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RipTen Review: Hole in the Wall (Kinect)

Brandon Fenty — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 00:06:07 +0000

Since its launch, Microsoft has promised “hardcore” Kinect titles, as titles that aren’t just gimmicks or glorified technical demos. To date, that hasn’t happened. The Kinect has picked up a few shovelware titles, but games that are worth playing are few and very far between. Microsoft is looking to change that, however, by releasing a Kinect Arcade game every month. Hole in the Wall is the second of these titles (Fruit Ninja being the first), and it’s a fun, though short-lived, game.

If you’ve seen the TV show on Cartoon Network, you know what you’re getting with this game. The premise is simple: a wall comes at you with a (usually) human-shaped hole in it, and you have to contort your body to fit through that hole. The show often ends hilariously, with contestants taking all kinds of odd poses to fit.

The game is definitely good for a quick laugh and provides an excuse to look silly with your friends. Playing in groups is definitely fun, and more than once we found ourselves bumping into each other trying to get into position. The problem is that the fun is relatively fleeting. The game is simple to get the hang of and can be mastered quickly; after that, it really loses its sense of competition. Winning a game without any real challenge is a bit of an empty victory. The game offers very little replay value besides an endless challenge mode, not that there’s much of a challenge.

The game controls very well and the Kinect does a respectable job of recognize your movements. I noticed some issues with a few poses (mostly those that required you to turn sideways), but overall the game was one of the more responsive Kinect titles out there. The graphics on the game are simple, but functional. You get to see your avatar jump into the game, which is a nice inclusion. Other than that, there’s really not much to be done graphically with a simple wall moving towards you.

Overall, the game is fun, but just doesn’t quite capture the that same level of entertainment that the TV show boasts. It’s best played with a group of friends, for sure. If you’re looking for a cheap title to get help spice up your Kinect game collection, then Hole in the Wall is a good place to start. Just don’t expect this to keep your attention for long.

Here’s The Rundown:

+ Cheap Kinect title

+ Good family/group fun

+ Nice homage to the TV show

-Fun is short-lived

-Virtually no replay value

-Limited game modes

Learn more about the RipTen scoring system and what this score means. Visit our review scoring page.

Hole in the Wall was developed by Microsoft and released on August 24th, 2011 on Xbox LIVE Arcade for 800 Microsoft Points/$10. The copy used for this review was provided to us by the publisher. Many walls were filed with bodies until the game became too boring.

The Watercooler – Macy’s Parade Gets RickRolled

Dan Landis — Fri, 28 Nov 2008 11:04:19 +0000

Two in a row? It must be Christmas!

Warning: The Watercooler is the best thing you will see on the Internet today, mainly because it is the best thing I saw on the Internet yesterday. Be advised that these Watercooler stories are not necessarily videogame related (they usually won’t be), and are often silly, controversial, and/or not safe for work (NSFW). If this type of content frequently offends you, please be aware that I just warned you — if you still click through and get offended, it will be your own stupid fault. Otherwise, please continue…

Today’s Watercooler features a RickRoll of epic proportions. Courtesy of the Cartoon Network, everyone watching the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade just got RickRolled, which is literally the biggest RickRoll in the history of RickRolling.

Check it.

You’re welcome.

Think you have something that could be Watercooler material? Send it to dlandis@ripten.com. If your submission gets featured, you will win a prize package full of pride and accomplishment.

Hands-On: Ben 10 Alien Force

Emily Balistrieri — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:08:26 +0000

You know what makes me happy? Quality 2-D animation instead of crummy 3-D.

So even though I may not be a Ben 10 super-fan (read: I’ve never watched the Cartoon Network series, a sequel set five years after the original Ben 10 show, where Ben comes out of Omnitrix retirement to save his missing Grandpa by transforming into a new bunch of aliens with superpowers…) I can appreciate the look and feel of Ben 10 Alien Force for DS.

The new game is being released for a PlayStation, PSP, Wii, and DS which will all have five new alien forms, like Humongosaur, a big humanoid dinosaur, for Ben to take advantage of, but the DS version has three exclusives, like Echo Echo, who may be short, but has a move where he stacks up copies of himself for a triple punch.

Transforming is really easy, since all you need to do is use the shoulder buttons to choose the form you want, and then tap it on the touch screen. If you fight effectively and collect a lot of Omnitrix points, you can upgrade six different areas (max health, combos) for each form from the menu screen between levels.

While it seems like a pretty typical beat’em up platformer, Ben 10 Alien Force looks to be a good use of the license, and also something that the target audience should enjoy quite a bit. I can imagine legions of happy elementary school-aged nephews toting this in their Ben 10 backpacks once it releases October 28.