Kinectimals E3 Demo:

Kinectimals Trailer:

First it shows Kinectimals which is the Kinect (Project Natal) equivalent of Sony’s PlayStation Move game EyePet. But it’s been super-sized. You get a life-size tiger, lion, or other big cat to play with. And it doesn’t appear to have augmented reality.

Then it shows the latest version of Ricochet, the game where your avatar deflects balls back to destroy blocks. Microsoft have been showing this game almost exclusively for the past year.

Then it shows Kinect Adventures, which is the river rafting game for two players.

Then it shows the media player with voice controls which was in the video last year. They were watching Harry Potter. I wonder if there will be Harry Potter games for Kinect, since they would be an obvious choice for gesture and voice control. Lego Harry Potter (Parts 1 and 2) and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Parts 1 and 2) are still to be released, so keep your fingers crossed. There are two franchises players have been dreaming of Kinect controls for since long before Project Natal: Star Wars and Harry Potter.

Then it shows a new dancing game, called “Dance Central”. Unlike the standard Dance Dance Revolution/Guitar Hero rhythm and timing games, this game doesn’t have scrolling notes that you have to hit in time with the music. Instead it has a wheel on the side of the screen that tells you what dance move you have to do and what the next ones will be, and you have to spend a few seconds doing that move correctly. And of course this game requires no extra hardware, due to Kinect.

Then it shows two Kinect Sports games hurdles and table tennis. Sony’s PlayStation Move also does table tennis, as does Nintendo’s Wii Motion Plus. Microsoft’s version seems the worst since you are using your open hand instead of a table tennis bat. If I was Microsoft, I would let players hold any random prop they have lying around the house and use it as a table tennis bat. A spatula, a carrot, your TV remote control, even a real table tennis bat, or a Wii Remote. I don’t see why Kinect can’t use random household objects as props.

Then it shows Your Shape: Fitness Evolved. You might remember this from the Nintendo Wii, it came with a Wii webcam peripheral. Now it doesn’t need one. This was an obvious choice for Kinect, and I’m surprised it never occurred to me that we would see this game for Kinect.

Then it shows Kinect Joy Ride. This is actually an old game that was going to be released last year for free on Xbox Live Arcade with traditional controls, but it was delayed and made into a Kinect launch title. It is a cartoony car racing game with obstacles that includes split-screen multiplayer.

Lots more games are being announced though, so stay tuned for a low more info and videos.

They showed Kinectimals, Kinect Sports, Kinect Adventures, and a car racing game.

But most popular was the Star Wars game they showed, which allowed you to fight with lightsabers and use force powers.

But according to rumours, Microsoft has accidentally let the cat out of the bag, and the new name for Project Natal is Kinect.

And among other games, Kinect will have the following “Kinect” named games:

“Kinectimals: A virtual ‘big cat’ trainer that lets you train and play with 20 different feline members of the animal kingdom, including tigers, lions and cheetah.

Kinect Sports: Microsoft’s answer to Wii Sports, Kinect Sports features table tennis, boxing, bowling, soccer, beach volleyball, and track and field; all controlled using your body.

Kinect Adventures: This game combines a river raft simulator (recently seen on Youtube) and obstacle course for up to four players. Rafting works in pairs, with players working together and moving in the same direction to steer. Jumping will also grant access to secret areas.”

But keep checking back over the next couple of days for a lot more information, as E3 will bring loads of official announcements.