Franchises that Could Benefit from Kinect

Written by Ryan Johnson (RyanDJ) Monday, 08 August 2011 08:20

alt

At recent conferences, it was noted that Microsoft is trying to get Kinect augmentation in as many upcoming games as possible. A lot of hardcore gamers are critical of this, concerned that the focus on a "need" for Kinect may deter developers from working on something else. As I look at my gaming library, though, I see a few franchises that could seriously benefit from a Kinect upgrade.

alt

1) Phoenix Wright

Long seen as a DS Title, Capcom recently showed it's ability to cross platform by placing Phoenix in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. I would use Kinect primarily for its' voice recognition and interaction in this area. Being able to yell "OBJECTION!" at your screen would be like the realization of all those times you yelled at people on television. Question threads could appear on the screen, and you could voice select them. Cross LA Noire's features with Avatar Kinect's ability to read your own face, and there could be staredowns/deliberations in the court or outside when interviewing. Certain characters would respond more quickly to a stern face, while others open up to a sympathetic, kind one. Searching for clues may require brushing debris away at a scene, and dusting for prints could be a lot more interactive.

alt

2) Hasbro Game Series

I like the idea that these board games are on consoles to play, but the stiffness of running a controller is irritating. Imagine holding a checker up and dropping it into Connect 4, plugging a peg into Battleship, or shuffling your tile rack on Scrabble. Making these more "hands on" would make them feel closer to the original.

and if they could have him sitting in his chair, I'd buy another Kinect.

3) Katamari

This would probably be an option, rather than a full game, but I think it would be fun to have hand-tracking control, wheeling your hands like you're pushing the ball. A few sideways hand gestures to do the extra moves, and you're golden. Plus, I'm sure the King of All Cosmos would find all new ways to insult you. The game could also come with a special edition Kinect shaped like the King's head!

4) Air Guitar Hero!

Why not bring it full circle? We made plastic instruments to pretend to play the real thing when we could only rock in the air. Now that we can track our hands, let's just eliminate the middle man!

I'd avoid adding Beiber, tho...