kinect

Doodle Jump was quite a hit when it landed on Windows Phone last summer. Casual audiences loved the intuitive tilt controls, simple gameplay, and endearing artwork, and some hardcore players dug the heinously difficult Xbox Live Achievements. Kinect owners will be pleased to learn that Doodle Jump is coming to Xbox 360 this year too. Will it translate to motion controls as well as last year’s Fruit Ninja Kinect?

Kotaku has posted an exclusive video (non-embeddable unfortunately) of Xbox 360 Doodle Jump in action. It provides the first concrete details of how Doodle Jump will work on XBLA. First off, it requires the Kinect to play. Gamers will control the Doodler’s hops by stepping left and right. Pointing your arms fires at enemies, while flapping works Doodler’s Icarus wings. While you'll be moving around a lot, this game looks less strenuous than Fruit Ninja Kinect.

Interestingly, the developers at Lima Sky and Smoking Gun Interactive didn’t just paste in motion controls and call it a day. Whereas the original Doodle Jump’s levels are random and completely endless, the 360 version now has non-random levels with a beginning and end. A meter at the right side of the screen shows the Doodler’s progress as he climbs the level. The video also reveals new platforms, hazards (such as landmines), and backgrounds. These additions make the Kinect game look more like a sequel than a port; I’m definitely excited for it.

Doodle Jump comes to Xbox 360 as a downloadable Xbox Live Arcade game later this year. No specific date or price has been set. WPCentral will be sure to let you know when it arrives.

Source: Kotaku

KeyboardP, a Windows Phone enthusiast and developer, has been busy creating an awesome system where Windows users can control a media player (Zune in this case) by voice commands. By simply saying the artist and song title into a microphone, the developed software will initialise playback through Zune. Commands are also available including pause, play, next, etc. Check out the above video to see it in action.

We don't stop here however, as KeyboardP wanted a solution to being possibly out the room where the computer and/or microphone is located. Introducing PhoneZune, a Windows Phone app that will connect to your PC over WiFi and will act as a wireless microphone. Should you be in the kitchen while your music is playing for example, this will come in handy instead of rushing to the PC to choose a track. If that wasn't enough, you can also browse YouTube for music videos. Here's a quick list of the features:

• Launch a song with your voice using any microphone (standard, webcam, Kinect, etc.)
• Control the media player (Zune) with voice commands (play, pause, next, etc.)
• You can use your Windows Phone to launch the song with PhoneZune.
• Voice control YouTube to find music videos.

No word yet on when we will be seeing the software and app being made available, and this is merely a proof of concept.

Source: KeyboardP, via: 1800PocketPC

For those who missed the connected Kinectimals last week, which made a "teaser" appearance, you'll be happy to know it's back for your enjoyment. Priced at $2.99, the game has garnered mostly positive reviews with comparisons to Nintendogs but with the further bonus of having some iteration with your Xbox/Kinect setup.

As Paul wrote last week:

"Kinectimals is the portable version of Frontier Software and Microsoft’s feline-themed Kinect game. Players can choose one of five kitties or import an existing cat from the 360 version (which we haven’t tried just yet). Then it’s time to teach your kitty tricks by performing swiping motions, play catch, complete challenges, and buy lots of accessories. So far Kinectimals is a surprisingly faithful port of the retail Xbox 360 version, and it doesn’t even have the original’s obnoxious announcer, always a plus. The Achievements are also super easy. And last but not least, it’s Nodo compatible!"

You can grab the game right here in the Marketplace. Check our hands on vid with the game from Nokia World after the break...

I'm not really sure what to make of this, it's as though Microsoft plans to not only provide you with a powerful, simplistic handset, but to throw in some Nintendo Wii Remote-type accessories as well if this patent is anything to go by. Should this indeed turn out to be the case, that all future Windows Phone handsets will have a slide-out accessory expansion slot, then it could open up a whole new realm of opportunity.

From the trusty external keyboard that aids typing to a battery extension to a game pad that gives the user an edge in gaming, I'm sure Microsoft has bags of imagination (as anyone would) surrounding this idea. As for me I'm not one to fuss about moving/interchangeable parts as I'm fully aware that hardware wears out. It's one of the reasons why I adore my Samsung Omnia7 - it's just a block with no moving parts (sliding keyboard etc.).

"A mobile communication device comprises a first device with a first display and multiple second devices. The second devices are releasably attachable to the first device and are interchangeable with each other. The mobile device can operate as a mobile cell phone with one or more second devices operable as a mobile phone hand set. The second devices can comprise one or more game controllers, batteries, physical keyboards and/or mobile phone handsets with a display. In a detached configuration, the first device is separated from the second devices and can wirelessly communicate with one or more of the detached second devices. In a three device configuration, the first device can send commands, control signals or content to one or more external devices in addition to the second devices."

It's interesting to note that the secondary devices (accessories for the smartphones) will be able to work wirelessly without being connected to a handset. Still, I remain skeptical. Let us not forget the integration with Kinect we could be experiencing in the future.

Source: Patent, via: BGR, Unwired

When gamers learned that Xbox 360 Kinect game Kinectimals is coming to Windows Phone, undoubtedly many of us wondered whether there would be connectivity between the two versions. Wouldn’t it be cool to take your existing Kinect kitty on the go?

A Microsoft representative shared these details with us:

“The answer is yes, Kinectimals for Windows Phone does share connectivity with the Kinectimals for Xbox 360 version. You can import your favorite pet to your Windows Phone from your Xbox 360 by simply holding the phone up to the TV screen and capturing the QR code from the pet. The phone will recognize the code and add the pet to the mobile experience. Players can export their favorite mobile pets into their Kinect for Xbox 360 Kinectimals game by holding their Windows Phone up to their Kinect sensor which will read the QR code assigned to their pet and add it to their console experience. If players are logged onto their WP and Xbox 360 consoles with the same Xbox LIVE credentials, this process will happen automatically.”

That’s great news for Kinect owners. Kinectimals’ connectivity isn’t exactly using your Windows Phone and a Kinect simultaneously to control an Xbox 360 game, but it is the first interaction between the two devices. The last time we saw Xbox 360 connectivity of any sort was in Microsoft Game Studios’ Full House Poker.

Kinectimals on Xbox 360 is a combination adventure title/mini-game collection/pet simulator in which players adopt an exotic kitten on a mysterious island. It’s targeted towards kids, but I enjoy most of the mini-games and the overall sense of progression as new areas of the island, items, and animals are unlocked. I do wish harm on the narrator though, as his voice should be illegal in civilized countries. Thankfully his blithering can be turned off! Anyway, the Windows Phone version retains just about everything the console version is known for and adds a few new elements into the mix too. We’ll have more details soon.

Do you like slicing fruit as much as we do? Then you’ll want to check out the Fruit Ninja-themed lock screen wallpapers that Microsoft released today. The pack contains both transparent and non-transparent versions of three different designs, for a total of six images. With these, even when you don’t have time to play Fruit Ninja, you’ll still look like you do.

What’s the occasion? As some of our readers who play console games may know, Fruit Ninja Kinect is coming to Xbox 360 on August 10 for 800 MS Points ($10). It adds motion support and multi-player to everyone’s favorite fruit fighting game. The wallpapers are a way of thanking Windows Phone gamers for making Fruit Ninja such a success while perhaps reminding them to check it out on 360 too.

You can grab the Fruit Ninja wallpaper pack here. (This is a Filesonic link. Scroll down and click on Slow Download to download it for free.)

Microsoft is also running a Fruit Ninja contest at Comic Con later this month. Non-attendees can enter too. Check out the details below:

We're so excited that the already popular Fruit Ninja on Windows Phone is coming to Kinect on the Xbox 360 that we are running a contest at Comic Con! Visit the Xbox 360 Lounge at the Hard Rock Hotel and compete in the Attack of the Fruit Ninja Challenge for a chance to win a custom Fruit Ninja Xbox 360 with Kinect, custom Fruit Ninja Windows Phone and fruit for a year! Harness your inner ninja skills and get the highest score of that day for a chance to win. The contest will run on July 23rd and 24th.

Won't be at Comic Con but still want to win? We're also running the Fantastic Fun and Fruit Sweepstakes in addition to our onsite contest. Text Splattermelon to 76060 between July 21st and July 24th. One random winner will be chosen to win a custom Fruit Ninja Xbox with Kinect, custom Fruit Ninja Windows Phone and fruit for a year.