Xbox Kinect Midnight Launch and Facebook Contest | Toronto Teacher Mom

Xbox Kinect Midnight Launch and Facebook Contest

Tuesday, November 02, 2010


Kinect for Xbox 360 Launch, Toronto

On Wednesday, November 3, you can join Xbox Canada in the exciting launch of the new controller-free gaming system Kinect for Xbox 360. This is a rare opportunity for you to experience the fun that is unique to Kinect and, to make it more memorable, you have a chance to play Kinect in an elevated glass box at the Yonge-Dundas Square!

To help kick off the event, Xbox Canada is hosting a free performance which will include DJ Christian Rich, N.E.R.D. producers Diddy, Armand Van Helden, Lupe Fiasco and many others. Also, Future Shop (325 Yonge St., Toronto) will have a midnight madness event beginning at 12:01 a.m. on November 4 so you can be the first to own Kinect for Xbox 360. Oh, and you get to enjoy a midnight fireworks show, too! So come on out and enjoy a night of gaming and fun starting at a 9:00 p.m.

Kinect Giveaway on Facebook

Check this out! Every day from now until November 8, you have a chance to win one of 10 Kinect bundles (Xbox 360 + Kinect) as well as a super, fantastic, totally awesome grand prize of a Microsoft Play Experience! This includes a 42" LED HDTV, home theatre system, Xbox 360 + Kinect and a Windows Phone 7. How sweet is that? All you need to do is answer a trivia question by clicking on the Play tab on the Microsoft Canada Facebook Page in order to be eligible. I just entered and the multiple choice question was so easy. Oh, and while you're there, you can check out some of the demos and pictures of Kinect in action, including some pictures of the Degrassi cast.

My Thoughts on Xbox 360 and Kinect

Back in August, High Roads Communications invited my kids and I to attend the exciting X'10 Canada preview event held in downtown Toronto. I will be honest and say that we currently own the Wii, so I was very much interested in comparing the two. I find the Wii has an amazing variety of games and having wireless controllers allows a lot of freedom to play sports games and activities that allow for more physical activity. However, it can be a bit bothersome when a controller goes missing or worse, the batteries die. With Xbox 360 and Kinect, you don't need to worry about that happening because your body is the controller. By simply sticking your arm out to the side and waving it up and down, you can access the menus quite easily. The sensor can detect the movement of your entire body which provides for a truly unparalleled gaming experience that is perfect for the whole family.

A few of the games quickly caught my attention. The first was "Your Shape: Fitness Evolved" which is kind of like Wii Fit, only you don't need a balance board. You can personalize your workout, challenge friends and share online. My favourite activities were the kickboxing and yoga. Another game that I think will be a hit is "Kinectimals" where kids can pick from a lion, tiger, cheetah, leopard or panther and embark on a bonding experience like no other. By simply speaking commands and using their body, children can teach their cub new tricks, explore the island of Lemuria and get up close and personal with adorable animals.

Last but not least, I was uber excited to try out the incredibly fun "Dance Central" which is exclusive to Kinect for Xbox 360. Can I tell you how much I enjoyed this one? I could have danced all day! This game is great because you can learn step-by-step choreography to some hopping beats from today's current pop, hip-hop and R&B artists. Or you could learn as you go and perform on the fly in the first ever controller-free, body tracking dance video game. And you can vary the level of difficulty from beginners to master, too. I was so wonder-struck when I saw the one and only Blake McGrath (So You Think You Can Dance Canada) there to test it out for himself. This guy has moves like... heck, this guy just moves! Yeah, I could watch him play Dance Central anytime. Check out this YouTube video I found where Blake gets a super high score:



Oh, and for your information, Blake McGrath thinks my son is cute. *swoon*

While trying to find this video, I came across the blog of William Nguyen who captured some fabulous shots from the event (and more of Blake!). If you would like to read his thoughts on Kinect for Xbox 360, you can visit his blog Lost in the Wilderness: Xbox Canada Presents X'10 and Kinect for the Xbox 360. Warning: he drops the s-bomb a couple of times.

A big thank you goes out to High Road Communications for the invitation to attend. It was loads of fun!

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3 COMMENTS

  1. That dancing game looks fantastic! I want!! LOL.

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was so much fun! And it was only the trial version, so I would love to test out all the other fabulous dance routines on the full version. I'm much better at dancing than karaoke...

    ReplyDelete

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