Kinect Sports First Look Exclusive – Sprinting

Well this is it folks, the final Exclusive Kinect Sports blog before the title hits shelves in North America regions in a few days time. It’s best I get this last update before it’s rendered irrelevant as ‘pre-release’ content, but before I wrap things up I’d like to extend several thank-you’s that made this entire event possible. Firstly, thanks to Microsoft and Rare of course who set the entire Kinect event up in Toronto by renting out the building for 3 months, it’s been getting great response from Canadians and those who have never had an inkling interest in gaming are playing for the first time which truly makes it an interesting experience. Next, I’d like to thank the extremely friendly and expert staff at 207 Yonge St. for their dedication and involvement in the Kinect building, none of this would have been possible without your help, and the video footage would definitely be more ‘bouncy’ if I was left to my own devices to record while playing. As said in previous entries, their service will continue until December 1st, so if you’re in the Toronto area and haven’t given Kinect a try I strongly recommend paying them a visit before the months ended, they’ve set up a number of contests and the like as well. You guys have been excellent. I’ll try not to let my emotions run off with me, but while we’re on the subject there was plenty of running to be had last time I paid Kinect Sports a visit… How’s that for a segue? Video below.

Yes, the final demo event available for play was 100M Sprint which is arguably the easiest of the lot to control as you’re just tasked with running down the same track as shown off at E3 when Kinect Sports was first announced. Unlike the trek of track previewed however, this one is missing the cumbersome hurdles which means it’s all down to speed without distraction. As the race begins you’ll find yourself at the beginning of the starting gate alongside your opponent, you’re free to do a few warm-up stretches for yourself and your avatar counterpart. While you’re ready getting limbered up you’ll be pleased to know there are several strategies placed within the game akin to the previous sports, in the Sprint it’s worth your while to lean forward in a crouching maneuver right before the race begins; doing so will provide a head start that will leave your opponent in the dust.
Aside from fulfilling the gaming tradition of the starting boost, Rare has injected even more realism into the game with this simple addition.
There’s nothing quite like kneeling down ready to pounce as your opponent does the same, it goes beyond a simple race and the atmosphere becomes tense as you await the starting pistol.
Once you’ve been sounded off you’ll spring into action and begin jogging in place to simulate running down the track. This also yields another tip; rising your knees as you run will cause your avatar to run at an even faster rate.
It does feel rather silly at first, but once you realize your hard work is paying off the lead you’ll receive will be worth it. The race goes by rather quickly as it’s only a 100M track, but even with its length you’ll find yourself using all your energy in a short burst to cover the ground; something I can pair up with it’s real life counterpart. I can imagine that when Kinect Sports does show off the other lengths of track you’ll need to play it off smarter and conserve your energy for longer distances, just as you would in real life under the same circumstances. I honestly can’t wait to take home Kinect Sports, from my experience it is a very well thought out machine, and you can tell Rare has put overtime into every detail of the game – Wii Sports ripoff it is not. Also to take note is that Kinect Sports is a launch title; imagine what Rare will come up with when they’ve had even more time with the Kinect device, it boggles the mind!
With that said I hope you’ve enjoyed these Sports updates and hopefully they’ve provided some insight into the game. While I’ve tried to be as descriptive as possible by recalling every detail of from my perspective, you honestly have to experience it yourself to let it really sink in, so don’t dismiss it before giving it a shot; you’ll be pleasantly surprised I assure you.