POSTED 19/11/10


KINECTIMALS

Microsoft

Aww! Awwwwww! If cute had an alternate spelling it would be K-i-n-e-c-t-i-m-a-l-s.

OK, we’ll try to control our hyperactive cutesy appreciation glands and type something useful about this game-cum-experience. Think virtual pets such as Tamagotchi or even Nintendogs, but looking lots nicer, playing lots nicer and captivating lots nic... erm, more.

You’ve arrived on an island named Lemuria, where a bizarre, undying cross between a bee and something furrier named ‘Bumble’ hovers about being chipper, whilst guiding you and blahedying on about lost treasure and some hoary old pirate dude. You get to adopt a little big cat – tiger, tiger, tiger, tiger or tiger (OK, our Richmond-in-the-AFL supporting bias is showing, as there are leopards and stuff, but when you can choose a tiger then who wouldn’t?!) – train it, feed it, play with it and otherwise become all pet-owny. Just without the bills, the shedding, and the slobber.

The Kinect works superbly here, as you bond with your tiger (Jake in our case), calling it, scratching behind its ears, brushing it all over, feeding it, hurling balls at it, sending it hooning about with remote controlled cars etc. But there’s more than messing about, as that Bumble creature guides you through progression that includes simple missions, uncovering maps, new toys (o-weh-oh!), redecorating your hut and more, all on a quest for... TREASURE!

We see two big markets for Kinectimals: the obvious – kids, who will go apespitcrazybonkers over this - and flat-dwellers who aren’t into animal cruelty (unlike our downstairs neighbour, who keeps a puppy jailed in his one bedroom flat). Maybe there’s a third category – bonkers cat ladies in training. But we’re not one of them, oh no – BWAHFRARGLEBLARBGLARBWARFLE!

If you’re even a bit of a softie then Kinectimals is awwwwwwwwwwwwwww-inspiring…

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CLICK THIS!