The Xbox Kinect lived a very short life, with Microsoft wishing to forget they ever tried to compete with the Nintendo Wii. However, amidst a slew of sports knock-offs and party games, The Gunstringer, developed by Twistedpixel, stands out as a gem.

The Gunstringer is a marionette in a meta-play. The narrator explains that you are a vengeful gunman seeking payment from your enemies. Walking the cardboard cutout world of the Old West, the Gunstringer moves on a rail, firing combo shots at vultures, gunmen, and dynamite.

All this is controlled with your hands: use your left to jump and your right to pump lead into enemies. It feels like a cartoony version of Panzer Dragoon with a SpongeBob-like sense of absurdity. Your hero will traverse deserts, trains, and gulches to dispose of the evil gang that ruined his life.

The controls were simple, and the story was gobs of fun, which is the perfect formula for a motion game. Players could control the hero, racking up combos, and enjoying the wacky story. I wish more developers thought like this when making games for the Kinect.

Check out Sea of Thieves, a Microsoft project that didn’t get canned so quick. What can SOT teach us about generosity? https://thecheckpointdevo.blog/2025/08/22/the-checkpoint-sea-of-thieves-and-generosity/