The Xbox hands-free game controller Kinect has gone on sale in the UK with retailers expecting it to be a Christmas best-seller.

Retailers reported hundreds of keen gamers queuing outside stores across the country for the midnight launch of the latest must-have gadget from Microsoft.

The motion sensor allows users to play games without holding a controller and is expected to be a best-seller this Christmas despite its £129.99 price tag.

UK retailer Game said customers had waited for hours to buy the gadget.

Game spokesman Neil Ashurst said: "We had hundreds of people at our two main midnight launch events in Oxford Street and Leeds and many more at our stores across the country, all desperate to get their hands on this amazing piece of technology. Some were queuing for more than 15 hours.

"Kinect will be one of the must-have gifts this Christmas, especially with such an array of new games that will appeal to all the family."

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 including 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.

Kinect is on sale for £129.99 for the stand-alone sensor and Kinect Adventures game or £249.99 for the all-in-one Xbox 360 Kinect Console Bundle including the new 4GB console.