Kung-Fu High Impact

Review

Common Sense Media says

Martial arts adventure with comic-book fighting.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Kung-Fu High Impact is a side-scrolling fighting game that has players moving rapidly, while dodging, jumping, punching, and kicking a wide range of enemies. The game requires the Xbox 360 Kinect sensor and some room so that players do not begin beating on furniture or spectators. There is martial arts violence associated with the game, including kicks and hits with hands and feet, as well as fantasy power attacks generating earthquakes and lightning. Because of the variety of movements, players need to stretch to warm up and cool down muscles. The game's pacing can be frenetic at times, which means making sure that rest breaks are taken.

  • Positive messages1
    Players are protecting the world by fighting monsters in a variety of settings, which can be seen as doing something positive and beneficial to the world, albeit in a violent manner.
  • Positive role models0
    This is a fighting game with the bad things attacking from one side or the other, and you simply battle them. That puts the onus on the player as to how they play the game -- effectively making the player the role model, even though there is no wrong way to play.
  • Ease of play3
    For the most part, the Kinect sensor reads players' movements well and manages to translate them to the on-screen action. The title even urges players to react quickly and that movement is picked up and put into the game. The menu screens are also very easy to navigate. There are a few occasions when the controls seem to seize up and movement is restricted, but these occasions are rare.
  • Violence3
    Kung-Fu High Impact is a side-scrolling fighting game in which the player can battle computer-controlled monsters (or computer generated monsters that are controlled by players using handheld controllers). There are grunts, cries of pain when the enemy is struck. Players can fight with hands or feet, or can load up special attacks, like earthquakes or lightning, to do damage against a variety of creatures - from undead, human gangsters, witch doctors, giants, tree-like creatures, and even ogres. Once defeated, the enemy drops to the ground and dissolves. There is no blood.
  • Sex0
    Not applicable.
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What's it about?

KUNG-FU HIGH IMPACT has a comic-book based story that puts players into the heart of a world that is being overrun with all sorts of foul creatures and bad guys. The player uses various punching and kicking attacks to fight his (or her) way through this somewhat short game. There are several modes, including Story mode (which features 14 stages and can be completed in about 2-3 hours), and Custom (which features a Mayhem Designer where you create your own fights), and Survival Challenges (where enemies just keep coming at you). There is also Multiplayer mode where between 1 and 4 other players, using handheld controllers, battle against the one player using the Kinect sensor. Players will learn to punch, kick, dunk (to dodge), or flip (jump, spread arms, and bend your back) to get past the enemies that can swarm at the player in a side-scrolling battle-fest. Players can also learn special attacks; but once their health bar is depleted from taking too much punishment, the game ends.

Is it any good?

 

Kung-Fu High Impact is a short bit of fighting fun that, unfortunately, does not have a lot of single-player replay value. The multiplayer mode will add more value with 1-4 players using handheld controllers to attack the single player controlling the main character with the Kinect sensor. The Kinect controller reads players movement very well, even when the action gets very intense. The comic-book setting provides a light, quirky, and fun feel to the overall gameplay. This is a game that was done well, but there just isn't a lot of game here.

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What families can talk about

This review was written by Michael Lafferty
Parent
January 1, 2012
AGE
8
 
Exercise in disguise, and great use of Kinect technology!
We have tried the demo game, and I think it is great. My son, age 9, takes taekwondo, and he practices his moves with this game. It is neat to see him on the screen. I was concerned about the violence, but I think it is "cartoony" enough not to be a problem. The one mild bad word in the beginning narration is not that big of a deal if your kids understand not to repeat it. The exercise that my kids get through this game is well-worth any potential negative effect from the comic book style violence or very mild language.
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This review was written by Michael Lafferty
Platforms:Xbox 360
Available online?Not available online
Genre:Exergaming
Developer:Ignition Entertainment
Release date:November 21, 2011
Price:$39.99
ESRB rating:T for Fantasy violence, mild language, use of tobacco
This review was written by Michael Lafferty

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
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BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.
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