If you want to be a fruit slaughtering assassin, purchase the much cheaper mobile version and not this rip-off.
THE GOOD
-Fun controls
THE BAD
-Not enough substance
-No new content
OVERVIEW
Fruit Ninja Kinect is a showdown between you and various forms of produce. Using your hands as mini katanas, the object is to rack up points by dicing up fruit that pop up on screen like a skeet shooter. This downloadable XBLA title is fundamentally a like-for-like copy of the highly successful mobile app.
There are four different modes of play in Fruit Ninja Kinect: Classic, Zen, Arcade and Party. Each of these 'mini-games' are essentially a rehash of the mobile version. It's not that the game isn't fun, which it is, it's just that there's not a whole lot to do. You could play though the entire game in a short fifteen minute session. The appeal to many mobile games out there is the fact that you can pick up and play anytime, anywhere. Charging more money for the same experience while limiting when you can play, just doesn't make much sense. Additionally, the absence of new content is also another turnoff and emphasizes the fact that Microsoft was just trying to make a quick buck piggybacking off of the success of the brand name.
GAMEPLAY
The first and basic game mode is Classic. In Classic, your task is to rack up points by dicing up fruit while avoiding bombs. Both items are tossed up on screen and occasionally at the same time to make it more challenging. A skillful master knows that bonus points are awarded to those who can ravage multiple items with a single slash. You play until you either hit a bomb or let three fruit drop to the floor. Extra lives are granted after scoring multiples of a hundred and there is a rare pomegranate that gives you a few seconds to rack up a copious amount of points.
Zen is similar to the classic style except that there aren't any bothersome bombs or escaping fruit to worry about. This variation is much more laid back. Pulling off huge combos is fairly easy to do which makes this a great practice session for beginners getting familiar with the game. In this mode, you have a minute and a half to rack up as many points as possible.
For a more frantic experience, the Arcade mode puts you under a time crunch and also includes those pesky bombs into the fray. In this one minute session, it's all about combos. Striking bombs won't end the game but will subtract points and clear the screen. Special multicolored bananas are added to mix that double your points, slow fruit movement down and greatly increase the amount of fruit on the screen. When time runs out, bonus points are added based on your performance.
Lastly, you and a friend can square off against each other (or with each other) in a produce crushing showdown (or jointed adventure). The battle mode is similar to Zen aside from the split screen and color specific fruit that each player has to hit. In co-op, you and friend combine your ninja skills together as you play through the Arcade format. The Party games seem like a good idea on paper but in actuality this is a bloody nose just waiting to happen. Two people in close proximity flailing away with long horizontal movements means that someone is going to get hurt really quick.
Control-wise, Fruit Ninja Kinect does a fairly decent job in accurately tracking your movements with minimal hiccups. You can use vertical, horizontal and even windmill-like motions. This is actually some of the more solid control structures I've seen for a Kinect game.
Additionally, you can partake in a random challenge where you are poised with a benchmark score to achieve for a random game variant. Other then that, there really isn't too much more to do aside from viewing achievements, leaderboards and selecting some Sensai swag which includes items like backgrounds and sword skins.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
This game inundates you with an assortment of strawberries, bananas and other delicious fruits. The vibrant colors and splatter animations are enjoyable. Also, the array of backgrounds and blades are fun to unlock and see in action. The sword slashes and the sound of fruit getting ripped to pieces is also quite gratifying.
CONCLUSION
Slicing succulent fruitage like a stealthy assassin is fun. The shortness of the experience is setup nicely for a gamer on the go which is why I would recommend the $1 mobile version. Charging $10 for the same game under limited conditions is highway robbery. Fruit Ninja Kinect and it's lack of new content is like snacking on a juicy strawberry: flavorful for a few minutes but leaves you looking for something with much more sustenance.