Ok, we admit it.  When Microsoft went and introduced Kinect Star Wars for the first time a couple of months ago at E3, it didn't quite move us.  And when we actually went to play it, we felt even more unmoved.  But some interesting new additions are starting to sway us over to the Dark Side -- namely being able to take control of a Rancor and letting all hell break loose.

Before we get to the Rancor part of the game, however, there is one other thing worth addressing that fans of Star Wars will want to take notice of -- pod racing.  Yes, one of the most thrilling aspects of the original Phantom Menace film -- and not to mention coordinating Sega arcade and Nintendo 64 home releases -- will be included in Kinect Star Wars, and will let players sway about as they try to win circuits on Tattooine, as well as everywhere else that the game takes them.  This will no doubt be a welcome change of pace from the somewhat average action segments -- the ones that kind of turned us off from Kinect Star Wars to begin with.

But you came into this article for one primary reason -- a Rancor.  That creature that tried to crush Luke Skywalker in Jabba's pit in Return of the Jedi makes a welcome return to gaming with his debut as a playable character in Kinect Star Wars -- and this return couldn't be more well timed.

In this segment of the game, players control the Rancor as he stomps and romps throughout a stage, skooshing enemies flat and occasionally chowing down on a Jawa to maintain his strength.  We don't know what it is, but this segment alone has some sort of emotional attachment to it.  We actually start to feel as if we need to play the game again, for another reason outside of the pod racing.

No word yet on how long these segments last, or even if there's more than just one, but if LucasArts and Microsoft were wise, they would add multiple stages for both of these segments as mini-games and/or challenges, letting players come back and go crazy in their favorite pod racer, or as a Rancor on the loose.  Smashing Tattooine to smithereens sounds so good right now.  It's like Rampage but even more well conceptualized.

What's next, Han Solo laser blast stages?  No idea...but we'll keep a close eye on Kinect Star Wars in the months ahead.  And it'll give us another excuse to get one of those awesome custom Star Wars system bundles.  (We needed a new Kinect anyway, but whatever.  GIMME!)

About the Author

Robert Workman

Senior Writer/Editor

Robert has years of experience in the video game industry, writing for such sites as AOL GameDaily, PlanetXbox360 and Comic Book Resources.  He can also outdrink you any day of the week.  And twice on Sunday.  Follow him at www.twitter.com/thedcd.