The chubby panda Po is at it again in this video game tie-in to the movie Kung Fu Panda 2, the animated martial arts sequel to the highly successful Kung Fu Panda starring Jack Black. In the game, you play as Po and utilize a set of martial arts moves in order to defend Gongman city from rogue wolves, gorillas, komodo dragons, and the evil boss Xaio Dan.
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 List Price: $49.99 Sale Price: $40.00 
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Pros:
The game’s storyline differs from that of the movie but still retains the charm and wit that captivated audiences in the theater. The cutscenes and characterizations are reminiscent of the film’s lighthearted spirit, and Kung Fu Panda 2 does a superb job of making the transition from live animation to video game as smooth as possible.
The game mechanics are pretty simple and straightforward. As Po, you have to execute some martial arts moves in real life while the Kinect senses your motions and translates it onscreen. The moves are easy to perform, and the game doesn’t expect you to do a bicycle kick or anything fancy. For young children, this style of play is simply addicting. Coincidentally (or not), Kung Fu Panda 2 is a movie tie-in, so one can expect the tots to be itching for some deadly combat action once they leave the theater. The Kinect version of the game cleverly introduces an outlet for them to vent.
In addition to the standard storyline and cutscenes, three minigames involving navigating a rickshaw, serving soup, and throwing and aiming rocks provide valuable reprieve from the main campaign. Also, the player can call one of the members of the Furious Five to aid him in combat, allowing fans of the other characters in the series to identify with the game.
Cons:
As with most motion-sensing platforms, the overall quality depends on how well it captures live movements. For Kung Fu Panda 2, the Kinect does a substandard job. Basic moves are translated accurately, but combos or continuous motions are atrociously misinterpreted and cause your character to perform other actions or not respond at all. There is also a noticeable lag between real life movements and the mirrored motions onscreen. Furthermore, battle sequences do not allow fighting moves of your own choosing. Rather, they require you to follow a standard set of command prompts in order to defeat the enemies. This makes combat feel scripted and constricting, as players will often find themselves repetitively performing the same boring motions instead of flailing their arms and legs to their heart’s content.
Another flaw in Kung Fu Panda 2 is the incredibly long cutscenes. They take up a large portion of the game’s time and feel as if they are intentionally stretched out to prolong the gameplay in this otherwise short adventure. Due to the bad controls, the cutscenes are a welcome reprieve from the tired combat, as are the minigames. When cutscenes and minigames are far more appreciated than the main storyline itself, you know you’ve got a problem.
Wrap Up:
Kung Fu Panda 2 requires the Kinect sensor to allow players to punch, kick, and block enemies. There are a wide variety of puzzles and twists in the story to make this game interesting, but it is only a single player adventure.
The Kung Fu Panda 2 Kinect game is excellent for audiences who have the patience for getting the nuances down pat in this faulty release. However, old and young players who want a streamlined action game and don’t have the time to work through it will quickly get tired of the boring mechanics. The cute cutscenes and minigames do little to ease the atrophying elements that cause players to lose their excitement as time drags on. Gamers wanting a fun romp with the Kinect Kung Fu Panda 2 game may find it to be subpar their expectations, but those planning to get one for their kids can still find value in it, albeit a limited one.
