Xbox 360 250GB With Kinect & Kinect Adventures Product Details

Released on 10-Nov-2010

• Kinect line-up takes shape

  Kinect line-up takes shape

  With the PlayStation Move already selling light hotcakes, Microsoft's own motion-sensing peripheral Kinect is sure to make a big impact when it hits shelves around the world on November 10 - and now Konami and Hudson have dated most of their first wave of Kinect titles. Interested? Read on.

  First up is Konami's sure-fire party hit Dance Evolution: Kinect, which will be launched right alongside the Kinect camera on November 10. The publisher will also be launching CROSSBOARD 7 on the same day. Hudson, meanwhile, will follow up with Deca Sports Island Freedom on November 25 - and we're not even at Christmas yet.

  Dance Evolution: Kinect might be fairly self-explanatory, but what about the others? CROSSBOARD 7 "uses the player's movements to steer their on-screen creature who is barrelling down a series of hazard-strewn courses", according to Eurogamer, while Sports Island Freedom is a collection of sporting events especially designed for Microsoft's peripheral. Expect the likes of tennis, boxing, archery, beach volleyball, and dodge ball amongst others. Dodge ball? Best move the lampshade out of the way.

  Kinect hits stores on November 10, and we can't wait to bring you more news as it happens.
  

• GAME HQ Kinect Preview!

  Formerly known as Project Natal, Kinect has been a bit of a mystery to us here at Game. But Microsoft put a stop to that today by allowing us to get hands-on (so to speak).

  The basics of Kinect are that it will let you play and navigate with out the need of a controller. Instead of slouching in a cheer you'll need to get up and active in order to play.

  We got to go head on with Kinect Joyride, Kinect Adventures and Kinect Sports. These were our impressions...

  
  

   

  Tom

  My Kinect playfest began with Joyride, a fun little driving game using your Xbox Avatar as the driver. To steer your car you hold your hands in the 10-2 position and steer like you would in a car (a bit like Mario Kart Wii, without the wheel!). You won't need to worry about accelerating as this is automatic, but you can boost by simply thrusting your hands forward and to send your car shooting into the screen.

  Drifting is also in Joyride, and just like steering it's easy. Just lean into the turn with your body whilst steering with your hands and your car will start to slide around the corner. There are also jumps to hit and whilst in the air by you'll be able to pull of some pretty awesome tricks with simple hand gestures.

  Next up was Kinect Adventures, which boasts several minigames that let youyou're your body to control the on-screen action.

  First up was the river rapids game, which saw me and my colleague, Chris, stood side-by-side as we navigated a perilous rapid river in a little rubber dingy. It's crucial to point out at this point that if you are playing cooperatively on Kinect Adventures, communication is key.

  To begin with we stepped independently and jumped at different times, which got us around some of the obstacles in our way but by the smallest of margins. It wasn't until we started yelling "LEFT" "RIGHT" and "JUMP" that we started to make good progress in missing obstacles and gaining greater height by jumping at the same time.

  We then tried a game in Kinect Adventures where we needed to duck, jump and sidestep obstacles whilst riding on a cart on tracks, which was pretty fun. Next we tried a game where we hit red balls at blocks, which broke revealing targets beneath them.

   

  Chris

  My time with Kinect proved to me that it's much better than I thought it would be.

  Kinect Joyride and the Bowling game in Kinect Sports were fun and the responsiveness was impressive. Navigating the menus by swishing your arms around is awesome as well, straight out of a sci-fi spaceship!

  My only concern is that the games I tried weren't quite enough to carry the device by themselves - but I'm sure more titles will arrive once developers get to grips with this incredibly clever piece of kit.

  All in all, I'm pleasantly surprised!

   

  Glenn

  There's no doubting Kinect is cool. I loved being able to move my hands and navigate a menu, or runnin and jumping about to watch my little avatar do the same!(that's right your Xbox avatar is you in the game, so seeing my little gear of war running around would be wicked!)

  Having one of your friends jump into the game just in time to push your raft round that rock in the rapids is a really nice feature, too; anyone who walks within the scope of the Kinect camera can jump in to the game and help you out!

  Kinect is a serious bit of kit, and I truly believe that in a couple of years when developers have had some time, to go all out, we will see some incredible titles and have some awesome fun!

   

   

  Mark

  The 2009 Xbox E3 conference had me whooping and hollering at my PC monitor, with Microsoft's sci-fi Kinect video and demonstrations hinting at an entirely new way to play games. As you can imagine, I was more than excited to finally get a go with what's being touted as the future of Xbox gaming!

  I started with the bowling game in Kinect Sports, which was even easier to play than the famous Wii Sports interation of Fred Flintstone's favourite pastime. With the camera swooped in behind my on-screen Avatar, I reached down to my right to make him pick up a ball, then held it in front of my head to aim, and, to my delight, got a strike on my first throw, with the Kinect camera managing to pick up the spin I naturally impart on a bowling ball in real life, and translate it to the screen in much the same way.

  Next up was a swift go on the athletics mode of Kinect Sports, which had my same Avatar running a hurdles race. For me, that meant running on the spot - the faster I did so, the faster my Avatar sprinted - and hopping up in the air when the upcoming on-screen hurdle turned green as I closed in on it. Luckily no actual hurdling skills were required!

  Obviously there's a big question mark about how Kinect will handle titles for 'core gamers', and the selection of games on show when Microsoft headed to GAME HQ was never going to answer that. What it did show us though was how responsive Kinect is to movement, which can only be a good thing; the crowds of people cheering and laughing as people jumped, bounced and yelped as Tom and Chris played on Kinect Adventures (and as I crashed through my fourth hurdle in a row... *sadface*) would attest to that.

  Put that together with some of the videos Microsoft have already shown and you start to build up a picture of the kind of experiences Kinect will offer. Can you imagine playing a first-person adventure game where you can walk in the spot to move, grab in-game items with your arms to solve puzzles, thrust your arms to slice a sword, and talk to characters using your actual voice?

  The possibilities are practically limitless.I am excited!

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

• GAME Midnight launch for Kinect

  Kinect for Xbox launched in the UK on 10th November, 2010.

  
  

  Microsoft invited us to experience the countdown to the launch of Kinect at the celebrity party on the evening of the 9th. Billed as 'the most anticipated and exciting launch in entertainment history' and hosted at London's Natural History Museum, the party featured presenter Kate Thornton with music from The Wanted and Leona Lewis, and skating for all those who were brave enough!

  The party was followed by a midnight launch at GAME stores across the UK.

  Find out what happened here.

   

• Xbox 360 celebrates its fifth birthday

  Xbox 360 celebrates its fifth birthday

  Happy birthday, Xbox 360! Microsoft's lovable dream machine turns 5 this week in Europe, and like most gamers, we couldn't be happier with the kind of entertainment it's given us over that time.

  So it's been half a decade, then, since the console swept onto store shelves without much more than Perfect Dark Zero, Kameo, and a little game called Call of Duty 2 to play on it. Since then, we've seen new Halo games, racers like the Project Gotham and Forza series continuing to thrive, brand new treats like Gears of War, and, of course, family favourites like Viva Pinata and a handful of Sonic the Hedgehog titles.

  The Xbox 360 has also helped take console gamers online more, following the Master Chief into battle in Slayer matches, and helping us rank up in the Call of Duty games. And now, it's even turning players into controllers with the Kinect motion-sensing peripheral that powers titles like Dance Central and Kinectimals.

  All told, that's not a bad showing for a console that's only five years old. Happy Birthday Xbox 360 - we can't wait to see what the next few years bring as, alongside the PC, PS3 and Wii, you continue to redefine videogames.

• Buyer's Guide: Xbox 360

  Xbox 360
  Action-packed online gaming fun!

  Who's it best for?

  Home to many of gaming's top franchises and boasting the Xbox Live service, Xbox 360 is the serious player's pick for competitive action gaming.

  If you're looking for a decent family console, don't be put off by the Xbox's hard-core reputation. The Xbox has family settings, which allows you to regulate what games and DVDs your kids can play and watch on and offline.

  Plus there are hundreds of terrific games for kids aged 3 and up.

  Best Bits

  
  

  Two words: Xbox Live.

  Xbox Live is an online service which allows you to compete with gamers all over the world. In addition, the service allows you to:

  • download games, updates and movies,
  • access free game demos so you can try before you buy,
  • enjoy early and exclusive game content,
  • take part in voice and video chat,
  • access Facebook, Twitter, Last.fm Radio and Zune Video,
  • keep track of all your in-game achievements so that Xbox Live match you with other gamers of the same skill level,
  • look forward to live TV streaming via the all new Sky Player,
  • plus much, much more besides!

  What's more, the Xbox 360 also has the biggest choice of games, appealing to people of all ages and abilities. See GAMES

  Worst Bits

  
  

  Additional costs.
  Xbox Live membership starts at around 0 per year. Plus, the Sky TV packages will be subscription based too.

  No built-in Web browser
  This means you can't surf the net in the traditional sense. I know, I know - it's confusing. But Xbox LIVE isn't a Web browser; it's a special application designed by Xbox which requires Internet access. That said; you can still access Twitter and Facebook via Xbox LIVE.

  Not as easy as the Wii
  At the moment, Xbox isn't as easy to pick up and play as the Wii. The controls aren't as intuitive, and require a little more dexterity and practice. However there are some exciting new innovations in the pipeline which Xbox hope to change all that.

  Bonus Extras

  
  

  Xbox LIVE. Need I say more? See WHY BUY?

  Online Features

  
  

  Xbox Live is NOT FREE. It's a subscription based service. Xbox Live Gold Membership will cost you in the region of 0 per year. Xbox Live Silver Membership won't cost you a penny, but you don't get access to all the good stuff that makes Xbox Live worthwhile.

  Silver Membership
  Xbox LIVE Silver is a free service that allows any Xbox 360 user with a broadband connection to get online and interact with the Xbox LIVE community.

  • Gamer profile: Showcase your achievements for all your friends to see.
  • Avatar: Share the customized Avatar that represents your online identity.
  • Friends list: Add other Xbox LIVE users to your friends list and chat using the headset or send text messages.
  • Marketplace: Download free content from Marketplace such as demos, trailers, music videos, dashboard themes, and lots more.
  • Microsoft Points: Redeem Microsoft Points (available at retail stores or through Xbox LIVE) for extra game content, Arcade games, movies and TV shows, independent videos, and more.

  Gold Membership
  Xbox LIVE Gold is a premium membership that lets you compete with other gamers across the globe. Gold membership includes all the features of Silver plus a whole lot more:

  • Multiplayer games: Invite your friends into a multiplayer match and compete against each other or play co-op through expansive adventures.
  • Marketplace: Gold members get early and exclusive access to select game add-ons, demos, trailers, videos, and more.
  • TrueSkill matchmaking: For every ranked game you play, TrueSkill finds someone of the right skill level for you to compete against.
  • Parties: Invite a group of friends into an Xbox Live Party; to join in games and chat together.
  • Gamer feedback: Use the feedback system to select players you want to play with (or avoid) the next time you're online.
  • Watch Netflix movies: Xbox LIVE Gold members who also belong to Netflix can watch Netflix's extensive library of streaming movies and TV shows right on their console at no additional charge.

  What do you need to get online?
  The simplest way to get hooked up is to purchase an Xbox LIVE Starter Kit which comes with everything you need to jump in and explore everything Xbox Live has to offer! Once you've got this, simply go to the dashboard, follow the onscreen instructions and you're A for Away. In order to get your Xbox online you will need a Broadband Internet connection.

  Buying games online:
  Purchase games using Microsoft points or a credit card. Games are downloaded directly to your console and your purchase history is stored by Xbox LIVE, meaning you can delete games and re-download them again if you run out of space. Microsoft points can be purchased through Xbox LIVE Marketplace or in your local GAME store.

  Essential Accessories

  
  

  Whilst not essential, having the right accessories can really enhance your gaming experience. Here are some of the key accessories our Xbox Xperts recommend for enhanced game play:

  • Xbox 360 Wireless Adaptor.
    Unlike the PS3 the Xbox 360 doesn't come with built-in wireless broadband compatibility. This handy little adaptor will ensure you can move your console anywhere in the house and still play online using Xbox LIVE via your home network.
  • Faceplates.
    Personalise your gaming experience with an Xbox faceplate. Change your faces whenever you like to match your personality or your mood.
  • Memory Unit.
    Xbox 360 Memory Units allow you to save your in-game achievements and unique gamer profiles and carry them around with you. Just plug it in and save away.
  • Xbox 360 Wireless Controller.
    The Xbox 360 Wireless Controller lets you enjoy a 30-foot range and up to 40 hours of life on two AA batteries.
  • Headsets.
    The Xbox 360 Headset heightens the experience of the Xbox LIVE online gaming community, allowing you to strategize with team mates or just chat with friends while playing your favourite games.
  • Chat pad.
    This bolts onto the bottom of your Wireless Controller and allows you to type messages to friends on MSN while playing games.

  You'll find GAME's full range of Xbox accessories here.

  Games

  
  

  Xbox boast one of the most comprehensive game catalogues in the industry, with games to suit everyone.

  Summary

  
  

  This is an ideal cross over console; great for families but equally brilliant for serious and competitive gamers too.

  
  
  
• Kinect storms past the 10 million mark

  Wow. Everybody suspected that Microsoft's Kinect add-on, a camera peripheral that allows players to interact with their Xbox 360 without a controller, was going to be big, but who knew how big? The platform holder's just announced that 10 million Kinects have been sold around the world.

  That's not bad going at all, and according to Eurogamer, it gets better, as Guinness has just awarded Microsoft the title of astest selling consumer electronics device ever

  Apparently, Kinect sold an average of 133,333 units each day for the first 60 days it was available. "The sales figures here speak for themselves," said Gaz Deaves, who is the gaming editor for Guinness World Records. "According to independent research, no other consumer electronics device sold faster within a 60-day time span, which is an incredible achievement considering the strength of the sector."

  What about the games? With Kinect Adventures as a pack-in, and the likes of Kinect Sports and Dance Central providing all your goal-scoring and dancing needs, you're pretty well catered for. Things get really exciting later this year, though, when the beautiful Kinect shooter Child of Eden arrives.

• Kinect hack helps the blind

  You're probably aware that Microsoft's Kinect motion-sensing peripheral is a record-breaking triumph - according to Guinness, it's the fastest-selling peripheral ever - but did you know it might be able to help the blind?

  That's according to a Eurogamer report that suggests smart coders have created a software mod for the camera which helps partially-sighted and blind people navigate better.

  Originally uncovered by SlashGear, the mod's called NAVI (Navigational Aids for the Visually Impaired), and it was created by two university grad students named Michael Zollner and Stephan Huber. The gadget works by connecting a Kinect to a helmet, and plugging in into a laptop. The laptop in turn is connected to a Bluetooth headset and a ibratactilebelt.

  This means that the Kinect camera will be able to offer verbal and tactile warnings when the user comes up against an obstacle. A bit more clever coding sees the unit reading signs and offering directions. Not bad.

  It's a project in a university lab at the moment, but it's still nice to know that videogame technology can be useful as well as brilliant fun. Nice job!

• The Gunstringer gets a release date and free bonus game

  Microsoft has announced a September 12th release date for The Gunstringer, the first boxed Kinect game from Twisted Pixel, the barking mad indie developer famous for XBLA title 'Splosion Man.

  In the game, you'll control a skeletal cowboy marionette as he embarks on a campaign of comedic vengeance through whimsical hand-stitched shooting stages. Movement is controlled by your left hand, while your right makes a gun shape for the shooty-shoot bits. So, yes, you fire your weapon by making a finger gun, just like in infant school. The addition of ew pewsound effects will be at your own discretion.

  The game will also come with a bonus add-on, The Wavy Tube Man Chronicles, and a completely separate free game Fruit Ninja, the Kinect-enabled food chopping party game adapted from the popular iPhone hit.

  The Gunstringer will offer all this gaming fun for the not unreasonable sum of just 9.99, no strings attached. Except for the ones on the main character, obviously.

• Cool Kinect features for Halo Anniversary

  Frank O'Connor, the man who looks after the Halo series for Microsoft, has spoken up to clarify some of the confusion surrounding the Kinect features in Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary.

  Of course, larifydoesn't mean he's explained exactly what the features will be that would be madness, clearly but in an interview with Official Xbox Magazine he has promised that they'll be ooland that they won't interfere with the classic Halo gameplay.

  Having said that, he went on: "I don't think it's going to be something that people need to be hyper-excited about...I don't want to downplay it, but I think of it like this - I use voice on Netflix and it's awesome, and that's what this'll be. Something that enhances you overall experience."

  Anniversary developer 343 Industries backed up O' Connor's assessment, with a posting on their forum declaring he Kinect features we're exploring with Halo: Anniversary are optional and won't affect your core gameplay experience."

  So, voice commands then? The chance to scream at Guilty Spark and tell it to shut up? We'll have to wait and see. Halo: Combat Evolved Anniversary, a tweaked and HD-sexy remake of the original 2001 Halo game, rockets onto Xbox 360 on November 15th.

• Mass Effect 3 marks the end of Commander Shepard

  Fans of Bioware's epic sci-fi RPG trilogy Mass Effect should prepare to shed a single noble tear: the developer has confirmed that the upcoming Mass Effect 3 will be the last we see of Commander Shepard, the malleable avatar that we've all been following since 2007.

  "After this, Commander Shepard's story is complete", producer Michael Gamble told PC Gamer while discussing where the series will go next. Don't be too sad, however, as there's a very good chance that more games set in Mass Effect's rich universe will follow.

  In an earlier interview with PC Gamer, Bioware boss man Ray Mazuka promised: "We have ambitious plans to continue this franchise going forward. Mass Effect 3 is simultaneously a couple of different things; a thrilling and epic conclusion to the trilogy as we promised our fans we'd provide for Commander Shepard, but it's also a brand new beginning it's an entry point for new fans and it's also a brand new beginning."

  Mass Effect 3 not only brings the Reaper storyline to a close, but will also include a four-player co-op mode and Kinect voice commands for Xbox 360 players. It's due to arrive early in 2012 on Xbox 360, PS3 and PC.<

• Kinect for the Core

  When Kinect was launched with titles such as Kinect Adventures and Kinect Joyride, some thought Microsoft's new motion control technology had abandoned the hardcore gamer, but all along the developers were thinking about you.
  
  There are two types of Kinect games. Some can only use Kinect to work, they are controlled purely by it's motion control and voice recognition interface, and can't use a controller. There are other Xbox 360 games that can use Kinect to enhance the game-play with the additional features that Kinect offers.
  
  Below we have a selection of games that are compatible with Kinect and are excellent examples of how Kinect can improve the world for the Core gamer.

  

  Child of Eden

  
  Offering a magical experience, Child of Eden is a game for the senses . Using elegant game-play mechanics to create a hugely immersive, first-person shooter. When you shoot, the music and the world around you shifts, the whole game ripples with gameplay. More than a game ,Child of Eden is an experience and can be done justice with words, an incredible title that needs to be played to be believed.

  

  Ghost Recon Future Soldier

  
  You are a ghost. The first, first-person shooter that allows you to operate solely with Kinect. Reload, zoom and fire with simple gestures. Bring down your enemies in a hail of bullets with a flick of your hand. Navigate the menu customise your weapons with voice control and hand gestures. Is it perfect? Well, wel let you be the judge of that!

  

  Mass Effect 3

  
  No messing around here this is a definitive hardcore Game. Mass Effect 3 is great example of how Kinect can enhance the gameplay of real games in a way that other consoles can currently compete with. Taking advantage of Kinect advanced voice software you can control your squad in combat with commands, giving yourself that extra edge. When out of combat, the same software allows you to take control in conversations so you need never click for your response again. If you have to save the universe, do it in style,and do it with Kinect.

  

  Forza Motorsport 4

  
  Forza 4 has Kinect integration in almost every area of the game. If you love cars, then the auto vista is for you, exploring every feature of the car with your hands, with Jeremy Clarkson providing a detailed voiceover. When racing, Kinect tracks your movement, enabling you to check your mirrors with a gentle turn of your head. It even allows you to steer the car using Kinect, putting you more firmly in the drivers seat than ever before.

  

  Rise of Nightmares

  
  Created by the guy behind, the classic, House of the Dead, this is clearly not a title for your mum! It gritty, it bloody, it full of zombies and you will die all the time. . . Either by being ripped apart by the hordes of undead or sliced in half by deadly traps, Rise of Nightmares is not a game for the faint hearted. You are the controller, so hold onto your limbs.

  

  UFC Trainer

  UFC Trainer takes fitness games to the next level, there is nothing family friendly about this. Certified by UFC, you know the experience is going to be intense. Build a routine that is right for you, get the benefits and see the results. Using the same techniques as some of the most tough, disciplined men in the world. So if you want to build up your strength, get fit or lose weight, UFC Trainer is the hardcore game for you.

  Final Word

  
  The games on this page are a but a few of the incredible range of games that Kinect can improve. With more coming out all the time, Kinect is soon to become an essential accessory for every gamer.

  Published: 23/11/2011

• New Xbox will be revealed on May 21st

  If you've been enjoying the thick soup of rumour that's been swirling around the next Xbox console, it's time to reach for a crusty roll and start mopping up - Microsoft has set a date for the official reveal: May 21st. You've got until then to savour those last few spoonfuls of frenzied speculation. After that, it's on to the main course of delicious fact-steak drizzled with anticipation sauce.

  For some, the next generation can't come soon enough. This year marks the Xbox 360's eighth birthday, which makes it positively mature ages in console years. To put it in perspective, when the 360 launched in November 2005, there was no such thing as an iPhone or iPad, Twitter was still something that canaries did and Facebook was an obscure website exclusively for American college kids.

  Obviously the world has changed but how will Microsoft respond to the new landscape? An improved Kinect sensor will be built into the console, reckon some. It'll require an internet connection at all times and will block second hand games, say others.

  Back in 2005, Microsoft managed to get a head start on SONY by launching the 360 way ahead of the PlayStation 3. This time around, it's SONY that has beaten Microsoft to the punch, revealing the features of the PlayStation 4, if not the actual console itself, earlier this year.

  Microsoft has kept quiet so far, but now we know there's less than a month to go before everyone will have their cards on the table. Then the real fun begins.

  Published: 25/04/2013

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