Game play can be a great way to bond and have fun with your family. Although traditionally this board games have been the center of these family moments, video games can also be just as enjoyable. With game console’s, like Xbox 360’s Kinect system, video game play gets you up and off the couch too. Here are some great Kinect games that we love for the next family game night.
| Family Kinect Games: Sesame Street Once Upon a Monster |
My 5 year old is a big fan of Elmo and Sesame Street’s Once Upon a Monster allows her to interact with him and Cookie Monster in this storybook-like adventure. The game takes place in a book, where she turned pages and decided which pages to ‘jump into’ to explore and help. With Kinect, my 5 year old could flap her arms to help Elmo reach the top of a vine, run and jump to get Elmo and a monster through a forest full of obsticles, and even aim and through balls of garbage into Oscar’s trash cans. She loved it and she didn’t sit on the couch once. This is a single player game but great for little ones who have difficulty with traditional controllers.
She helped Oscar toss trash into garbage cans. She flapped her wings to help Elmo reach the top of a plant stock. She raced through the forest jumping tree logs and ducking from vines. By completing tasks she received stickers in her book. $39.95 Cdn.
| Family Kinect Games: Fruit Ninja |
All of us are huge fans of the Fruit Ninja mobile game, now you can get a downloadable version for your Xbox Kinect. The game offers the same player fun but instead of quick action fingers, you slice and dice by waving your arms around. Frenzy mode will have you in a frenzy trying to slice the most fruit as it zips across your TV screen. Party allows for multi-player fun. You can buy and download fun add-ons to the game too. Purchase from XBox Live Marketplace.
| Family Kinect Games: Disneyland Adventures |
Bring the Disneyland experience into your living room with Disneyland Adventures. Up to two family members can explore the park, interactive with Mickey and other Disneyland characters and try to complete challenges based on some of the famous rides found in the theme park. We loved sledding on the matahorn and then tossing snowballs at the yetis to save goofy. Collecting pins, autographs and photos is also great fun and brings the experience closer to the Disneyland trips we remember. You can read our full review here. $49.99 Cdn.
| Family Kinect Games: Nickelodeon Dance |
Just Dance, and now Just Dance 2, are really popular with my 9-year old daughter. Like all younger siblings, my 5-year old wants to eminate what her big sister does but the moves can be a little too complicated for her to follow (and some of the music a little inapropirate). Now little dance stars can hit the dance floor with Dora, Backyardigans and some of their other favourite Nickelodeon characters in Nickelodeon Dance. The sing an dance to some popular songs as well as songs from some of their favourite shows. There’s also an exercise version of this game but my daughter loved the dancing best. $39.99 Cdn.
| Kinect Family Games: Spongebob’s Surf and Skate Roadtrip |
My kids love skating and surfing (or the idea of surfing after our trip to Hawaii). In Spongebob’s Surf and Skate Roadtrip, kid’s can play the part of Spongebob or Patrick and lean, duck, and jump their way through wave curls and skate park ramps. This is definitely on my son’s game list. $49.95 Cdn.
| Kinect Family Games: Family Game Night 4 |
Try shooting baskets to create 4-in-a-row in Connect Four. Kick, pull, twist and turn to succeed in Bop-It. Roll your bowling ball to knock down Yatzee dice. Family Game Night 4 takes some of your favourite board games to a new level. You can play with a controller but I think the kinect version is so much more involving. Play on your own or game show version to add a little competition. $39.99 Cdn.
| Kinect Family Games: Wipe Out – In the Zone |
We don’t watch much TV in our house (we don’t have cable) but we have caught episodes of Wipe Out in the past and the kids love it. It’s like an extreme obsticle course. Now Wipeout: In The Zone promises the ability to jump, duck, and spin your way through your own Wipe Out course. The Kinect version enables game play for 1 to 4 people, making it a great family fun game that will have you moving but without the mud and dirt from the real show. $29.99 Cdn.
| Kinect Family Games: Kinect Fun Labs |
Beyond a typical video game, Kinect Fun Labs looks like something more focused on creativity and exploration. Create an avatar just like you that mimics your facial epressions, make yourself into a bobble head, create items using sparkle and so much more. Kids and parents will enjoy letting their creative (and silly) juices flow with Kinect Fun Labs. Free
| Kinect Family Games: Rabbids Alive and Kicking |
We love Rabbid Rabbits on the DS and the Wii. The crazy antics always get the family laughing. Rabbids Alive and Kicking brings these crazy creatures right into your living room. The Kinect camera displays you on the TV and the Rabbid Rabbits crawl out of the floor and peek from the side of the room. You have to stomp and swish and just do anything with your body to get them out. There are other crazy games that have you holding poses and creating shadow puppets with your body. Up to 4 people can play adding to the game chaos (and fun). This is definitely on my ‘want to get’ game list.