8. Dance, Exercise, & Mini-Games
One of the most justifiable criticisms of the Kinect is its heavy emphasis on dance games, exercise games, and mini-game compilations. I have no problem with these types of games, as they are the most obvious means of showing off the tech in its early stages. They also work well in getting little kids or older people to play games, giving you games to play with them that lack the complication that turns them off. And dance and exercise games, while not something I am terribly interested in, have their place as well, allowing people to have some fun while they stay fit. These types of games are harmless time wasters, nothing more, hence why their heavy emphasis bothers me so much. These games have little value under the surface. They have no stories, no vision, and no point other than the previously mentioned. It just strikes me as odd that Microsoft would emphasize them and nothing else. I understand that they want to appeal to the casual as much as possible, but that appears to be the only demographic they seem to care about. If you enjoy playing video games for more than just competition or points, then the Kinect gives you little reason to bother. Video games have the ability to transport you to unique and amazing worlds, but the Kinect doesn't care about even trying to do that.