A wonderfully oddball view on what’s funny and entertaining is the common thread in all of Double Fine’s wildly disparate creations (including Psychonauts, Brütal Legend, and Stacking). But in Happy Action Theater, that aesthetic basically is the experience, with whimsical Kinect-powered visual diversions that surprise and delight without being weighed down by menus, objectives, or tutorials.
Equal parts mini-game collection and interactive screensaver, Happy Action Theater truly delivers on the promise of a party game for anyone — and in this case, up to six people at a time. There’s no need to register players or learn moves or mechanics, and the game cycles through its 18 activities automatically every couple of minutes, just to keep things fresh.
Simply walk in front of the sensor and you’re tossing fireballs as your living room fills with virtual lava, crushing skyscrapers as a gargantuan beast in a black-and-white film, or creating explosive bursts in a fireworks display by high-fiving a friend. Many of the scenes are technical marvels as well, such as balloon- and kickball-based scenarios that create a stunning sense of 3D space. And one mini-game takes separate images of one or more players and manipulates them on the fly, creating some hilarious dancing clips.
Not every activity enthralls, and it’s a brief overall affair with little incentive for repeated solo-play once you complete a couple of cycles. But Happy Action Theater is an absolute powder keg of a party experience, instilling childlike delight in nearly anyone that crosses its path while proving imaginative minds can still make inspired use of Kinect.
PUBLISHER: Microsoft • DEVELOPER: Double Fine • ESRB: Everyone • MULTIPLAYER: 6 on same screen (local only) • ACHIEVEMENTS: Freebies • COST: 800 Microsoft Points ($10)
+ Riotously entertaining and accessible party experience.
+ Creative and technologically impressive Kinect illusions.
– Extremely lightweight, plus little solo replay value.
? How long before this showcase title is a Kinect pack-in?
ptc
February 07, 2012 at 11:12am
This is the perfect Kinect game for little kids. My 2.5 year old LOVES it! Lava swimming, balloon popping and the freeze/snow game are now nightly activities. Double Fine has created an awesome, unstructured Kinect playground that inspires creativity!
