Monkey See, Monkey Do

We have been long time players of Carnival Games for the DS.  It is a favorite title.  The games are short, sweet, and simple.  The kiddos love it.  I've also heard good thing about the Wii title, but have never played it.  This week, we got Carnival Games: Monkey See, Monkey Do for the Xbox Kinect, and we are totally loving it!  There is just one drawback...

He will haunt your dreams.

This little creeper is the monkey helper for the carnival barker, and he is so ... scary looking.  The rest of the game graphics are to be expected.  The games look like real carnival games.  There is one where you ride a roller coaster and catch coins as you go and that one is a blast, and the roller coaster looks really real.  The carnival barker has smooth animation, and more of that Mii/Avatar look than the really "3D" graphic look.  And then there's Mr. Terrifying himself, the monkey with odd teeth and buggy, too human eyes.  I love monkeys.  They are adorable.  Why did they have to make this one look like it will take your soul through the cold, mechanical eye of the Kinect?  And he's everywhere!  He turns on the games.  He doles out tickets.  He is even the star of games, and you have to dance with him.

Ok, so I may be extra swayed because I get totally ooged out easily.  I'm terrified of ET and that creepy dancing baby from the Ally McBeal show.  Now Mr. Monkey is just part of that group.  It's not really "scary" necessarily - my children aren't the least bit afraid of him.  They just don't know.

Other than the monkey though, the game is so fun.  The carnival games are all done by simple motions that you would expect to do if you were playing the games in real life.  That said, there are games that are totally, insanely frustrating because you just can't get them.  Just like the frustrations of playing these games in real life!    If you like playing carnival games at real carnivals, you will enjoy this game, it's as simple as that.

And the best part of this game?  Just playing through each carnival game gives you like, 140 gamerscore!  Winning!  The rest of the achievements seem do-able too, they will just take some practice at perfecting the games.  I will dominate this one.