When Microsoft previewed their motion-sensing technology for the Xbox 360 last year, now named "Kinect", I could tell that the ubiquitous Wii would be facing some serious competition for motion-sensing games. Sure, the demos they showed last year were somewhat simplistic like many Wii games and even after E3 this year, it is clear that Microsoft has yet to address their serious gamer base (i.e serious gamers in the 13-25 age range), but the Xbox Kinect is already showing clear advantages over the Wii despite the fact that the Nintendo device has been in production for a few years already.

Wii may have had a head start in this segment of the gaming industry but the graphics you see with the Xbox 360 are clearly superior in quality. Wii just cannot compete with the processing power of the XBox, but to be fair, the manufacturer never claimed that it would. Instead, they focused on marketing to the casual gamer with fun and creative party games. Now Microsoft wants to take a big bite out of this demographic with better looking games for Kinect and a clear break from remote-centered motion detection.



This is all new territory for Microsoft. They offer a wide variety of games but most are geared toward people who are drawn to more traditional video games, series role playing participants and twitch gamers. Their goal is to attract new gamers to the Xbox and it appears they are not afraid to follow Wii’s lead in the industry. They have also managed to offer a product that is all inclusive and eliminates the need to buy add-ons. All you need in the Kinect sensor if you already own an XBox 360, and all new XBox 360 systems will come with this new peripheral. The game choices offered are further proof that Kinect is paying attention to what has been a success for Wii.

Taking its cue from the Wii Fit is Fitness Evolved for Kinect but unlike its counterpart, there is no extra component like the Wii balance board needed to get started. There are separate companies that are coming up with versions of The Biggest Loser and Zumba Fitness for use with Kinect. Joy Ride is an obvious clone of Mario Kart with many features that are similar. There are various Nintendo DS games that have also been used for templates. Like Nintendogs, Kinectimals offers the chance to raise a virtual pet.



As an innovator in the industry, Nintendo has been bringing new ideas to consumers for years. Some of their projects have been successful while others have been less so. The last few systems they have created, however, have not been able to keep up with the competitors in processing power and graphic quality. Nintendo may have invented motion-sensing gaming but Microsoft is more than ready to grab its share of the market. Being first to market can be a great advantage but the downside is an inventory partially filled with games that were duds or prone to bugs. There will always be a portion of the inventory that nobody wants to buy. Microsoft can control the success of their system by ensuring that Kinect games are of the highest quality.

The Kinect is scheduled for release this November but it was already previewed at E3. Microsoft appears to have all its ducks in a row on this one but only time will tell if flashier graphics coupled with recycled gaming concepts will be enough to draw Wii owners to the Kinect world. Those responsible at Microsoft would like to think so.