Kinect

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps is about to get a video game. Michael Phelps: Push The Limit is a Kinect-powered swimming game from 505 Games that  is scheduled for a June release. It features the ability to pit yourself against famous Olympian Phelps in head to console swimming contests.

Along with all the fun of competitive swimming, the game also promises to teach the dedicated player technique as well... although, honestly, I can't see how it could teach more than arm movements, unless, of course, the game calls for you to lie across an ottoman or something while Kinect scans your entire body for proper technique.

I'm sure you want to see the reveal trailer for this title:

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The Gunstringer has been announced for the Kinect. The makers of 'Splosion Man and The Maw have released a trailer for their 5th original IP, The Gunstringer. It follows the age old story of a marionette out for vengeance. The game is platforming meets shooter meets puppets meets "please take my money Twisted Pixel."

More details after the jump.

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With the recent advances in motion technology, peripherals like the Playstation Move, Kinect, and Wii are quickly becoming a target to help you get in shape. X-Play's Blair Herter put several of the latest weight loss games to the test, including The Biggest Loser Ultimate Workout, EA SPORTS Active 2.0, and Get Fit With Mel B. With help from Sara Underwood and professional trainer Blake Baietti, which game did they think offered the best workout of the bunch? Watch the video to find out. 

Have you found yourself getting more exercise with the Kinect, PS Move, or Wii lately? 

Despite solid performances from a number of catalogue titles and a boost in digital sales, Electronic Arts reported a loss of $322 million for Q3 2011, with total revenues topping $1.05 billion, the publisher reported to investors today.

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Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do is coming to the Kinect-enabled Xbox 360 in April.

Mini-game collection Carnival Games was originally released on the Wii to no great fanfare (except for G4's Mike D'Alonzo, who inexplicably loves it), but in spite of a soft launch, and not the most AAA presentation in the gaming world, it still sold well enough to warrant a sequel, and now, a Kinect title.

Judging from the title and the screen shot above, you'll be following a monkey's movement while he dances around. Oh, joy! Obviously, this one is for the whole family.. but the younger members of the family might like it best of all.

Angry Birds is now playable with the Kinect thanks to the latest hack. Angry Birds is one of the most popular mobile games available and now you'll be able to play it on a much bigger screen than your iPhone or iPad. The person who made this used a wireless controller and KinEmote, a software that lets you use Kinect on Windows. KinEmote tracks the users hand as he plays Angry Birds on his PC. This isn't quite controller free gaming but it's still only a small step away from simply waving your arms and sending a bird at pile of bricks and a smug green pig. 

NEWS: Angry Birds Halloween Tops 1 Million Downloads In Under A Week

The beauty of games like Dance Central is that your movements are reflected accurately in the game. When you pump your fist to do "the torch" in real life your character does the same. It's this concept that makes the latest Kinect hack so cool. Hacker demize2010 is at it again and this time he's playing Street Fighter 4. He used a combination of the FAAST technology developed by people at USC and GlovePIE for scripting special moves. When he punches to the left Ken punches, he can even use both arms to make a Hadouken. If you happen to be a martial arts expert who loves to play Street Fighter you're going to love this, however if you're in similar physical shape as I am you're going to pull a muscle just from watching. In all seriousness something like this could be added to a future Street Fighter game. Would you want to play a Kinect Street Fighter game?

NEWS: Hackers At USC Created Software That Lets You Play WoW With Your Kinect

We already knew a PlayStation 3 version of Virtua Tennis 4 was in the works, but today, Sega announced that the franchise will also be appearing on the Nintendo Wii and Xbox 360. It comes out in Spring 2011.

According to Sega, the game has been developed to take full advantage of Kinect for Xbox 360, the PlayStation Move, and Wii's MotionPlus, essentially doubling-down on the motion control. Tennis, as a sport, is uniquely suited to motion control-- there's a reason everyone played Wii Sports Tennis when the Wii launched -- so I'll bet this will be an amazing experience for you net-heads out there.

DETAILS: Virtua Tennis 4 hands-on preview.

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We've seen plenty of Kinect hacks in the past few weeks, everything from World of Warcraft to Minecraft. Since I am completely incapable of making a hack myself I am forced to revel in the accomplishments of others. One such person managed to make Kinect hacks for three great games, Doom, The Legend of Zelda, Modern Warfare and Rainbow Six Vegas 2 using the FAAST software provided by the USC hackers who made the World of Warcraft hack. Can you imagine playing Call of Duty this way? 

Doom Kinect hack:

The Legend of Zelda, Call of Duty: Modern Warfare and Rainbow Six Vegas 2 videos are below. 

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Last night we learned that Microsoft's Avatar Kinect will introduce facial and enhanced gesture-recognition to Xbox Live, but perhaps you'd like to see Avatar Kinect in action? We've got it right here:

What do you think? Are you ready to hook up with your pals over Live, with your newly enhanced super-Avatar? I am... bring on the chat rooms!

As rumored yesterday, Microsoft properly unveiled its new Avatar Kinect service during the company’s CES 2011 keynote presentation this evening in Las Vegas. The service will introduce new facial recognition capabilities that will allow the Kinect to project changes in expression and even lip syncing onto Xbox 360 avatars.

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At its CES 2011 presentation this evening, Microsoft revealed what we can expect in the future for Kinect. Along with the confirmation that Avatar Kinect coming this Spring, you'll also be able to (finally) use gesture based, Kinect controls to power Netflix, Zune, and Hulu on Xbox Live. So now, you are the controller, and you are the remote control.

Life is getting closer to Minority Report every day!

Overall, it looks like Kinect is becoming integrated into more and more aspects of Xbox Live, which is all for the good, I suppose. I want to control Netflix by waving my arms, don't you?

Many kids (and adults) have had aspirations of becoming a superhero. Sadly, the chances of being born with mutated or magic powers aren't in your favor. It's far more likely to become computer genius who can create his own custom Kinect program like YouTube user hogehoge335 did. He made an Augmented Reality hack where you can be Ultra Seven, a classic Japanese superhero. The Kinect hack lets you shoot lasers from your hands, throw body parts, and wear a stylish red body suit. This might be my favorite Kinect hack yet, just think of the possibilities. 

Microsoft just can't get away from the dreaded "Red Ring of Death." According to reports in the BBC and some posters on Xbox.com's message board, the red ring is showing up to brick 360 consoles of gamers who connect a Kinect to their older Xbox 360s.

According to users, after the Kinect is installed and an update is applied, the screen freezes and the trio of warning lights appear, signaling the end of video game fun and the beginning of the repair process.

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Psssst...wanna hear a hot rumor? Word on the street is that Microsoft plans to unveil "Avatar Kinect" tomorrow at their pre-show CES speech. Other than the purloined screenshot above, supposedly snapped by a nefarious mole who claims to be privy to M'soft's PowerPoint rehearsals, we know nothing about what it is, but allow me to speculate.

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