Kinectimals

Xbox console exclusive

Kinectimals is a video game for the Xbox 360 that uses Kinect, with versions also available for various mobile devices.In the game players can interact with virtual animals in a manner akin to pets, gameplay includes activities such as teaching tricks to the animal, guiding the animal around an obstacle course, and free-form play.

Released: 4 November 2010
Platforms: Android Windows Xbox 360
Genres: Digital pet Simulation Sports
Developers: Frontier Developments
Publishers: Xbox Game Studios
Series: Kinectimals
Modes: Single-player
Perspective: First person
Themes: Kids
Country: United Kingdom
Age ratings: ESRB E
Composers: Peter McConnell

About

Kinectimals (known as Kinect Animals in Japan and South Korea) is a video game for the Xbox 360 that uses Kinect, with versions also available for various mobile devices. In the game, players can interact with virtual animals in a manner akin to pets, gameplay includes activities such as teaching tricks to the animal, guiding the animal around an obstacle course, and free-form play.

The video game is aimed at a young audience, particularly children, and includes eleven different virtual animals all based on wild cats. Kinectimals was developed by Frontier Developments and was a launch title for Kinect. There were also plush toys that come with scan tags that players can use to unlock new cubs and toys.

Keywords

basketball
minigames
virtual pet
rabbit
achievements
on-rails
kid friendly
pizza
digital distribution
customization
leveling up
world map

Media

The articlegameplay, story, development, reception

Gameplay

Throughout the game players spend time using the Kinect system to feed, play with, care, and even raise an animal cub. Upon starting the game the player will visit Fur Town, where they choose one of the 6 initial cubs. When they adopt a cub, they can take a picture and name it. As they play the game, new areas, more cubs and items can be unlocked.

Throughout the game there are 11 cubs. The cat-lemur fairy, Bumble (voiced by Richard Steven Horvitz) guides the player through the game. When players play games and challenges, they earn coins. At the shop run by lemurs, the players can spend their earned coins to buy stuff like toys, feather wands, balls, jump ropes, flying toys, radio-controlled cars, food, drinks, collars, pendants, furniture and other things.

Reception

Kinectimals has received mostly positive reviews. Video game talk show Good Game's two presenters gave the game a 7 and 7.5 out of 10 saying how it was quite fun and that the player's animal would give instant feedback as well most younger gamers would love playing it. Initially they said "It has a lot more life, energy and fun to it than something like EyePet - there's a lot of sparkle, but I was okay with that." An IGN review described Kinectimals as, "the cutest game in existence", but reported that the motion controls did not perform well for some games and that there are too many menus.