Grow and “kinect” to Bengal tigers and lions

Jun 15, 2010 08:29 GMT  ·  By

Microsoft's E3 press briefing was, as expected, Kinect centered, showing offa slew of titles that would be available at the launch of the peripheral on the 4th of November this year. One of these games was Kinectimals, a family pet simulator that would allow animal lovers of all ages to connect to virtual animals from around the world.

Through the magic of Microsoft's Kinect, children and their parents will be able to communicate and play with their virtual pets. The animals range from tiger cubs to lions, cheetahs and other cute and furry felines. They will respond to verbal commands like “roll over” and “jump,” and body gestures like petting. The virtual cubs will simulate growth, slowly learning to recognize their name and explore the island around them.

Animal lovers can train their pets to learn new tricks and go through obstacle courses with hops and balancing acts. They can also compete with their friends' pets in multiplayer challenges. The game takes place on an island that is filled with treasures and toys to reward those who explore it thoroughly. New environments, as well as customization options for the pet and its home will be unlockable. Kinectimals plush toys will be available at retail stores that can also be transferred in-game.

A live demo was shown at Microsoft’s conference, where a little girl got to play with a Bengal tiger in front of the audience. The virtual pet was responsive to the girl's commands and searched through the room for her when she hid for a short while. The graphics looked nice, with the animal's fur being finely detailed. The demo went on to showcase the tricks it could perform and the tiger did roll over and ran around understanding what the girl was saying to the TV. Kinectimals will be available at the launch of Microsoft Kinect, along with 14 other games.