Educational Video Games

Designed for the Kinect motion-sensing camera, Once Upon a Monster has youngsters helping Cookie Monster and Elmo solve a series of problems for their fellow monster friends. The game is structured like a storybook, with each chapter devoted to an individual monster and his peculiar predicament. Through hands-on activities, players will make new friends, cooperate, confront fears, and learn about the similarities and differences that make others unique.

As players engage in the story, they will sway from side to side to avoid obstacles, jump over items, flap their arms to fly, play instruments, blow out candles, and perform rhythmic motions that correspond to an onscreen character. In addition to Cookie Monster and Elmo, popular characters Grover and Oscar will make appearances along with all-new monsters. Drop-in and drop-out cooperative play is also supported, allowing parents, siblings, or friends a chance to share in the activities. ~ Scott Alan Marriott, All Game Guide

Namco Bandai Games and Dr. Ryuta Kawashima, the man behind the Brain Age series, team up to combine physical and mental workouts via Kinect in Body and Brain Connection. The controller-free action finds up to four players using their arms and legs to answer logic, math, memory, and reflex questions, all while getting a physical workout. The activities range from standard multiple choice queries where gamers choose the correct answer by making an arm or leg motion, to motion-based mini-games, such as the Pac-Man mini-game in which players use their arms to help the Namco mascot escape from encroaching ghosts. A variety of single- and multiplayer modes are offered to keep the mini-games fresh, and Body and Brain Connection includes a daily progress tracker that allows gamers to keep tabs on their mental and physical fitness. ~ Christopher Brown, All Game Guide