My Kinect Is Already Collecting Dust

Not too long ago, I wrote on these pages that the Nintendo Wii in my house was collecting dust. I explained that Wii games aren't as appealing to me as they might be to other gamers. I also told you that I wasn't all that impressed by the Wii Remote itself. Suffice it to say that I'm perfectly content with a traditional controller.So, when I purchased Microsoft's Kinect after a few weeks of deciding whether or not it would be a sound purchase, I was a little concerned that the unique motion option would fall flat in the same way.

And then I played Kinect Adventures. The experience was unique, to say the least. And I was generally quite pleased with the gameplay. More importantly, I found that the Kinect followed my actions quite well.

I had a similarly impressive experience with Dance Central. I'm not much for dancing, but in trying the game with friends and family, I started believing that the Kinect would do what the Wii couldn't in my life: make motion gaming a staple in my daily game sessions.

But after a while, just as it did with the Wii, my interest in the Kinect waned. Most of the games available for the device are more casual in nature, and they require multiple players to make them fun. The technology still impressed me, but the games themselves couldn't quite stand up to the more traditional, "core" titles I typically enjoy.

More than a month since I came to that realization, my Kinect has done little but collect dust. I haven't played a Kinect game in that span, and I haven't missed it one bit.

Now, I'm sure some Microsoft fans would say that I'm premature in my judgement of the Kinect. After all, the platform has been out for only a couple months and some core titles should be supporting the device later this year.

That might be true. And I am hopeful that more serious titles can change my stance on the Kinect. But I'm not confident that will happen. Jumping around in my living room isn't all that appealing to me. And once the novelty wears off on any casual Kinect game, I quickly realize that I'd rather sit on the couch and play a better title.

I can say the same for Sony's PlayStation Move. Like the Wii, it falls short for me. And I can't help but wonder why I'm flailing my arms around, rather than enjoying a game with a traditional controller.

So, unless the Kinect can deliver on my hopes of a viable hardcore experience, I'm not quite sure if it will do much in my house besides collect dust. It's certainly a neat technology, and I think it offers more fun than the Wii, but when it's all said and done, it still can't match traditional gaming for me.

What about you? Is your Kinect collecting dust or are you playing with it each night?