Following the announcement that Microsoft’s controller-free, motion-sensing gaming device, Project Natal, has now officially been renamed Kinect, a number of new games and applications have been revealed that will be available for use with the technology when it’s released later this year.

The first (and most obvious) application of Kinect is use in the Xbox 360’s dashboard, allowing users to simply move their hands to swipe through menus, and move an on-screen cursor around to navigate in-menu items.

Another application is a service called Video Chat, which will allow users to chat with other Xbox 360 owners over Xbox LIVE, using Kinect’s camera and microphone.

Games that have been revealed include the following:

Kinectimals

Kinectimals is a virtual pet game that lets you train and play with up to 20 different virtual cats, including lions, cheetahs and tigers (no Nintendogs here).

Joyride

Joyride is a racing game that allows players to control their vehicle with an imaginary steering wheel, while tasking you with pushing and pulling your hands away and toward yourself to accelerate. Body movement will also be required to perform jumps and tricks.

You can get a (kind of) idea over here.

Kinect Sports

Kinect Sports (Wii Sports, is that you?) includes six activities such as boxing, beach volleyball, track and field, soccer and table tennis. The activities will naturally use your own body movements to perform actions; in volleyball, you’ll need to mimic the movements of a ‘serve’ to hit the ball, while in soccer, you’ll be able to kick and header the ball by performing those moves with your own body.

Kinect Adventures

Kinect Adventures includes a whitewater-rafting game called River Rush, with additional game modes such as time trials, playable with up to four players. Playing together, partners must move their bodies (leaning side-to-side, as well as jumping in the air) to steer their raft through an obstacle course set in a river.

You can see River Rush in action over here.

Dance Central

Dance Central is a dance game (think Just Dance mixed with reality TV shows) in development at MTV Games, where you’ll presumably use your own body to perform moves, rather than relying on a board to sense your steps.

Star Wars

Star Wars for the Kinect system will enable gamers to finally be able to have those imaginary lightsaber duels we’ve always imagined, but up until now haven’t had the chance.

The game is being developed at Microsoft in conjunction with LucasArts and Disney (according to USA Today), and will let you pull off moves such as ‘force push’ and other iconic Jedi powers, simply using your own body movement… but not your mind…

Get a quick look at some in-game footage from Star Wars Kinect over here.