After over a year of anticipation and hype, Microsoft's ambitious new motion control solution, Kinect , has finally arrived, and with it, a whole new era of gaming. Through its use of advanced motion tracking cameras and sensors, Kinect replaces a nearly 40 year old staple of gaming, the controller, with a player's whole body. Naturally, such a radical concept warrants some skepticism; can Kinect successfully change the way players interact with the Xbox 360?

The Kinect sensor is unlike anything we've seen before in a consumer-grade peripheral. While there certainly have been plenty of elaborate prototypes shown off at industry trade shows, Kinect is one of the few to ever make its way to mainstream availability. It isn't that the technology is particularly revolutionary -- in fact, most of the components can be found in existing products – it is how they've been implemented. Microsoft has paired an RGB VGA camera with a resolution of 640 x 480, a depth sensor of the same resolution, and a multi-array microphone into a single peripheral that can gauge distance and motion, digitally map a 3D space, and even visually recognize players and accept voice commands; and it does it all in real time.The Kinect sensor is unlike anything we've seen before.The Kinect unit itself is admittedly a bit of an eye sore – its big, its bulky, and it must rest at the forefront of your entertainment center – but, of course, this is just a necessary element of ownership and use. Otherwise, the device is fairly well constructed, with a weighted base and sturdy plastic casing. The only vulnerable element of the Kinect's physical design is also one of its coolest features – the motorized tilt function.In order to adapt to varying room layouts and sensor positioning, Kinect is capable of automatically adjusting its orientation with a motorized swivel and tilt mechanism built into the base. While the tilt mechanism is pretty solid, it can be damaged by improper care or attempting to manually adjust the sensor.The sensor connects to the Xbox 360 via either the auxiliary port built into the new Xbox 360 S or USB on previous models. The new Xbox 360's auxiliary port is an all-in-one solution that both powers and communicates with the sensor, whereas older systems will have to use an included AC power adapter to power the device. Neither connection is particularly cumbersome, but obviously reduced wire clutter is always preferred.Setting up and calibrating the Kinect can be simple or a bit of a hassle, depending on the type of playing environment. Not only is there an extensive on-screen setup process, but players must physically prepare a room for Kinect.In order to play games and ensure peak performance, users must clear a fairly large space in their room. There must be at least 6 feet between the sensor and the player, 6 feet of width, and any objects obstructing a full view of the player, like coffee tables, must be moved. Additionally, in order for visual recognition and motion tracking to work effectively, Microsoft recommends users play in rooms with bright, even lighting, though our experience showed that just about any lighting environment produces reasonable results.In realistic home use, however, this can be a pretty tall order. While the minimum distance between the player and the system is listed as 6 feet, multiplayer configurations require at least 8 feet, and taller players will need even more room to be fully captured in frame. Players in full-sized homes may have no issues making room for Kinect, but those in apartments or dorms are likely to have trouble.Once you clear a space, the software setup and calibration process begins. The initial setup of the Kinect requires the use of a calibration card that is included with the system, which players simply hold up to camera and attempt to align it with an on-screen graphic. Everyone has a room curiously devoid of furniture like this one, right?If the calibration card proves insufficient, players can access the Kinect Tuner, a new feature built into the Xbox 360 dashboard that fine tunes player tracking, audio identification, and calibration. The Kinect Tuner essentially allows users to identify problems with their play space, indicating that they are too far the sensor, if they can't be identified, if objects are obscuring them, or if the room is too loud.Perhaps the most elaborate setup processes is Kinect ID, aka facial recognition. In order for the system to identify you and automatically sign you into your profile, players must perform a series of gestures, stand in certain areas, and strike certain poses. Worse yet, players may have to repeat this process in new lighting environments, or even if they change hairstyles.In many ways, the calibration and setup process is one of the Kinect's biggest issues. While the system is intended to be easily accessible and intuitive for players of any age or experience level, the setup process is pretty intensive, and strays from Microsoft's vision of an effortless interactive experience.Beyond the rigors of the setup process, the real test of the Kinect is its motion tracking performance. The sensor recognizes players and detects their motions with an impressive amount of accuracy, capturing the slightest movement of their bodies, but it can be affected by a number of different variables, including multiplayer scenarios, environmental elements, and, most notably, input delay.The evolution from the Kinect's early prototype, Project Natal, to the finalized model brought one significant change – the loss of an integrated processing unit. The impact of Microsoft's decision to ditch onboard processing, presumably to cut costs, has resulted in a hit to the sensor's responsiveness.The sensor can accurately determine factors like 3D positioning, orientation, and speed, but processing latency can cause the on-screen representation to be delayed. Of course, software implementation is an integral part of how effective a peripheral can be, and some games seem to fare better than others, but there is definitely a basic level of input lag between the sensor and the console.

Kinect Games Reviews

Dance Central

Kinect Sports

Kinectimals

Kinect Joy Ride

Sonic Free Riders

However, the Kinect wasn't built for 1-to-1 motion tracking, and although there are some apparent issues for hardcore gamers and tech enthusiasts, the device's intended audience isn't looking at the system with the same critical eye. Kinect has been designed and marketed for a much wider range of players, namely those with casual gaming experience or none at all. It is ideally suited for families, younger players, or groups, all of which are likely to have a blast with Kinect and its range of casual launch games.But that isn't to say that traditional gamers won't find benefit in the Kinect. In fact, there are a number of really cool capabilities of the device outside of simply motion-enabled gaming, such as menu navigation, voice commands, video conferencing, and, as we mentioned, visual recognition.One of the most alluring elements of Kinect is its futuristic feel, and being able to navigate on-screen menus with the wave of your hand or access content by simply saying it is definitely like a sci-fi fantasy come true. Enabling motion control with Kinect is as simple as waving your hand, at which point players are brought instantaneously to a specially tailored menu on the Xbox 360 dashboard, called the Kinect hub.From the Kinect Hub you can hold your hand off to the right and swipe to the left to view pages of content and features, and when you find something you like, you can just hold your hand steady over it to access it.Voice commands are even simpler, all you have to do is say the word "Xbox" and name a feature or item that you want to use and it will bring it up. Voice commands also extend to media controls, like pausing or stopping a movie, which can definitely be handy for those who are constantly losing their remote.The only downside to voice commands is that it isn't limited to a single user, so any person in the room can change what you're viewing. In most instances, conflicting users shouldn't be a problem, but we can easily see siblings and friends finding great joy in aggravating you by instructing Kinect to stop playback of your movie repeatedly.Another interesting feature of Kinect is video conferencing, which Microsoft had dubbed Video Kinect. Users can initiate video calls with other Kinect users over Xbox Live or with friends over Windows Live Messenger. Video Kinect is unique in that it is capable of automatically tracking a player's movement, keeping the camera centered on them, even if they move around.But again, one of our favorite features of Kinect is visual recognition, which automatically signs in players as they appear in frame. It may not seem like a particularly essential feature, but it does make quick, on-the-fly player swaps easier than ever. Setting up a Kinect ID may be tedious, but it is definitely helpful once you do.There is also an incredible amount of potential for growth with Kinect, and new features could easily be added later down the line. Future iterations of the peripheral could incorporate a higher resolution camera for better motion tracking, and reintegrate a dedicated processing unit to reduce latency.On the software side, the current range of games is limited and the applications of Kinect are pretty straightforward, but with time, it could be used in some interesting ways.For instance, the system's voice command capabilities could be implemented in games like Mass Effect, which could potentially allow users to literally speak to in-game characters. Moreover, the style of games built specifically Kinect could easily expand from simple family-friendly party games to something more satisfying for conventional players, like more action-oriented titles.There is undoubtedly a limit to the Kinect's capabilities, but we suspect it hasn't been reached yet.As high as our hopes may be for the future of Kinect, we still have to look it as it exists today, and there are definitely some issues standing in the way of its true potential. The system requires a lot from users in order to work effectively, and rearranging your room to play games is far from ideal. Delay between the player's and the screen is also a significant problem, and while many may not notice, it will certainly stand in the way of more advanced gaming applications.On the other hand, Kinect can be a tremendous amount of fun for casual players, and the creative, controller-free concept is undeniably appealing.What it all boils down to is value to the consumer, and that is where we think Kinect's biggest challenge lies. At $149.99, a motion-tracking camera add-on for the Xbox 360 is a tough sell, especially considering that the entry level variation of the Xbox 360 itself is only $199.99. It may sell very well to families and casual players, but for more traditional players, the cost of admission may be too steep.