When I first heard that the New Xbox Experience would be implementing an avatar system, I was a bit nonplussed. "I already have a Mii," thought I. Now, just one week into the NXE, I must admit that I have considerably warmed to my avatar, spending maybe a little too much time selecting just the right nose and getting just the right angle for my avatar thumbnail. Happily, it would appear that I am not alone in my avatar fixation. Enough people have been spending quality time with their avatars to have uncovered some interesting easter eggs and techniques for manipulating your Xbox self.
The folks at Xbox 360 Fanboy have really learned how to push your avatar's buttons (oh-ho! a play on words!), figuring out a host of moves and expressions your avatar can perform in the avatar customizer and on the 360 dashboard. These are:
While in Avatar Customizer:
- Left Bumper - Makes Avatar do a random expression: depressed, apologetic, surprised, laughing, or angry.
- Right Bumper - Opens Avatar's mouth
- Hold Left or Right Trigger - Spins Avatar making it lose its balance.
- Move Right Thumbstick - Rotates Avatar's head.
- Move Right Thumbstick Left, Right, Left, Right - Makes Avatar angry.
- Move Right Thumbstick Up, Down, Up, Down - Makes Avatar happy.
- Rotate Right Thumbstick in a Circle - Makes Avatar dizzy.
- Click Right Thumbstick - Makes Avatar burp.
- Click and Hold Right Thumbstick, Then Move Right Thumbstick - Makes Avatar burp continuously in various pitches.
- Hold Right Thumbstick Left then move Right - Makes Avatar enthusiastically spin to the right.
- Hold Right Thumbstick Right then move Left - Makes Avatar enthusiastically spin to the left.
Exclusive to "My Features" area or anywhere Avatar head is zoomed in on:
- Move Right Thumbstick Up then Down - Makes Avatar hit its head on the screen, making it dizzy.
While in Xbox 360 Dashboard:
- Move Right Thumbstick - Rotates Avatar's head.
- Move Right Thumbstick Left, Right, Left, Right - Makes Avatar angry.
- Move Right Thumbstick Up, Down, Up, Down - Makes Avatar happy.
- Rotate Right Thumbstick in a Circle - Makes Avatar dizzy.
- Click Right Thumbstick - Makes Avatar smile and wave.
Not crazy about the default avatar hair colors ranging from bland to "meh?" A Kotaku reader uncovered the secret of unnatural hair color options. To unlock the unnatural hair colors, enter the avatar customizer and select "Change my Features." Highlight, but do not click, "Hairstyles." Wait around, get a glass of water, get comfortable and after about a one minute, the "Hairstyles" tile should spin and the additional colors should be available.
Once you've got yourself all tricked out, you might as well show it off. Much like a Mii, your avatar can be used as a playable character in a small (but hopefully soon to be expanding) number of Xbox Live Arcade games, including UNO, Scene It? Box Office Smash, Kingdom for Keflings, and Hardwood Hearts. Enjoy.
November 24th, 2008 at 8:03 pm
I would have to say you may have spent too much time on your avatar as well. When I first saw it I thought you took a picture of yourself and put it in the game.
Amazingly enough even with all the options available my malformed features could still not be properly displayed for all to see.
November 24th, 2008 at 9:34 pm
@Scott I take that as an extreme compliment.
Hmmm... their system is not perfect, for sure. Maybe it just takes some patience?