November 25 5:48 P.M.
Surveys indicate that the average reveler gains as much as seven pounds over the holiday season, and that's one gift we could all do without. While reports may conflict over whether or not exercise games can deliver the same sort of results as a good old fashioned gym regimen, one thing's not up for debate: they're a lot cheaper.
Fueled by the phenomenal success of Wii Fit (over 22 million served, and counting), there's a wide selection of fitness-themed Wii games gunning for your waistline this year.
First up, believe it or not, is Wii Fit. Or rather, Wii Fit Plus, a newly released title that adds 21 exercise minigames to the original game's selection, and also throws in a few neat extras like a calorie counter. It's available either with or without the Balance Board. If you're looking to try out an exercise game this season, you'll probably want to start here.
Wii Fit might be a best-seller, but its whimsical and holistic approach to fitness isn't going to work for everyone. If you're aiming to burn more fat, consider EA Sports Active, which impressed us all earlier this year by focusing in on result-producing cardiovascular training -- and its neoprene nunchuk strap (which holds half of the Wii controller to your thigh) will stop you from cheating too much.
Stay in shape over the Thanksgiving break.
But it's not the only post-Wii Fit fitness game making the rounds this year. Leaving aside the questionable decision to use McCarthy as a spokesperson for a health product, Ubisoft's Your Shape's approach may work out well for some players. Instead of using balance boards or other peripherals to sense what you're doing with your body, Your Shape uses a bundled camera to put your picture right on the TV screen, even ensuring the angle of your movements is correct. It'll also assess your body shape (hence the name, we suppose) and design a customized workout routine based on your personal goals.
Don't own a Wii? Assuming you don't fancy the bubblegum-pop stylin' of the Dance Dance Revolution series (and we don't blame you for that one bit), your fitness gaming options are largely limited to playing Call of Duty while jumping up and down. Let us know how that works out.
 |
 |
 |
Posted: 25 Nov 2009
