Kinect Adventures is the title that comes pre-packaged with the stand-alone Kinect add-on for the Xbox 360. As such, it has the dubious task of being the new hardware's version of Wii Sports - essentially a big demo designed to tout the abilities of the new technology, hopefully in a fun way that holds us over during a time when the good game offerings for the platform are light, at best. So does it succeed?

To a degree. At first glance, Kinect Adventures looks simply like more casual, mini-game fare (it is), but it succeeds in offering mini-games that specifically show how Kinect can allow gamers to play in new way. It forces gamers to use their entire bodies to jump, duck, hit, fly and more, and whether it is indicative of how well Kinect will respond to motion in games overall or not, the trick works well in Kinect Adventures.

The games of Kinect Adventures are mostly fun, too. "Rallyball" is the best of the bunch, offering something of a 3D Pong environment where the player's body is one paddle. Players knock a big red bouncy ball to the back wall, breaking obstacles and hitting targets. They can use their arms, legs, body and head to get the job done, and when targets are hit, multiple balls are in play for a crazy experience.

"Reflex Ridge" and "River Rush" are also solid games. The former puts players in something like an open roller coaster cart. Players physically have to duck, jump and shift left and right to avoid obstacles to rack up badges. Jumping also makes the cart go faster, and additional badges can be found along the way and grabbed by making contact with them in different posses. "River Rush" doesn't control quite as well, but for the crazy whitewater rafting experience, it can be fun, especially if two players are trying to work together to shift the raft and jump.

"Space Pop" and "20,000 Leaks" are the lesser of the bunch. The former see players moving in and out of a box, jumping, floating and shifting to pop bubbles. It is intended to show off how Kinect works in 3D space, and to a degree gets that job done, but it just isn't much fun after a couple games. And "20,000 Leaks," likewise, is a great tech demo, showing how specific Kinect can get about where players are in its space. It also plays something like Twister, forcing players to contort their bodies to cover multiple leaks. But the replay value just isn't there, and it will sure show gamers quickly how small their living room really is when it plays to the corners of the space.

And that's the other major disappointment with Kinect Adventures - its roster of games is limited to five. And while the games are mostly entertaining, none of them hold quite the same lasting appeal as say the sports of Wii Sports of Sports Champions. They don't beg for the same replay value, and as a result, the collection feels stunted.

But the good news about Kinect Adventures is that it's hard complain about value, as it is essentially free with the hardware. And despite the shallow lineup and two of the games not living up to expectations, Kinect Adventures gets a lot right, including what it showcases with the interface. The game itself becomes a nice introduction to playing space, making it clear how much space is good for one player vs. two players. It also helps teach the guide functions, as silly as that may sound to some.

Kinect Adventures also uses the hardware's included cameras to its advantage, not only tracking play but taking silly photographs of gamers at the most opportune times. And why be rewarded with some simple piece of static bling after completing a big quest when Kinect is system all about motion. The fact that Kinect Adventures let's players record (motion and sound) their own living trophies after events is a nice touch. The title also features solid, fun presentation, all the way from the screen to its instruction manual.

So while Kinect Adventures may have its flaws, and will be relegated by many as an early tech demo of the hardware, it also gets a lot right. It invites players to try gaming in a new way, and does so by creating an environment of fun. And while complaints exist, those are two of the best qualities anyone can ask for in a game, and a good first step for the Kinect platform.

Final Score: B-