You had us at "lizard"

Or a cat or dog, if that's your thing

Kinectimals may be getting the lion's share of attention when it comes to pet games for Kinect, but THQ wants to take a bite out of that, announcing its own title Fantastic Pets.

Fantastic Pets is notable for being the first Augmented Reality game for Kinect, meaning the player is projected onto the screen and merged with computer graphics. PlayStation 3 users may note the similarity to EyePet, but whereas Sony's cutesy critter defies classification THQ's effort contains four distinct animals: horse, dog, cat and lizard, with players able to customise their creature as they play through the game. Want a winged unicorn? It's possible, along with countless other combinations.

The game will also support voice commands, letting you train your pet through words as well as actions.

We recently visited developer Blitz Games Studios to see the game in action, and we'll be bringing you our thoughts in an upcoming feature.

Offering a highly interactive fantasy experience that erases the line between the virtual and real worlds, THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) today announced Fantastic Pets™ on Kinect™ for Xbox 360®, no controller required. The first augmented reality game for Kinect for Xbox 360, Fantastic Pets puts players on-screen where their movements and voice commands allow them to play side-by-side with a pet of their own creation. Developed by Blitz Games Studios, Fantastic Pets on Kinect for Xbox 360 is scheduled for release in March 2011.

“Fantastic Pets offers an incredibly high level of interactivity, creativity and originality,” said Martin Good, Executive Vice President, THQ Kids, Family, Casual Games, and Global Online Services. “As you discover your pet’s personality and become enmeshed within the world, Fantastic Pets becomes more like a personalized adventure and less like a game.”

About Fantastic Pets

Fantastic Pets brings a world of adventure into the living room. Players start with four domestic animals – dog, cat, horse and lizard – that can be morphed into imaginative creations from mystical unicorns to ferocious dragons. Kinect for Xbox 360 technology enables players to step inside the world and onto the screen where they can play and care for their pets. Voice recognition allows players to command their pet throughout mini-games and Talent Shows to reach the professional ranks of a Pet Trainer. Players can unlock news items and activities, in addition to taking pictures of themselves and their pet to share with family and friends.