Microsoft Preview For Project Natal – Controller-Free Xbox 360 Gaming

Microsoft plans to reveal a new type of videogames this week, games that don’t require people to understand and utilize a complex controller with several buttons. Following the massive success of Nintendo’s Wii, Microsoft is introducing a technology, code-named Project Natal, that ditches the use of a controller altogether. The games will rely on a device the size of a stapler threat perches on top of a living room TV to recognize faces, obey voice commands, and track body movements. It won’t be necessary to mash buttons in different sequences to experience success in the game, no more buttons at all!

Although Microsoft doesn’t plan to reveal which games will launch with the device until Monday, last month it did show off four “tech demos” to a handful of testers. One can only assume that those games will come as part of the package. The lineup is expected to include: Living Statue, Obstacle Course, Ricochet, and River Rush.

Living Statue

This is Microsoft's social media strategy which lets players record their avatars singing, dancing, and singing karaoke-style, then allows them to email the video masterpiece to their friends. The company has had several ambitions for it's Xbox Live online game service, which has 23 million active users, and is hoping this attempt wil l encourage users to check into Xbox Live and make friends.

Obstacle Course

This game is exactly as the name suggests. Players dodge, jump, and pull their way through a series of levels much like those found in a typical summer camp.

Ricochet

Ricochet is a game where players use their arms, legs, feet, and head to block a barrage of balls. Microsoft also demoed an earlier version of this game during last year's E3 expo. The newest version of this game allows two people to play simultaneously. It uses facial recognition software to recognize the people playing and pulls up their avatars on the screen. This feature also allows parents to control which games their children can play. If the console see's that the persona playing is associated with a profile with parent controls, it will restrict the types of games that can be played.

River Rush

This game allows players to indulge in the thrill of real-life rive rafting in their living room rug. Steering a virtual raft past waterfalls, rocks, and other obstacles. The graphics are similar to that found in snowboarding games with large visual cues that guide players to assure no one gets lost. The game is designed to allow anyone to jump in without having to read any manuals.

In addition to these four games, another dozen more Natal-licensed titles from game developers are expected to be unveiled Monday and Tuesday but Microsoft has forbidden publishers from saying anything about them until its own news conference Monday morning. As usual, stay tuned for this news as well as E3 2010 coverage by following us on Twitter and/or subscribing to our RSS feeds. In the mean time, check out a video from the All Things Digital conference which shows off some of Project Natal's features, which you can find below: