Microsoft demos long-awaited Star Wars Kinect game (video)

It isn’t trapped in a galaxy far, far away any more. Microsoft finally unveiled a Star Wars game powered by its motion controller, the Kinect, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo today in Los Angeles, Calif.

Star Wars fans (myself included) have been waiting for a good motion-controlled Star Wars game that lets them wield a Lightsaber, the sword of the mythical Jedi in the Star Wars universe, and use the magic-like force with their own hands. Microsoft let slip that the game was coming last night, but the company gave a live demo of the game on-stage today.

A few games have attempted to recreate the magic of the Star Wars universe, but they haven’t come close to creating a seamless experience just yet. There’s still a niche for a proper motion-controlled Star Wars game that features decent swordplay since motion-controlled gaming became popular. It’s a series so iconic that it would be able to attract both hardcore and casual gamers alike — a move that Microsoft has been attempting with its take on motion-controlled gaming.

But it looks like the game still has a few kinks to work out. It certainly looks fun, but the motion controls on screen lagged slightly when compared to the player’s motions on stage. It also seems like most of the content is scripted and there is very little technical movement. The game, at first glance, seems like a “wave your arms like a maniac to win” game — though the player on stage had a little bit of trouble moving a piece of equipment around with the Force.

You can see a full video of the demo below. Be sure to check out VentureBeat over the next few days for wall-to-wall coverage of E3.