Rare game, a compilation of mini-games using the motion detection Kinect, does exactly that once made the title from Nintendo, recreating with half a dozen new sports technology to create a fun experience, especially for multiplayer and very surprising to those who thought that “Minority Report” would never be possible. It is inexplicable that does not come with Kinect “series” instead of Kinect Adventures. It must also say that after Wii Sports and Champions Sports on PS3, the multi-events have become a must for manufacturers in the race for the motion recognition. A genre that is popular and profitable to both strike a new audience for the console and reveal the potential of a device right out of the heating.
Kinectsports includes a selection of sports simulations, and several game modes to combine. It also includes some simple mini-games based on the parts of sports, but the main thing, so to speak, six sports: athletics, soccer, bowling, boxing, beach volleyball and table tennis. These events are far from ultra-realistic simulations of sports, but try to adapt their mechanical ability to move the Kinect. Detections will not see precise and demanding, but a simple adjustment sometimes quite free sports.
Obviously, the minigames have ups and downs, as were those of Wii Sports. If Nintendo game was the best tennis and golf, on the Microsoft is especially fun on track (which is the most complete, as I said), beach volleyball and table tennis. The bowling and boxing are too simple and it’s as if we had seen too many times, while the football is simply a matter of taste: oversimplifies some things, but its fun. KINECTS Sports is ideal for short sessions of play, provided you have a friend on hand for parties or team versus Sport-specific. Several friends will do the trick too, but it is not possible to play more than two simultaneously. Several fronts of the TV or on the network which also shows fairly stable despite some fits and starts, each sport is trying to use with it the recognition of the movement.
For table tennis, it’s pretty clear: the player mimics the action of the racket with its arms. In singles or doubles (online too), do not expect to command a topspin on or off, the ball changes affect the direction and power, but it’s enough to manage. Same is for boxing. Both give their opponents blows to the head or body for a record similar to Wii Sports, and freer, even if we do not always understand why some hooks and some do not touch. Despite the care incorporated this game is the straightest forward and quickly turns into anything big. Quite the opposite of bowling. The sport’s most grueling calm of this compilation is also the one who let the best sense of precision. It must be said that in terms of motion detection, all sports are not housed in the same boat.
The track is the one with more beer, because it is actually a pentathlon. Includes one hundred meter dash, javelin throw, long jump, discus and hurdles, so that there are five minigames in one, organized as a competition where we will receive points for our performance in every sport, and competing against other Athletes controlled by artificial intelligence. The hundred-meter dash acquaints us with the particular way of running with Kinect. Attempting to lift the knees, making the movement of running, but without leaving the site, an ordeal for residents, moving the knees up and down but inevitably pounding on the floor with its feet. We scored the time and is easy to break the world record and make marks absurd. The final minigame, the fences, we asked the same, but synchronized diving following a color code.
The long jump asks us to run, then jump (upwards of course) and can easily beat world records, while in the javelin run and launch (depending on the angle of our movements with the arm), and in the hard bow our body back and then we will move the arm forward. As you can see, nothing complicated, but very fun, especially with two players to compete both for the highest score and be all in suspense to the race with hurdles. Four stars.
The table tennis mini game is similar to that seen in Move Wii or PS3, only using your hand as a shovel, instead of the controls of these consoles. Not as accurate as seen in Wii Sports Resort or Sports Champions in their respective platforms, but is a good example of what may be done when Kinect detect motion when the developers will gain experience. We can make various types of shots, and is easy to sit back and throw the ball wherever we want, right or upside down and more or less force. Missing maybe two or three movements, but generally works well and in fact is one of the few “sports” where timing is important and there is no problem in this regard. Four stars.
The beach volleyball is our favorite. It is undoubtedly the most tired and most forces us to move, but it is great fun for two player co-op. The game has three movements: receiving, passing and shot (which can be done in jump), and automatically move to the players, it all depends on our ability to perform the movement in time, so the timing will determine how well that ends, and thus get the point. Besides, the AI opponents are particularly tough, even at the beginner, it is very challenging.
Two players, considering that the bug has already cost at least a point, is very funny because the recriminations will soon arise, the party is seven points and the machine rarely forgives. It is a good example also that pinpoints accuracy is not as important for a fun gaming experience. The game hits only difference between right and left to finish, and the other movements have a huge margin, the only requirement is the coordination and synchronization for not sending the ball into the net or do not fall down. Five stars.
The fighting, rather than promote the skill, can win consistently hitting forwards like crazy, unleashing a constant barrage of blows to the opponent. However, if you agree with your friend playing “seriously”, respecting certain rules of fair play and good taste, may lead to some good fights. But, like the bowling, the feeling is that we have seen, the latter asks us to catch a ball and throw it “virtually” in one of the most successful simulations with Kinect Sports, but it’s leisurely pace contrasts with the frenetic fun of the other games and will quickly pass into the background. Two stars each.
Finally, the football will appeal to many because it has many ideas, but as expected oversimplifies the beautiful game to make it a mini motion detection. When we attack, we can pass the ball to our teammates and, once near the target, shoot on goal. There are also corners or band; we can finish up the head. When we defend, we need to prevent rivals from progressing to near our goal and, once in danger, as the goalkeeper and stop the ball.
How to pass and pull is surprisingly varied, and can kick left and right, while defending when we have to bow down and move your feet where you are going to go the opposite happens. At the time of stopping, we must move the entire body to keep the ball “end up in the back of the net.” This dynamic works well if we are against the machine, or play co-op, but two players against each other, is too simple and difficult for the defending and when we play against the machine, the indicators allow us to see clearly what do to defend or stop shooting, but two players the rate is inadequate.
As expected, there are eleven against eleven, but football is a kind of six with small goals, and the whole system of player movement is automatic (and does not respect any rules in general), the game is static, the Players do not run but remain unemployed. This is not exactly a criticism, it is almost impossible to imagine how to combine motion detection with a real football match, but can take back some who were expecting something similar to those recreational balls, and encounter a surrogate but funny and very well run, very limited. Three stars.
These major events the advantage of the game to create additional minigames. For example, a challenge to stop balls based on football or table tennis with several balls at once, and these mini-games can be played also for two players or teams. And all events can be played via Xbox Live.
A graphic level Kinect Sports can say that does not count. It is a title for everyone, which uses the Xbox avatars for the characters and, moreover, has some decent scenarios that fit the colorful beauty of the game. Value it is a little out of place, simply work well, obviously the graphics engine is not affected, and the visual style is the same as the Xbox 360 avatars. The sound, however, is excellent. The soundtrack includes pieces from hugely popular tracks from Blur’s Song 2 We Are the Champions by Queen, and the Castilian dub is excellent.
Being a particularly fun game for two players, one thing that makes it even better: the recording of the camera. This aspect seemed so embarrassing when we were testing the game (and others Kinect) in the different markets (surrounded by strangers), but among friends, the laughs are priceless, especially since the installation makes the game after each event is synchronized with music, and has the uncanny ability to capture the best moments. In the first boxing match to be played by two players, the first video showed the moments before the first kill of player 1 to 2, then showed the second shot down (over the protests of the second player, gestures typical of such “cheating”) and finally the final demolition of the second to the first and the wild celebration that followed. It is a pity that only can be shared at the time, and unable to save or manage in any way.
With KINECTS Sports, Microsoft makes no secret of its positioning. KINECTS and red eyelet at the HAL are intended to be enthroned in the family living room. The technology will be fine “on edge”, the game is clearly oriented public. This is neither a flaw nor a surprise, but it is better to be aware of before you invest. All sports have been simplified to the extreme, often automated and cut into much closed phases of the game. When a football player receives the ball, he must choose to stop and pass the ball to the left, or right before, while an opponent is positioned in front of him and tries to anticipate the pass to the counter with a not driven. The gameplay is easy to understand but superficial, differs little from good old compilations that we played so far with a joystick in hand.
Conclusion:
Despite the ups and downs and obvious limitations discussed, Kinect Sports is a great game, with the ability to make something new, Kinect, becomes a protagonist in a magical hours of fun, both for those who have the console (“the originator”) and their guests, who will stay first perplexed, then it will tremendously competitive, and eventually will split with laughter for hours. Despite the criticisms that he can do, this is one of those titles to be tested to know where the video game world is.
