Gamers have been snapping-up Microsoft's new Xbox 360 Kinect.

The motion sensor, which allows users to play games without holding a controller, has been tipped as a Christmas best-seller despite its £129.99 price tag.

UK retailer Game released the first of the gadgets at midnight and said customers had been queuing since 9am on Monday outside its Oxford Street store in London.

Kinect is compatible with every Xbox 360 console and combines a camera, depth sensor and microphone that tracks full-body movement and individual voices.

Some of the high-profile Kinect-enabled games set to be released before Christmas include Dance Central, in which players mirror moves they see on screen, the child-friendly Kinectimals and Kinect Sports.

The gadget will face competition from Sony's PlayStation Move controller and Nintendo's upgraded WiiMotion Plus.

Stephen McGill, Microsoft's director of Xbox for the UK and Ireland, said: "Kinect for Xbox 360 is set to revolutionise the way people consume entertainment, not just games but movies, music and keeping in touch with friends and family."