Joy Ride was originally going to be a free download for everyone on Xbox Live but Microsoft decided to make it one of their main launch titles for the highly anticipated "Kinect", which uses motion sensor technology. I'm sure everyone has pretended to drive some sort of imaginary vehicle with their arms at some point in their life, i personally used to do this at McDonald's drive through with friends, but the point is Joy Ride finally makes this a reality.
Joy Ride drops players into the world of casual arcade racing powered by Microsoft's motion sensing system, Kinect. The game is full of vibrant beautiful colours and lots of challenges, providing a very fulfilling package for anyone who chooses to give it a test drive. The game is designed to feel approachable for anyone, it feels like it has something to keep everyone happy but the only problem is the controls, Kinect just seems to ruin what would otherwise be a fantastic Xbox Live Arcade title.
To play Joy Ride it's very simple, simply hold you're hands out just as if you were controlling a steering wheel. Turning you're hands will change the direction of the car and pushing out you're hip will force the car to drift. There is also the option to boost by pulling you're hands in close to you're chest and then pushing them forward. Finally, when you are in the air if you bend you're hips it will perform a trick. The controls are very standard and easy to learn which is great for anyone who just wants to jump straight into this game and have some fun.
Acceleration and Breaking play no part in this racing game which might seem really unusual to racing fans, it gives the impression that this game was made for kids. Controlling a cars speed is one of the main joys for any racing fanatic, it takes skill, concentration, and this is what determines who is the best racer on the track. This takes away from the players sense of immersion which seems odd considering that was meant to be the whole point of Kinect.
To play Joy Ride it's very simple, simply hold you're hands out just as if you were controlling a steering wheel. Turning you're hands will change the direction of the car and pushing out you're hip will force the car to drift. There is also the option to boost by pulling you're hands in close to you're chest and then pushing them forward. Finally, when you are in the air if you bend you're hips it will perform a trick. The controls are very standard and easy to learn which is great for anyone who just wants to jump straight into this game and have some fun.
Acceleration and Breaking play no part in this racing game which might seem really unusual to racing fans, it gives the impression that this game was made for kids. Controlling a cars speed is one of the main joys for any racing fanatic, it takes skill, concentration, and this is what determines who is the best racer on the track. This takes away from the players sense of immersion which seems odd considering that was meant to be the whole point of Kinect.
The biggest problem with Kinect Joy Ride is the poor steering. You will constantly crash when attempting to turn a corner which would otherwise be routine with a controller. This poor control really ruined my experience and made me wish this game had been released as an arcade title on Xbox Live rather than a Kinect game. The boosting is also just as poor, the game would often fail to recognize me pulling back my hands in attempt to boost which made the whole Kinect experience feel like a waste of money considering it's a very expensive piece of equipment to purchase.
The reason i am so disappointed with the poor controls is because other than this the game is great, it feels like a fantastic package full of rewards. After you collect enough fans (in Challenges) you will be able to unlock new cars and tracks. These tracks provide great depth and variety to races, plenty of modes such as standard races, battle races, stunt challenges, drag races, and much more are available. The game has so much content and feels great considering most are also used in multiplayer. The only problem is, no matter how fun and rewarding it feels to earn new medals and tracks, at the end of the day if the controls are poor then you just can't enjoy the game the way you should.
All cars in the game are almost identical as well which makes unlocking new cars feel less rewarding. The game was made for kids but it would have been nice to have cars which handle different so players could perfect their own vehicle and feel more individual.
Overall Kinect Joy Ride is a game crippled with Microsoft's less than impressive Kinect technology. If this game was played with a standard Xbox 360 controller it would feel like the perfect arcade racer but Kinect ruins the most important aspect of the game. On the other hand the game is full of fabulous looking tracks, vibrant colours, and creative and imaginative experiences for any child who enjoys racing games. Just make sure you are prepared to crash allot.
Joy Ride is a fantastic little arcade racing game, poisoned by Kinect's poor controls 6/10
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