Day Three Hundred and Fifteen - Kinect Sports

Dear all,

Still in the throws of Valentines, I picked up a new addition for Darren's XBox collection ( but had a plan in mind...): The Brand new addition of Kinect Sports.

The nice man at EB Games in Collingwood came to my assistance ( I must have looked lost ) and suggested I go for the 'Deluxe' game package that allows multiple people to play together. I was extremely excited by this purchase primarily as I thought it might provide a conduit where I could join D 'competitively' whilst playing XBox.

And it didn't dissapoint: This game is awesome! There is game after game on the disc including various games within disciplines such as boxing, football, volley ball, bowling, table tennis and [the highlight for me] track and field.

It is SO much fun and a new concept for Gamers in that it brings a whole new physicality to the computer games and actually proves to be a valid form of exercise. I was literally gasping for after some of the games ( There is a hilarious disclaimer at the start claiming that one must 'stop playing' if you become sore or stiff... sore or stiff???)

We started out with table tennis with Darren stretching ahead quickly proving to be extremely skilled in the art of 'hitting a fake ball through the air as if hitting the ball that is heading towards you on screen'. Does that make sense? Probably not. But in any case, Darren won hands down.

I started to get to grips with the Kinect Sports format once we started playing Volley Ball (and what great practice for Monday night!) and my newly acquired skills using my hand-eye-computer coordination started to kick in.

We rattled though more of the games; Boxing is awesome ( a simulated boxing match that is as good a work out as 30 minutes of kick boxing) as was soccer. I was most excited about what came next, my forte in the real world and I was sure these talents would transcend: Track and Field!

We started with the hurdles ( I was quietly confident.. ) and Darren COMPLETELY WHIPPED MY ASS! We were in the same race, he had a great start and flew over the hurdles coming in with a sub 20 second time, a new World Record! I, on the other hand, knocked over all the hurdles ( you have to jump in the air whilst running on the spot as fast as you can ... it's hilarious. Oh and it's being filmed and footage of your real life 'efforts' played back to you at the end) . Darren also won the Long Jump, Sprint ( Aghh) and Discus and I was just about to lose all hope when we stumbled across 'The Javelin'.

Never did I think that I would excel in the Javelin, but I was Brilliant! I threw nearly 100 metres in the first round and won by miles. And I threw consistently long distances. Bizarre. Must have been the hours spent watching British hero Steve Backley with the fam back in the day. Who'd have thought it!

XBox Kinect Sports is Brilliant! A brand new hobby and you don't even need to leave the house!