Kinectimals Review

By Ryan Fleming November 8, 2010

kinectimals review screen

Kinectimals

“A fun game for kids looking to try out the Kinect.”

Pros

The animals are adorable
The Kinect is fully used
A good glimpse at the future of the Kinect

Cons

Not much to the game
Made only for kids

In terms of adorableness, Kinectimals is easily the top-rated game for the Kinect. Basically you choose a wild cat that you adopt, and then you explore an island with it, playing mini-games and interacting with it along the way. You can play games with your adopted cat, pet it, and teach it tricks.

This game is geared specifically towards children — anyone else that plays it will have trouble even getting through the tutorial, which is painfully long. Once the forced explanation on how to play is finished, the game opens up a bit, and kids will probably have a blast interacting with the island. The animations and movements of your cat are top-notch, and while there is no real story or singular theme, kids should enjoy the simplicity of the games.

Image used with permission by copyright holder

The Kinect is used fairly well in Kinectimals. Voice recognition is used, and the camera is also utilized, albeit in an inconsequential manner. The interaction with your pet shows glimpses of what the Kinect might be able to do one day, as you lean to move around your pet, and scratch behind its ears and under its chin with both hands while it reacts by purring to signify what it likes and doesn’t. It isn’t a very deep game, but it is a solid entry for children (and only children).

Score: 6.5 out of 10

If you’re interested in the Kinect system then check out our Microsoft Kinect review.

(This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360 on a copy provided by Microsoft Studios)

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Ryan Fleming is the Gaming and Cinema Editor for Digital Trends. He joined the DT staff in 2009 after spending time covering…

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