Skip to main content

Kinect Joy Ride review

kinect joy ride review screen
Kinect Joy Ride
“There are better uses for your Kinect.”
Pros
  • More Kinect games are always good
  • Fun for familes
Cons
  • Unresponsive controls
  • Not much depth
  • Bad contol scheme

Have you ever wished you could drive a car — but without a controller? Probably not, and with good reason. In Kinect Joy Ride, you are a racer with limited racing controls, and by steering the air, you control your car as it accelerates around the track. You can also pull off some tricks while jumping.

The game offers several game types, including: a “Pro Race,” which is your average lap-based race; “Battle Races”, similar to pro races, but with weapons; “Smash”, a game mode that encourages you to destroy items to increase your score; “Stunt”, which ranks you based on the amount of tricks you pull off; “Dash”, a time-based race; and “Trick,” a Simon-says style where you need to imitate poses on screen.

Kinect Joy Ride
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The problem with Kinect Joy Ride is that steering without a wheel is tough enough without the added element of lag introduced by the Kinect’s hardware. It is a novelty, and one that wears off quickly. If this game had been included with the Kinect, it would have received a bit of a pass, but since it is a full retail game, it is shockingly light on content. A decent game for families, but one that most families might enjoy for an evening, if that.

Score: 4 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)

Editors' Recommendations

Ryan Fleming
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…
The best Xbox 360 games of all time
xbox one backwards compatible december 2015 halo reach 360 compatability waypoint featured

The Xbox 360 is a console that defined an entire generation of gamers and inspired some of the best Xbox One games. The console is approaching its 20th anniversary, and there are still plenty of titles worth playing.

GTA, Far Cry, Borderlands, Halo, Mass Effect, and BioShock are only a few of the franchises that made the Xbox 360 so memorable. We have created a definitive list of the best Xbox 360 games so you can revisit some favorites, add some classics to your collection, or get an idea of where to start if you’re new to that platform.
Mass Effect 2

Read more
The best Xbox 360 headsets
best xbox 360 headsets headset

If you're currently looking for a new headset made for the Xbox 360, you might be disappointed to know you're going to have a hard time. With the Xbox 360 being extremely outdated, the headsets designed specifically for it are not only obsolete, but nearly impossible to find new since the manufacturer doesn't make them anymore. Along with that, many current headsets aren't compatible with the Xbox 360, so you'll have to use one of the older ones that were popular in 2013.

And pretty soon, the Xbox One will be obsolete, too, since the next generation Xbox Series X will be headed to store shelves this holiday.

Read more
How to take a screenshot on your Xbox One
xbox one s

The Xbox One is capable of producing some truly jaw-dropping experiences, and sometimes you can't help but stop and marvel at your television display. Whether you're feasting your eyes on a beautiful in-game vista or celebrating a particularly lopsided victory in an online multiplayer, you might want to share the moment with anyone and everyone. Thankfully, the process for capturing screenshots on your Xbox One is extremely simple.

More guides and best-ofs

Read more