and press “A” on your controller. Remain quiet as this will prompt the console to test the normal background noise in the room as a part of the speech recognition portion of the setup.
3. Press “A” when the console finishes detecting the background noise and prompts you to begin the speaker test.
4. Press “A” on “Calibrate” when prompted, running the final test of the speech recognition.
5. When prompted, select whether you want to use the microphone embedded in the Kinect device as your means of chatting with your friends during online gameplay.
6. At this point, the Kinect will ask you to set aside your controller and stand in front of the sensor. Wait until it recognizes your body and then wave your hand when prompted. You will notice a hand appear on-screen.
7. Move your hand so that the on-screen hand hovers on the “Continue” option. Hold the hand until the circle surrounds it, completing the action.
8. Select “Done” to complete setup.

If you have younger siblings or children, you have likely heard about the Nickelodeon show Victorious. As far as I can tell, it is a show about teens in a performing arts school who have to deal with friendship issues, high school problems and a number of comedy antics. If you can, think Fame but with more comedy. It has plenty of dancing, acting and singing and is very popular with younger kids, including my cousin.

With the different dance games out there, it seemed like a natural decision to convert this into a title for the Xbox Kinect games library, and now we have Victorious: A Time to Shine. Victorious Kinect is basically a mixture of Dance Central, Karaoke and Hole in the Wall, elements of each game clearly appearing in Kinect Victorious; you can create your own show as you go through the school year.

Unlike other games, you need not deal with the standard avatar. Instead, you can use a customized character that can either be completely different than you or a carbon copy.

In terms of gameplay, there are four modes from which to pick: dancing, acting, singing and playing music. Dancing is the same kind of gameplay that Dance Central offers, but much more simple. You can see the moves on the screen displayed as icons, and your job is to mimic the way they appear as best as possible. If done properly, you receive a rating of Victorious. Otherwise, you get a red mark to indicate you need to perform better. Two players can also play at the same time, and the visual effects are also nice.

Victorious: Season One, Volume Two Average Rating: 5 total customer reviews...

Victorious: Music From The Hit TV Show Average Rating: 49 total customer reviews...

Other modes use the same system, though in playing music, you need to play an air guitar, and you must mime in acting. For the latter, the game will tell you the way you should be positioned — such as a lion having its paws up or having the icon display you trying to escape a box — and then you are rated based on your performance accuracy. Finally, singing is just karaoke, with the standard words appearing on screen and a bounding ball directing you.

There is no doubt that this game will be pleasing to the fans of the television show. However, it does not really offer anything substantial to anybody else. In other words, if you have a younger sibling or a child for whom you wish to purchase this title, then by all means, do so. Otherwise, you would do well to skip it and try out the games from which the title borrows instead.

With the Kinect sensor for the Xbox 360 console, you get to be the controller, abandoning the traditional devices gamers have used for the last 30 years. Imagine being able to choose your music, movies or control your games with your voice or with a simple hand wave; that is the Kinect controller. However, with the advent of such a new technology, there are bound to be questions — and we have those answers.

What is the difference between the Xbox 360 console and the Xbox 360 Kinect?
The Xbox 360 console is the video game platform that succeeded the Xbox console in 2005, and 57.6 million users have played games on it since then. The Xbox 360 Kinect is an add-on peripheral designed for this console, and it opens up a portal to a new way of gaming: without a controller. It isn’t required to buy one to play regular games, but it is required to play Kinect games.

What is the difference between Kinect games and regular Xbox 360 games?
Kinect games require the Kinect controller to function. For example, Dance Central needs the sensor to not only determine whether you are properly performing the on-screen dance moves but how accurately you are performing them to grant the appropriate amount of points. It also takes pictures of your dancing during certain segments, something which is impossible with a standard controller. Regular Xbox 360 games do not require the Kinect sensor, but many have designed parts of the game to be enhanced with one.

You can tell the difference between a Kinect game and a regular game by its packaging; Kinect games have a purple strip on the cover and clearly state “KINECT” on the front.

Dance Central Average Rating: 481 total customer reviews...

Just Dance 3 Average Rating: 150 total customer reviews...

Will Kinect work with my console?
As long as you have a functional Xbox 360 console, Kinect will work with any model.

What is the difference between Project Natal and Kinect?
When the device was originally announced in mid-2009, it was known by its code name “Project Natal.” This was chosen for its definition of “relating to birth,” as in the birth of new technology. When the device was reintroduced at the Electronic Entertainment Expo show of 2010, its official name was announced to be “Kinect,” so the two devices are one and the same.

How far away do I need to stand from my Kinect sensor?
Depending on the number of players who will be using Kinect, you will need to stand a certain amount of distance from the device in order for it to work properly. If you are playing by yourself, you must stand at least six feet away from the device. If you have a friend joining you, you must both stand at least eight feet away from the device.

PowerUP Heroes Average Rating: 22 total customer reviews...

Wipeout In the Zone Average Rating: 76 total customer reviews...

What happens if Kinect cannot detect me properly?
A number of factors can contribute to Kinect not properly detecting you. First and foremost, not standing far enough away from Kinect makes it unable to see your entire body, which is required in order to function. Additionally, it may not be able to recognize your face when you wear a hat or if you are sitting down.

What else can Kinect do?
Outside of controlling Kinect-specific games, you can use your voice to load certain apps and control them. For example, saying “Xbox Dashboard” will load the Kinect hub on your console, while saying “Xbox Last FM” will load the Last.FM app. You can also video chat with other Kinect users on your friends’ list.

How does Kinect work?
Technologically speaking, an invisible light source illuminates the person who stands in front of the camera. The sensor chip then measures the amount of distance the light had to travel down to the last pixel. Unique software projects the image, allowing it to identify and perceive the object in real time, at which point it can react to your moves. Generally speaking, it works incredibly.

Can I still use Kinect if I cannot connect to the Internet to update my dashboard?
The Kinect device requires an update before you can use it; it is not a plug and play device. However, even if you cannot connect to the Internet normally, your Kinect device came with a Kinect video game that has the up to date software already on the disc. Insert the disc into your disc tray and the Xbox 360 console will automatically prompt you to install the update to your console in order to properly use your Kinect device.

Does Kinect use up any hard drive space?
As a peripheral, Kinect uses up about as much space as your other accessories: None.

What do I need to use video chat with Kinect?
Both users who want to use video chat with Kinect must have the Kinect sensor and an Xbox LIVE Gold membership. Then, go to “Video Kinect” underneath “My Community.” If you have not already done so, you must download the software. If you have, it will bring you to the application where you can pick a friend to chat with.

How can I talk to my party with Kinect?
If you are in a party with Xbox LIVE friends, simply speak and the Kinect microphone will pick up your voice and transmit it.

What Kinect games are compatible with Xbox LIVE?
Any Kinect game that has online multiplayer features is fully compatible with Xbox LIVE.

What Xbox 360 applications are compatible with Kinect?
Many applications have a Kinect version for your convenience. These applications include Last.FM, Zune Marketplace, Netflix, Hulu Plus and ESPN. Please note, however, that the Kinect versions of these applications are not necessarily fully functional; for example, using Kinect with Netflix makes it impossible to search unless you use the controller.

Can you use a controller with Kinect?
While this is possible, all of the functions you need to perform in a Kinect-specific game are easily taken care of using the Kinect sensor. Other games, such as Forza Motorsport 4, allow you to join the two forces for a more realistic experience. In that game’s case, you could drive with the controller and tilt your head to view your rear-view mirror with more ease.

What is the difference between the Kinect bundle and the standalone device?
There is no major difference between the Kinect sensor you purchase by itself and the one you receive with the Xbox 360 S console bundle. The only difference is the inclusion of a power cable that is not required for the Xbox 360 S console but is required for the original Xbox 360 version.

How many players does Kinect support?
Most Kinect games can only support up to two players. While some games support up to four players, you generally must rotate with one player on Kinect at a time.

Xbox Kinect games have, in the last year, come from a variety of different developers. However, MTV is a brand that most people associate with the television channels rather than video games. Announced only a little while ago, Yoostar and MTV Entertainment joined forces, releasing the game Yoostar on MTV on November 15th.

For those who do not know, Yoostar Kinect is a video game series that utilizes the unique technology of the Kinect controller and pulls out your image, projecting it into the game, allowing you to star in over eighty different videos. In this case, the videos come in the form of popular music videos, such as "In Da Club" by 50 Cent, "Party Rock Anthem" by LMFAO and "Rocketeer" by Far East Movement — basically, the Top 10 sort of songs you would find on MTV if it still played music videos.

Right away, this game has some positives to it. For starters, it really is an excellent concept; after all, who wouldn't want to pretend to be the star of a video with millions of fans watching? Even those of us who generally steer clear of the mainstream radio hits have a few songs we enjoy. (I'm looking at you, "Bad Romance.") The variety of songs is also good, especially considering the Rock Band series — also published by MTV — usually had fewer songs on the disc; eighty songs is quite a few, especially considering the possibilities for extra downloadable content.

Kinect Sports Season Two Average Rating: 172 total customer reviews...

Wipeout In the Zone Average Rating: 76 total customer reviews...

As fun as it is, the Yoostar MTV collaboration does have its faults. For example, the video quality is not the greatest, and I noticed that it is still apparently difficult for the Kinect to fully pick up on your image, especially if you have a messy background. Unfortunately, since it is unlikely that you can completely clear your background and put up a perfectly fault-free green screen, this is probably something most people will experience trouble with.

Outside of that, I felt the Kinect worked really well with the game. The part of you that the Kinect does project is very fluid and does well to match with the rest of the video. As long as you enjoy dancing and popular music, this is a game you will not have trouble getting into.

Overall, I enjoy the idea as a whole, but it is best not to expect any realism when playing it — it is best described as a "let's have fun" type of game. Recreating a music video authentically would not work well here; it's just having fun dancing around to your favorite songs, but that is still pretty fun.

Big League Sports Kinect is not a game I initially had very high hopes for. While it is not really competing with other sports titles as far as Kinect games go, there just did not seem like there would be much for me to enjoy (eh.. being the non-sporty type, so to speak). However, my prediction a little wrong and a little right at the same time; while this title makes Kinect Sports seem incredible, there is at least some meat on the bone and many will find this set of challenges fun.

The game features numerous mini-games, each of which are categorized by the sport you must play while playing the mini-game. Like other sports titles, each of the mini-games are shuffled neatly into the standard soccer, football, golf, baseball and basketball sections.

It is important to note that there is an objective to these mini-games; you need to build yourself a golden trophy, which requires three pieces total. To collect a piece, you need to earn a gold on every mini-game of each section. Getting gold requires building a total of a thousand skill points, accumulated by your performance per game. I noticed that your actual scoring ultimately depends on how quickly you react. Don't expect this to be a long trek into the game, though; I got the gold trophy for soccer after an hour, so it's about a six hour game overall.

Kinect Sports Season Two Average Rating: 172 total customer reviews...

Wipeout In the Zone Average Rating: 76 total customer reviews...

Multiplayer only benefits you with more players in the household as there is no trace of any online mode in this game. Not only that, but even once you have the local player to join you, you have to take turns as nothing can be done simultaneously.

Perhaps the shining star of Big League Sports is that Activision has an excellent QA department: There are no real control issues. Navigating the menus is simple, smoother than other games — if only they could have been the same focus on the actual game content, then there would really be something to enjoy here. However, there is some slight lag, which can really affect your reaction- and time-based mini-games. If nothing else, this adds to the challenge of trying to get gold.

I think it's safe to say that we were looking to play something that would put Kinect Sports to the test, but that is just not the title we received. At best, it is basic and will keep you entertained for about a day. Hopefully, Activision will realize the problems presented in this game and figure out the best way to fix it. (It's Activision, so a sequel is inevitable.)

If the thought of being able to topple huge giants and punch out rapid ninjas all while wearing your pajamas in the comfort of your own home sounds like the greatest form of home entertainment since the Xbox 360 came out, then Kung Fu High Impact is the game that will make all of your dreams come true.

If you are thinking to yourself that this is a title name you have heard of before, you would be absolutely right; it is a title that was originally released along with the PlayStation Move controller and is now making its way to the library of Kinect games. However, thanks to the Xbox 360 Kinect sensor, you can now play the game for the first time with your image — and no, we are not talking the usual library of games that use your Xbox Live avatar, but rather your physical, camera-captured and projected onto the screen form — in a ridiculous 2D beat 'em up video game, allowing you to beat enemies using your feet and fists.

The concept is indeed incredibly simple, but it is also one that is afforded some level of variety across the fourteen story stages Kung Fu Kinect offers. Aside from the most primitive moves where you punch and kick enemies, it is possible to lean back and then jump, enabling your in-game character to perform a backflip, shoot arrows that are engulfed in flames and even electrocute your enemies by way of a certain arm movement. Unlike other games that use the Kinect sensor heavily, Kinect Kung Fu does well to have your human warrior blend in well; in fact, the motion-comic cutscenes are absolutely hilarious.

PowerUP Heroes Average Rating: 22 total customer reviews...

Wipeout In the Zone Average Rating: 76 total customer reviews...

When the game is at its best, it is definitely a novel thrill — not to mention quite a bit of a workout — as you must quickly hurry your motions as they translate into on-screen gameplay. However, this is not quite always the case. Losing a mission because you accidentally missed a jump or because the Kinect sensor did not register the power punch move you made can prove to be very upsetting, especially when you realize how much Kinect-fueled sweat has suddenly appeared on you.

Aside from this, value is also somewhat questionable; the campaign is under two hours long, and even the option to have controller-run friends join in does not really extend the value. If you have no qualms about shelling out the cash to deal with a couple of brevity and control issues, Kung Fu High Impact is a game that you can certainly enjoy.