Zumba is back with its second instalment on the Kinect titled Zumba Fitness Rush. The dancing is non-stop while the calories get burned off in this exciting but relatively lacking fitness product.

There are two things you can count on in life: death and fitness games. The latter doesn’t come too often, but you can expect at least one release per year. This time it’s the Zumba Fitness Rush Xbox game, a sequel to the highly successful Zumba Fitness last 2010. The game still retains the core mechanics of the original, but there are new aspects that were added in.

Xbox Zumba Fitness Rush is all about dancing. The game is highly praised for its realistic portrayal of dance styles, and Zumba Fitness Rush boasts 24 of them. You get to pick from everyday classics like Salsa and Rumba all the way to more exotic dances like Bollywood, Ragga, and Bachata. Playing in the background are some decent hits like Pitbull’s “Pause”, Nicole Scherzinger’s “Poison”, and the incredibly catchy “We No Speak Americano” by Yolanda Be Cool & DCUP. On the downside, the remaining dance tracks are strangely foreign and unknown to everyone but the most hardcore dance fanatics.

The game works by selecting the track you want to dance to – which has its own corresponding dance style – and then mimicking the movements of the virtual instructor. The Kinect does a wonderful job of tracking your actions, and it’s even more accurate than the previous Zumba Fitness. Cue cards also appear to prompt you if a dance step is going to change, but other than that you’re pretty much left alone to just move and sweat out the calories. A five-star rating system appears on the bottom of the screen to show you how well you’re performing the steps, and getting five stars can lead to some awesome game bonuses and achievements.

The Kinect Zumba Fitness Rush also has other modes. Class mode is a lengthier session of the standard game so that you can maximize your workout without unnecessary pauses. There is also a progress mode wherein you can examine important details such as how many days you’ve been playing the game, the number of calories you’ve burned off so far, and the different achievements you’ve unlocked. It’s an excellent way to keep track of these things without having to put them in your head.

Zumba Fitness Rush has two-player action that allows your friend to join in on the dancing. The Kinect does an excellent job of tracking two people, and there’s really no need for further tweaking. The graphics and quality of instructions are top notch, as real-life dance instructors were handpicked and motion-captured while performing the unique dance routines you’ll be seeing in the game. It’s quite refreshing to see that Zumba Fitness Rush takes itself seriously when others in the same genre aren’t.

However, despite the wonderful options and dances, the game feels like a lacking product. There are limited visual signals that prompt you during play except for the cue cards that appear now and then, so those with two left feet may be struggling to keep up. Furthermore, the practice section portrays only four styles with four steps to choose from, and ironically some of the moves aren’t even used during the actual game. With the barebones practice mode, newcomers would have to rely on starting a new routine on the main game and having to play it over and over again before they can get the hang of it.

The Zumba Fitness Rush Kinect game just seems so lean on content. Sure, there are achievements, multiplayer, and a yet-to-be-developed online mode where you can supposedly find a local Zumba class near you to fraternize with other dancing enthusiasts, but this game gives you nothing but song and dance with few distractions in between. This may be a godsend to some, but others wanting a bit more punch will be turned off.

Zumba Fitness Rush can be played on the Xbox 360 and requires the Kinect sensor. There are both single player and multiplayer modes.

Zumba Fitness Rush may seem like quite a thin product, but the content that has managed to get included in the game is packed with quality. You can’t go wrong with the game’s variety of routines taught by some of the world’s best dancers, and you’ll certainly be losing weight with continuous play. Just don’t expect to get much more than that, though. For the dancing and just the dancing, Zumba Fitness Rush is still king.

Country Dance All Stars hits the Kinect and allows country music lovers to get off their couch and dance squarely to the beat.

Dance Central pretty much dominates the dancing genre on the Kinect, but every so often something comes along to loosen that iron grip. This time it’s Country Dance All Stars by developer High Voltage Software. To tell you frankly, it doesn’t come close to unseating Dance Central from the throne, but it’s nonetheless a pretty fun game if you love country music.

Country Dance Kinect is your typical dance game. Basically, there’s a virtual instructor who performs a dance routine specifically tailored to fit a certain song. Your objective is to mimic his/her movements as accurately as you can. If you get it just right, the game awards you points. Get it wrong and, well, there’s no penalty, but you lose out on getting the top overall score. To help you anticipate the moves, cue cards are shown onscreen to prompt you on upcoming step transitions. Overall, the learning curve is fairly easy, and the game is targeted at letting you have fun rather than getting you to jump through complicated tutorial hoops.

The Country Dance Xbox game is just packed with nothing but the best country songs. Although they lean towards the modern era, some of the songs are old-time classics. You’ll be hearing hits like Carrie Underwood’s “Cowboy Casanova”, Tim McGraw’s “Felt Good on My Lips”, Rascal Flatts’ “Life Is A Highway”, Keith Urban’s “Better Life”, and many more. There are 35 songs on the playlist, and you can be sure to expect others as downloadable content becomes available.

The downside to the game is that there isn’t much more to it except the dancing, and even this aspect is lacking. There is no option to practice any of the moves step-by-step other than going through the full routine over and over again. The Kinect sensor doesn’t quite read your motions properly either, and you can get full points even by doing incorrect actions. The screwy Kinect accuracy takes away some of the game’s challenge.

There are other fun modes in the game that aren’t present in other dance titles, like one where you have to stand completely still at random intervals to get maximum points. The game also features two-player dance modes, but overall it’s a barebones release that only caters to that small sliver of hardcore country music fans around the world.

The Country Dance Kinect Xbox game is available exclusively for the Xbox 360 and requires the Kinect sensor to play. It has single and multiplayer modes.

Country Dance All Stars is an excellent dance game if you’re into country music. It’s the only video game out there that focuses solely on this genre, and you can’t go wrong with the song selection and routines it offers. However, those of you who only have a passing interest in Carrie Underwood or think that Tim McGraw has a partner named Baba Looey would be better off with something else.

The highly ambitious and incredibly overwhelming Mass Effect saga comes to an end with the final installation of this epic space drama.

The Mass Effect 3 Kinect game is one of those games that ranks way up there in every player’s list of favorites. Ever since its release in 2007 with the first Mass Effect, the franchise has enchanted millions of fans around the world with its attention to detail and dramatic storytelling. In Mass Effect 3, you continue on the final leg of Commander Shepard’s journey as he/she (depending on your customization preference) rallies the fractured military forces of the galaxy in unified combat against an external threat known as the Reapers. You’ll be facing some enemies found in previous games as well as the reappearances of a few of your former allies.

The Mass Effect franchise is heavy on RPG and customization aspects, and Mass Effect 3 is no exception. The game is a typical third-person shooter wherein you aim and blast away bad guys who get in the way of your target crosshairs. However, the experience is amped up due to the RPG elements. In Mass Effect 3, the character creator has been revamped to allow for more physical features to pick and choose from. The weapons system has also been upgraded, allowing you to modify more than a dozen features including external appearances, gun barrels, scopes, and ammunitions. As you level up in the game, you can select various skills that would significantly enhance the abilities of your character. Various branching points make it so that you’ll have to decide which skills you want to focus on and disregard others. Players will feel a significant connection with their Commander Shepard, as no two Mass Effect games are ever similar.

Previous fans who have played Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 will be delighted to know that they can import their saved games from the two titles. Mass Effect 3 pulls out all the significant decisions made in the saved entry and integrates them into the new storyline to create a seamless experience. Characters who have been killed in the saved game will no longer appear in the new game, and specific choices made by the player in Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2 will trigger their own events in this third entry. Of course, you can start a new Mass Effect 3 game without importing any saved file, but the experience won’t be as well rewarded as those who have seen the series from start to finish.

Mass Effect Average Rating: 496 total customer reviews...

Mass Effect 2 Platinum Hits Average Rating: 481 total customer reviews...

Mass Effect 3 plays out like an interactive television soap opera, and it shows in the huge number of cutscenes and player initiated choices. All the characters are voiced by veteran actors, and the script is so well-written that you’ll be hooked by this melodrama in no time. Plus, the fact that you can actually steer the direction of the game within reasonable limits – such as deciding who among your comrades die or choosing your own special team to go on a mission – is such an attractive feature that you’ll be sad when the game finally ends.

The Xbox Mass Effect 3 comes in a limited Collector’s Edition version which contains a Mass Effect hardbound book, a copy of the comic series Mass Effect: Invasion, an N7 fabric patch, unique artworks, exclusive downloadable missions and characters, exclusive in-game weapons, outfits, and a special robotic dog that accompanies you on board the Normandy ship, premium digital soundtrack, a variety of online bonuses, and a celebratory artwork casing of Commander Shepard. This special pack is well worth the purchase due to the sheer amount of content inside it.

The Mass Effect 3 Xbox game has extremely limited flaws. A few technical glitches in the video appear now and then, and some of the side quests can become a bit dragging, but the game is massively large and ridiculously well-made that these flaws do little to dampen the entire experience. It shuts the coffin lid on the saga as solidly as it possibly can, making this an instant classic for generations to come.

The Mass Effect 3 game can be played on the Xbox 360. You can use the Kinect peripheral, but this is optional. There are both single player and multiplayer cooperative support. The game is also available in a special Mass Effect 3 Collector’s Edition pack that contains dozens of extra features.

Mass Effect 3 is a game that cannot be missed for old and new fans alike. The wide customization options, smart AI, dramatic storytelling, and excellent gameplay make this a worthy contender for Game of the Year. Fans will appreciate the efforts made by the developers and receive an awesome closure as Commander Shepard takes on the forces of the Reapers and saves the galaxy one last time. It’s an epic game. Enough said.

Microsoft first came into the gaming community with their sixth generation breakout system Xbox on November 15, 2001. The success of the gaming console brought forth its successor, the Xbox 360, on November 22, 2005. By that time, motion capture gaming was beginning to rise in popularity, and technology was inching towards controller-free play. Finally, Microsoft released Kinect, a webcam-like peripheral that uses hand gestures and voice commands as player inputs to control the game environment, making it the first controller-free gaming device.

Today, Kinect leaves the video game world of the Xbox 360 and enters a much broader audience with the release of Kinect for Windows. With Kinect for Windows, the motion sensor can be used as a substitute for standard computer input devices like the mouse or keyboard. In fact, demos of the device have featured people being able to:

The user can move the screen display to the left, right, up, or down with respective hand motions. With a spreading movement using both hands, zooming in on the screen is possible, as well as rotating clockwise or counter clockwise.

The hand itself can now be used as a mouse. It provides the same functionality as a modern mouse while providing more freedom of movement.

Pictures can be shifted, moved, and edited with the use of hand gestures alone.

Users can now draw, pencil, shade, spray, and otherwise create works of art using the standard Microsoft Paint with hand motions alone. The possibilities this presents to a modern artist or painter is limitless.

Browsing the web can now be done using hand motions. The hand can be used to click on objects and scroll up or down the web browser.

Hardware Requirements:
The Windows Kinect can only currently run on machines that have the Windows 7 or Windows Embedded Standard 7 operating system. It also requires at least a 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor, Dual-core 2.66 GHz or faster processor, Dedicated USB 2.0 bus, and 2 GB RAM.

What’s in the box?
A single purchase of the Kinect for Windows includes the actual Kinect for Windows hardware device, and a Kinect for Windows software development kit (SDK) for professional developers wanting to create applications for the Kinect. The sensor is compatible with Microsoft Visual Studio 2010 which allows programmers to directly develop software using C++, C#, or Visual Basic languages for the Kinect sensor.

Other included features are an installer to easily integrate the Kinect with the computer, improved Kinect motion camera sensitivity that can detect movements as close as 40 centimetres, the ability to connect up to four Kinect for Windows sensors on one computer, accurate speech recognition to process voice commands, and a free game that utilizes the Kinect for Windows called Shape Game for up to two players.

Kinect for Windows SDK opens up new ways for developers and programmers to make an impact in the world. Among the current interests of study are:

Helping children with autism interact better with the environment around them.
Rehabilitation training for people who suffered a stroke.
Helping professionals like engineers, doctors, and artists practice their trade with realistic motion-capture simulators.
Integration with multiple business devices such as shopping centre cash registers, factory equipment, and the office workplace.
Inclusion in government agencies to free up space and introduce faster motion-capture work with the computer.

The Kinect has come a long way in such a short time from a gaming device used solely for recreation to a motion-sensing input apparatus that can literally change the world and software development as we know it. It’s not an understatement to say that we may be entering a new stage in the computer and software era.

Celebrating the 10th anniversary of the first Halo game, Microsoft Studios and 343 Industries have released the remastered version of Halo: Combat Evolved.

It’s been exactly 10 years since Xbox was first introduced into the gaming world, and with it its signature killer app Halo: Combat Evolved. The game was largely responsible for the success of Xbox and has had a number of sequels that built upon its core foundation. In Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary edition, the first game in the franchise is revisited, this time with improved graphics and a whole lot more to offer.

Storywise, the Xbox Halo Anniversary version stays faithful to the original plot in Combat Evolved. You still play as the super-soldier Master Chief, the Covenant is still after you, and you’ve just landed on the mysterious artificial planet Halo. New gamers will relish in the masterfully crafted delivery of the struggle of humanity against alien life forms, while hardcore Halo fans will certainly feel teary eyed as they walk down memory lane and relive their first Halo experience.

But this is where the similarities end. The Anniversary version contains a remastered and remade visual look to the locations in the original. What the hardware capabilities of the 2001 Xbox console lacked are now fully compensated for. With the aid of the new Saber3d engine, bland visuals are given a more vibrant look, and the game looks and feels like the best the Xbox 360 has to offer. Also, the developers made it so that players can switch between the classic graphics of Combat Evolved and the enhanced Anniversary remake to decide which visual version suits their senses better.

The Anniversary edition also incorporates the latest innovations of the more recent Halo games. The Xbox Live achievement system is now available, and the terminals pioneered in Halo 3 are now in the game. Also, multiplayer modes – both cooperative and competitive – are present. The multiplayer system uses the latest engine from Halo: Reach, and with it all the modern addons to the Halo franchise including modifiable armour, emblems, gender selection, and weapon loadouts.

Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary edition is much more than a remake. It contains numerous other Easter eggs, remastered soundtrack of the original, and improved multiplayer map packs. Players can also scan various things in the game to add entries to the Library, a Halo encyclopaedia of sorts. Furthermore, Kinect support is available, most notably voice commands you can avail of to throw grenades in-game and reload your weapon.

However, the Kinect support isn’t all that’s cracked up to be. The voice commands have a time lag that could cost you the game when used during the thick of combat; it’s much faster to use the standard controller in most cases.

Also, the multiplayer map pack for the Anniversary edition isn’t a truthful remake, since it only features a few handpicked favourites from all the Halo games instead of the original line-up from Combat Evolved. Basically, those expecting to relive the multiplayer feel of Combat Evolved will instead find a mixed bag of popular maps from newer titles in the franchise. The use of the updated multiplayer Halo: Reach engine is a welcome addition, but it doesn’t soften the failed expectations by much.

The Halo Anniversary Xbox edition can be played on the Xbox 360 in single player, cooperative multiplayer, or competitive multiplayer modes. There is both online and Kinect support, although the Kinect peripheral is optional and does not affect gameplay if absent.

Those who missed out on the original Halo: Combat Evolved can play the Anniversary version for a full-on Halo experience, while other longtime fans will be delighted at the beautiful and faithful reproduction of the original campaign in this remastered edition. However, multiplayer is far from a truthful remake, and this may displease those wanting a trip down memory lane with their virtual combat buddies. But for what it’s worth, Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary edition can satisfy any FPS fan any day of the week. It’s always great to see Master Chief in action once again.

A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…

…is a phrase most of us can easily identify with. If you’ve never heard of lightsabers, the Jedi, or Chewbacca, then you’re probably not a fan of Star Wars, one of the most beloved space epics of all time. The popularity and legacy of this film franchise has swept sci-fi and movie aficionados for decades, and it doesn’t seem to be losing its edge, especially with the impending release of Star Wars for the Kinect and Xbox 360. Here’s what all Star Wars fans can expect from this momentous occasion in gaming history:

The Star Wars Bundle

First of all, distributor Microsoft Studios and publisher LucasArts decided to commemorate the forthcoming game release on April 3, 2012 with a limited edition Kinect Star Wars and Xbox 360 bundle. This collector’s item pack will include a 320 GB HDD Xbox 360 console designed with an external casing that resembles R2-D2, a white Kinect peripheral, a metallic-gold Xbox 360 controller that resembles C-3PO, and a copy of the Star Wars Kinect game itself. This package that is guaranteed to make fans salivate uncontrollably is also quite economical since the current (and slightly outdated) 250GB Xbox 360 and Kinect bundle sells at around $400, while the updated Star Wars bundle is priced at $450. If you don’t have an Xbox and Kinect set yet, consider waiting for the special Star Wars bundle to get released. You’d have to get in line though…

When the game was unveiled and opened for demo testing at a recent gaming convention, all the anticipated, controller-free action was living up to its name. Unfortunately, there were still some concerns to be found, like a slight lag in motion detection, somewhat bland graphics, and a pretty average gameplay. The developers took a hint from the fan feedback and delayed the game’s release, which is now set on April 3, 2012. With the new and improved Star Wars Kinect, here’s what you can expect:

Lightsaber Action – Players can swing and slash away at battle droids to their heart’s content. A main concern in the demo testing was that you couldn’t really twirl your arms around wildly similar to your favourite Jedi due to the Kinect having a hard time tracking such fast movements. Hopefully, this will have been streamlined in the release. Incidentally though, you can expect to be able to wield your virtual lightsaber as adeptly as possible, deflect incoming blaster beams, and use more advanced fighting techniques as the game progresses.

Players can also use the Force with their hands to move objects, lift heavy debris, and Force push opponents out of the way. You can also Jedi dash to quickly close the gap between you and the enemy, jump up and over foes, and knock droids together with a flick of your wrists. Sweet.

The storyline is mostly centered on Episode II: Attack of the Clones, but all 6 Star Wars movies are paid homage to in the game. You’ll get to meet your favourite characters and rub elbows with the best of the Jedi. Plus, a training mode with none other than Yoda as your master is sure to set the mood right at the beginning.

You’ll be able to challenge the scum of the universe in one-on-one lightsaber combat in the game, where all your techniques will be pushed to the limit. Going up against Darth Vader has never been this realistic (minus your hand getting sliced off).

You play as a wild Rancor that has been set loose upon the unsuspecting citizens of Mos Eisley and Naboo in this extra mini game and can eat and crush your favourite Star Wars characters. What could be more fun than that?

Strap on your seat belts and pilot the most dangerous vehicles in the universe with podracing battles that put you in the driver’s seat of danger. Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen.

And, ok, it wouldn’t be a Kinect game without some dancing involved, but this time you can select one of your favourite Star Wars characters and make them groove to the beat of up to 15 songs.

Although Star Wars hasn’t been released yet for the final verdict as to its quality, the demo, online screenshots, and proven track record of the developers are leaning towards greatness on this one. With the wide variety of minigames, extra content, and engaging controller-free combat of the main storyline all laid out as promised, Star Wars fans worldwide are starting to think that this may be THE Star Wars game to expect. Plus, the limited edition Kinect Star Wars bundle is more than enough reason to avail yourself of this treat.

Let’s hope the Force will be with us on April 3rd.

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: 201 total customer reviews...

Just Dance 3 Average Rating: 189 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: 14 total customer reviews...

Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Single-Disc Edition) Average Rating: 122 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: 201 total customer reviews...

Just Dance 3 Average Rating: 189 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: 153 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.

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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.