"Wax on... wax off. Wax on... wax off."
Fruit Ninja Kinect 2 from Halfbrick Studios is the latest game from the studio that brought us the original Fruit Ninja. But does this version offer anything different than it’s mobile phone and Xbox 360 counterpart?
The Menu System is simple and simplicity itself. If you want to play with a someone who is the same room as you then you go into the Multiplayer Menu with the flick of your hand or if you want to go back to Fruit Ninja’s original roots then you would access the Quickplay menu the same way.The Quickplay Menu contains Fruit Ninja’s basic modes Classic, Arcade and Zen.These modes seem like they haven’t changed a lot since Fruit Ninja Kinect on the Xbox 360, apart from the ranking and challenge system. In Classic Mode the player has to slash fruit while avoiding bombs as a bomb will end the game and that's as complicated as it gets.
In Arcade Mode you need to rack up as many points as possible within the 60 second time limit, again whilst avoiding bombs. The new modes on offer here for the single player are found in the games brand new addition called Festival Mode which has four different game types.
Ninja Dodge
Bamboo Strike
Strawberry Stealth
Apple Range
Each mode has its own set of challenges which will have you jumping around and flailing your arms about like a mental patient with a plastic spoon.
Ninja Dodge will have you dodging shuriken stars while slashing fruit and still avoiding those pesky purple bombs. Helicopters also make an appearance in this round and if timed right you will rack up huge combo bonuses. When a shuriken is about to be thrown make sure you dodge it. If you don't your score resets to zero. You are given 90 seconds in this round.
Bamboo Strike tasks you with stopping the bamboo seeds which continually drop from the top of the screen. If they reach the bottom they will start to sprout and grow into full blown bamboo. Instead bamboo seeds fly from the top of the screen and it’s your goal to stop them reaching the bottom. When the seed reach the bottom the bamboo sprouts and it’s up to the player to chop them down while avoiding the purple bombs inside. Once again you have 90 seconds.
Strawberry Stealth has you dodging one spotlight to begin with but as the round progresses more spotlights appear on screen and the amount of time they stay on screen gets longer and longer. The purple bombs are present in this round as well.
Apple Range manages to break up the monotony of slicing fruit by getting you to pin the fruit to targets using throwing knives. With the flick of your hand you will release the knives. Even though this mode is simple in concept it does take a little getting use to. A steady aim is needed here. Combos are earned by scoring two hits on the same piece of fruit. The ever present bombs are here once again. You are once again given 90 seconds to score as many points as possible.
The Multiplayer here offers battle or party games which up to four players can drop in or out of just by waving at the Kinect. You and your party can do this with the Quickplay and Festival menu and is extremely easy to use and we never had an issue with it. The Battle and Party modes let two or four players get together and you will be split into 1 v 1 games. So say you and four friends are playing then you will be split into two teams of two playing head to head for each round. It's simplicity to success is its key and it works like a charm.
When I was offered Fruit Ninja Kinect 2 to review my heart sank. This game is everything I hate about Kinect as a gaming peripheral. It just smacks of laziness and is the easiest kind of game to port over. That being said I was completely taken aback at how much enjoyment my two step children are still getting out of the game. One game is never enough for them and the competition between them just keep getting fiercer and fiercer. The additional game modes also add a surprising amount of longevity and they really do make you work for your score rather than just standing still.
Review copy supplied by XCN.
Game: Fruit Ninja Kinect 2.
Genre: Arcade.
Developer: Halfbrick Studios.
Publisher: Microsoft Studios.
Platform(s): Xbox One.