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Our last preview of Kinect Star Wars wasless than kind. The simple act of moving a Jedi through a totally linear, droid-filled tube was so laborious and unresponsive that Chris dubbed it "the worst thing that's ever existed." I can happily say the newly announced podracing section of the game is nowhere near as troublesome, and dare I say it was actually fun?
Above: Use the boost to get through
Simple as the controls may be, there's still a stiff learning curve. We're all used to wheels for steering, plus the sense of friction as tires squeal across the street, so handling a floating, dual-engine bullet chariot with just your hands takes some getting used to. I crashed once, but still managed to finish third by boosting like mad in the final stretch - you know, that place where the Tusken Raiders take potshots at passing racers. I didn't see any of 'em, but there were moments were critters jumped on the pod and I had to mime-toss things at them to scare them off.
Above: Kinect Star Wars takes place just after Episode I. Ugh whyyyyy
My only real concern with this mode, other than it's not a full game and just part of a larger bundle, is hairpin turns. I couldn't figure out a way to slow down and take tight turns well, even with the racing line HUD drawing a perfect path. Maybe it just takes more practice, maybe it's just not responsive enough - won't know for sure until it ships (along with thissweet-ass Kinect bundle) this fall.
