I’m pretty excited for the Microsoft Kinect.  Motion-sensing gaming with no controller!  Sounds great, right?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mf44bWQr3jc

And I’m sure it will be really, really fun.  I’m excited to see all the different ways game designers use the technology.  But the other day I was showing some of these videos to my wife, and I could tell we were both thinking the exact same thing.  In addition to being really, really fun, this is going to really, really embarrassing.

I mean, watch this guy dancing and then pretend that it’s you.  In front of other people.

I feel like a dork playing Guitar Hero in front of people; I doubt I’m going to be super-comfortable popping and locking to a Cascada song.  At least I won’t be wearing that guy’s hat.

That said, I think I’ll suck it up if I get to pretend I have a lightsaber.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l6Dzzeoy8Tk

It gets worse, though.  The height of embarrassing video game interaction is represented by the upcoming Def Jam Rapstar.  Seriously.  Do you want to see a British guy in a suit awkwardly rap along with “They Reminisce Over You (T.R.O.Y.)” by Pete Rock & CL Smooth?  Of course.  Then skip about six minutes in to the following video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAeMU9V7W9o

I seriously broke into a sweat just thinking about someone watching me do that.