Adrenalin Misfits

Name: Adrenalin Misfits
Item: Adrenalin Misfits
Rating: 3
Author: Chris Morris

Game review by

Chris Morris, Common Sense Media

Common Sense says

age 8+

(i)

Snowboarding game that's not as cool as it thinks it is.

Xbox 360
$49.99
2010

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The parents' guide to what's in this game.

Positive Messages

The game encourages players to keep trying and offers positive reinforcement when they do a good job. It also encourages them to try again when they don't win a race.

Positive Role Models & Representations

All of the characters are symbolic of the rebel snowboard culture, but there's nothing inherently positive or negative about them. They're cartoon characters who talk "hip" and dress edgy -- in baggy clothes and gold chains -- but ultimately they live to board and little more. They can "attack" other competitors to make them fall down.

Ease of Play

The game has a very thorough (but not frustratingly long) tutorial that keeps players engaged by opening up rewards and achievements as you complete it. The motions required to do tricks are easy to remember, but don't always seem to work in-game.

Violence & Scariness

Your character might fall down after attempting a difficult jump or trick, but there's no lasting damage. Players can also bump their avatars into opponents to slow them down and use power-up "attacks" that are depicted as bursts of light.

Language

Consumerism

What parents need to know

Parents need to know that Adrenalin Misfits is a snowboard simulation game for the Xbox 360 that uses the Kinect motion capture controller. Like other Kinect games, it will get kids off the couch and moving as they play. They won't learn any useful skills should they attempt the real thing, but they will be able to pull off fantasy stunts and tricks here they'd never be able to in the real world. The game rewards players frequently to keep them engaged and up to two people can play simultaneously in the same room. (The game doesn't offer an online component.) When players complete a course, the game shows off photos of them that it took during the game. Players can "attack" others to slow them down, which is reflected onscreen by bursts of light or lightning-life effects, the effects are minor - as other racers simply fall down, then start racing again.

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What's it about?

ADRENALIN MISFITS is a Kinect game that lets players use their bodies to control the direction, speed, and tricks of onscreen snowboarders (though, to be precise, they also \"board\" on water and rocks). Leaning forward or backward will adjust the character's course and any number of motions -- jumping, stomping a foot, waving your arms -- will result in tricks. There are several themes for players to explore, including time challenges, a half-pipe, and mini-games. The game does not have a career mode, though.

Is it any good?

Adrenalin Misfits won't be a game that people talk about in six months. Sadly, many will have forgotten about it. But that's not to say they won't have fun with it today. It's the gaming equivalent of a potato chip: fun to enjoy for a brief moment, but something that leaves you hungry for more. The controls are inexact and might cause some frustration, but not to the extent that families won't get past it. (Gaming enthusiasts are more likely to notice the problems.) The characters are largely forgettable and try too hard to be edgy, but being able to use your Xbox Live avatar to board down a mountain is novel. Both single- and multiplayer modes (split screen on the same TV) are fun and can be a good bonding experience for families -- and might get the kids excited about some real outdoor winter activities.

Talk to your kids about ...

Families can talk about the difference between playing a snowboard game that requires you to move versus one that's controller based. Do you like playing video games this way?
Is this a good use of the Kinect peripheral? What other kinds of games would be good to use this way of playing?