Xbox 360 Kinect: hands on

It was bodies and limbs a-flailing in Sydney this week as Microsoft showed off its forthcoming Xbox 360 accessory, Kinect.

The system is a step beyond the Nintendo Wii as it replaces a traditional game pad with a camera that tracks your whole body's movements.

The accessory hits Australian shelves on 18 November 2010 for AU$199 and includes a motion-sensing camera hardware and a copy of Kinect Adventures. An Xbox 360 Slim bundle will also be available for AU$449.

CNET Australia got hot and sweaty at the Microsoft Open House showcase this week as we got some time to play with the new controller. Take a look at the photo gallery below or watch the video of our GameSpot Australia colleagues as they dance, jump and kick through six of the first Kinect titles coming on the market at launch.

The game that attracted the most attention at the event was Dance Central from Harmonix, the developer of Guitar Hero and Rock Band. In Dance Central, players try to match the moves of an on-screen avatar to a soundtrack consisting of artists such as Lady Gaga, Beastie Boys and Basement Jaxx.

Gracing Australian shores was actor Jason Lewis from Sex and the City fame, who tried out Kinect Adventures accompanied by Hex from ABC 2's Good Game.

CNET Australia's Ty Pendlebury channels his inner five-year-old while driving with an invisible steering wheel on the November launch title, Kinect Joy Ride.

While the Slim has a dedicated "Kinect port", the Kinect can still be used with existing Xbox 360s but it will require an external power connection.

A user tries throwing a javelin in Kinect Sports.