XBox Kinect the best motion controller

Xbox Kinect

With its emphasis on fun over graphics, the Nintendo Wii has been the surprise hit of the current generation of game consoles. It's taken a few years, but Sony and Microsoft have finally answered the motion-gaming call with the PlayStation Move and the Xbox Kinect (reviewed here). Whether your loyalties lie with motion gaming,

Nobody ever said pioneering a new type of controller would be an easy thing. Go ask the guys at Nintendo about how unresponsive the Wii could be if not used precisely enough for a particular game. Or we could ask Sony about those barely function Sixaxis controls that are almost never used in any games except when shoehorned in poorly. Microsoft's Kinect follows along on this trend, faring much better than the Sixaxis but a bit behind the Wii. Why has it fallen behind on the Wii when it theoretically should be a superior experience?

Though it can broadly be called a "motion controller," Microsoft's Kinect is a different beast. Unlike both Sony's Move and Nintendo's Wii MotionPlus controllers--which detect motion as you wave them around in your hands--Kinect turns your entire body into the "controller," with the Kinect hardware--a motion detector/camera that you set up in front of or on top of your TV--converting your movements into gestures that the Xbox can understand.

Microsoft not only sees Kinect as a means to widen the general gaming audience, but a way to interact with the menu system of the Xbox 360. But that "Minority Report"-like future is going to cost you: the Kinect is priced at $150 (though that price includes the game Kinect Adventures). Is it worth it, and is it a must-have add-on for existing Xbox owners?

The first problem with the Kinect is that it was impossible to set up when first purchased. The amount of space that this thing eats up is insane. You need a good solid six feet of clear space from you to your television, where the sensor should be set up. If you want two people playing locally then you're going to need about eight feet. This is highly problematic for people who live in apartments or small homes and don't have a dedicated gaming room. So after getting tired out from rearranging the entire living room we finally had our six feet or so.

The entirety of the Kinect consists of a black camera bar that's much larger than most Webcams but is compact enough to reside near a TV without being too conspicuous. The actual Kinect sensor is roughly 11 inches wide by 3 inches deep, and can be centered above or below your TV (though a separate above-TV mount is recommended for flat screens). It sits on a small square base that allows the unit to automatically adjust its viewing angle using a motorized head. You'll see this pivoting feature in action during the device's initial setup and when launching games. The base is rubberized enough to provide sufficient traction even on the slightly curved surface of our home TV's stand, although Microsoft recommends flat placement in the instructions.

On the front of the Kinect sensor are windows that hide depth sensors, an RGB camera, and a multiarray microphone. Tilt it at certain angles and you can even make out a slightly flickering infrared light that helps the advanced Kinect camera scan the room. A green LED light flashes upon Kinect's boot-up, and remains solid when connected.

Last but not least is the responsiveness of the device. Now to be fair a good measure of how responsive this device is to your commands seems to be based on the game you're attempting to play. Some games respond fairly well, notably Dance Central, while others require you to perform a move well in advance of whatever situation you need the motion for. This comes up a lot in Sonic Riders but it's very prevalent in any game that asks you to jump or duck down as it's very hard to judge when to perform these without any sort of feedback. Did you do the move too slow? Did you not get out of the sensor's field of view? Is your timing off? Your guess is as good as mine.

With that said though the Kinect is still a rather impressive piece of hardware. The way it can almost effortlessly keep track of every little thing that you're doing is nothing to scoff at. When playing a good Kinect game, which there are admittedly few of right now, you can easily have a lot of fun in the short bursts of playing. It's even better with a group of friends as you can watch, and laugh at, them while you rest up a bit from all the moving around the Kinect requires.

Right now, the answer to the fundamental question of "are you having fun with Kinect" is, unfortunately, "not really." Unless you like dance games. The potential is there, but you need to think of Kinect like the launch of a new console: Wait until the games you really want are available—or maybe even the next generation.