I just got finished playing all of the sports in Kinect Sports and here is my evaluation:
1. Track & Field: This area includes a variety of different activities that work well with the basic body movements the Kinect can control. These include running , jumping, and throwing things (javelins & discus). I think young and old would both have fun with this! This may actually be my favorite activity in this game.
2. Bowling: Not as much control as Wi Sports bowling--but it is actually feels more like bowling when you can just stick your hand out to pick up the ball and then swing your arm to bowl. No controller to hold on to or push buttons. Once again this is an activity that would appeal to both young and old. Personally, I still like the bowling in Wii Sports better because of the more precise control.
3. Boxing: I like this better than the Wii Sports Boxing--but there is still some lag time and I just don't get the feel that all my moves are translating accurately. Plus, like an earlier reveiwer indicated it seems like punching wildly is actually a winning approach in this game. I do like how you can just hold your arms up to block--this felt very natural. I'm waiting for the Kick Boxing version because when you kick your legs in this activity your avatar kicks its legs--but they don't seem to translate to "hits" in the game.
4. Beach Volleyball: This one will take some time to master. It can get a bit confusing because there are several different techniques involved--jumping, hitting, and blocking. If you're tall--make sure you don't have a ceiling fan above you--or at least make sure it's not on!
5. Table Tennis: Once again it was fun to play without a controller in my hand but I felt there were a few times when the intensity of my hits were not reflected in what actually happened on screen. For example, when an opportunity comes up for a "smash" the game announces it and then actually does it regardless of whether I swung harder or not.
6. Soccer: Fun and interesting. You don't have to run around the field yourself. Your player magically appears where the ball is kicked to. Simple body movements control your kicks and blocks. Gray directional lines on the screen show the directionally options when kicking and your location when blocking.
Throughout the games the Kinect takes photos and short videos of your movements. These are played at the end of each game. The images are saved so you can share them with others. This feature will appeal to some and not to others. For example, I find the images of my son interesting and humorous--but I need to find out how to erase the images of me!
Adding a second player was extremely easy. If I wanted to join my son all I had to do was step in front of the TV and the Kinect added me to the in-play game. The graphics are also much better than the Wii! Kinect Sports looked great on a 40" HDTV. We don't even play the Wii on this TV because of how bad it looks.
Bottom line: If you have an XBOX already--adding the Kinect and Kinect Sports really adds a nice dimension to your video game experience. If you have young kids or older folks that have trouble remembering what buttons to push on a remote--it doesn't get any easier than the Kinect.
P.S. It is a neat and strange sensation to be standing in front of your TV and the avatar on the screen is doing the same movements that you are. You can sway, move your arms and legs, and dance, and the avatar mimics it. This alone makes for good entertainment! Kinect Sports
This game is a lot of fun, my favorite out of the 5 games I have purchased at launch. Soccer is hilarious, basically you pass the ball down the field (choosing from a left pass, right pass or straight pass), while your opponent attempts to block the pass. Once you get past defenders and are 1v1 with the goalie you can shoot, and your opponent can try to save. It sounds simple enough but the camera is very responsive and the game gets frenetic and fun while playing. There are also opportunities for throw ins, corner kicks and headers etc, but the nuts and bolts is the simple pass and shoot.
Next there is bowling, which is a lot of fun and again the camera is very responsive.
Track and field has 5 events. Sprint, pretty basic....run in place. Next is Javelin Throw, also fun. Then there is the long jump, which is cool. Following that is discus, actually very lame, could not consistantly get good flights from discus. Lastly is hurdles, not really all that fun, but ok.
Next up is Boxing. Boxing is ok, but by far the most effective tactic is throw wildly rather than take a methodical approach...that actually kind of ruins it for me, I wanted something a little more strategy and skill based.
Beach Volleyball is a lot of fun, but it really seems the most forgiving with its camera response. I feel like a lot of times if you are just in the general viscinity it will count as a bump. Scoring can take a lot of volleys but I guess that is ok.
Last is Table Tennis. Response is pretty good not much variation in shots and putting spin seems rather difficult.
There are also minigames for many of the sports listed, helps keep the replay up. The comparisons to the Wii SPorts are inevitable and in all honesty, besides the superior graphics of the xbox, the comparison is merited. The thing that really gives this title the one up may or may not have anything to do with the game itself. The Kinect camera I think is what sets this game apart. You can play in darkness in the middle of the living room, you can play with people of all sizes (I have two kids that played and it calibrated them seamlessly), the camera really responds! The funny replays at the end of each event is awesome too, you really look completely foolish playing these games and the playback is a helpful reminder not to take these games too serious! This title is worth the $50, some of the other games you can just rent (fighters uncaged, sonic riders etc). Great Party Game, Great to play with kids, and a great guilty pleasure to just play by yourself! Online play is supported too by the way, so a great way to meet some new people. - Ping Pong - Track And Field - Bowling - Soccer'
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