Kinectimals

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Kinectimals
Kinectimals.jpg
European cover art
Developer(s) Frontier Developments
Publisher(s) Microsoft Game Studios
Director(s) Jonny Watts
Producer(s) Michael Brookes
Designer(s) Ben Dowie
Programmer(s) Matthew Simper
Artist(s) John Laws
Composer(s) Peter McConnell
Platform(s) Xbox 360, Windows Phone, iOS, Android
ReleaseXbox 360
  • NA: November 4, 2010
  • EU: November 10, 2010
  • AU: November 18, 2010
Windows Phone
  • WW: October 10, 2011 [1]
iOS
  • NA: December 13, 2011
Genre(s) Digital pet
Mode(s) Single-player

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. [2] [3] 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.

Contents

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.

An add-on, Kinectimals: Bear Island, was released as downloadable content on October 11, 2011, along with Kinectimals: Now with Bears!, a single retail disc that bundles Bear Island with the base game. [4] [5] Plushes include scan tags, which players can use to unlock new cubs. Exclusive plushes to the bear version include a FAO Schwarz plush with a scan tag and four from Build-A-Bear Workshop, featuring Champ Bear, Colorful Hearts Bear, Endless Hearts Teddy and Peace & Hearts Bear that also have scan tags. There was also another app, Kinectimals Unleashed, which features dogs in addition to more bear and wild cat cubs. The apps are now discontinued.

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. Other stuff can also be unlocked by winning gold medals. Also in the areas of the game, players can use the Plunderscope to find hidden treasures which also unlocks accessories and even use a net to catch butterflies. Players can also use the scan tags on the plush toys to unlock new cubs and other toys. A female fairy named Lina (voiced by Grey DeLisle) appears in the bear version of the game to guide the player through the game and solving Fiddler's Quest. Each of these games take place in the islands Lemuria and Mira. In the bear version of the game, it includes new games such as juggling, tree climbing, and fishing as well as new wild cat cubs.

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." [17]

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References

  1. ↑ Feed !, Tweet Subscribe to our RSS (October 26, 2011). "Kinectimals For Windows Phone Now Available For Download". Redmond Pie. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved May 3, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Windows Phone exclusive Kinectimals now available for iOS | wpcentral | Windows Phone News, Forums, and Reviews". www.wpcentral.com. Archived from the original on January 10, 2012.
  3. ↑ "Kinectimals Now Available on iOS - iPhone News at IGN". Archived from the original on January 9, 2012. Retrieved December 14, 2011.
  4. ↑ North, Dale (October 20, 2011). "Review: Kinectimals: Now With Bears". Destructoid . Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  5. ↑ McElroy, Justin (July 26, 2011). "Run for your lives: 'Kinectimals Now With Bears!' due this fall". Joystiq . Archived from the original on June 27, 2018. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  6. ↑ "Kinectimals for Xbox 360". GameRankings. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  7. ↑ "Kinectimals for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. Archived from the original on December 1, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  8. ↑ Thierry Nguyen (November 5, 2010). "Kinectimals Review for Xbox 360". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  9. ↑ Keza MacDonald (November 4, 2010). "Kinectimals Xbox 360 Review". Eurogamer.net. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  10. ↑ Annette Gonzalez (November 3, 2010). "Kinectimals". Game Informer. Archived from the original on October 23, 2020. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  11. ↑ Kevin VanOrd (November 3, 2010). "Kinectimals Review for Xbox 360". Gamespot. Archived from the original on August 10, 2011. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  12. ↑ Matt Cabral (November 4, 2010). "Kinectimals review". GamesRadar. Archived from the original on January 4, 2019. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  13. ↑ "Kinectimals Video Game, Review Pod | Video Clip". GameTrailers.com. November 4, 2010. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  14. ↑ Jack DeVires (November 3, 2010). "Kinectimals Review". IGN. Archived from the original on June 19, 2012. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  15. ↑ Alaina Yee (November 4, 2010). "Kinectimals". Official Xbox Magazine. Archived from the original on November 26, 2010. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  16. ↑ Stephen Johnson (November 3, 2010). "Kinectimals Review for Xbox 360". G4tv.com. Archived from the original on October 1, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
  17. ↑ Bendixsen 6.5/10, O'Donnell 6/10 (November 29, 2010). "Kinect Round Up Review". Season 5. Episode 42. ABC Television http://www.abc.net.au/tv/goodgame/stories/s3079641.htm.{{cite episode}}: Missing or empty |series= (help)
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