When we think of video games we do think of living room activity, but the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced a partnership with Outdoor Nation, a national initiative that connects kids with outdoor activities, to launch Game On: Challenge Grants. The goal is to get young people to the outdoors through entertainment technology. This pilot program will invest in youth-inspired projects that leverage entertainment gaming technologies to get a new generation outdoors, active and engaged in conservation challenges. Read the rest of this entry »
Archery is hot right now, thanks in no small part to movies such as Brave and The Hunger Games. And while getting started isn’t really that hard or expensive Canadian chiropractor Ron Green has devised a fitness game that can be used with an app to simulate shooting arrows. The result is BowBlade, which is far closer to actual archery than anything we’ve seen to date in a true video game. It works as a fitness device, but adds a gameplay element when combined with an iPhone and accompanying app.
It could be good for those who want to hone their skills, live in apartments (and thus can’t actually shoot real arrows) or just want to see if they can emulate Katniss before picking up a real bow. Video after the jump
The annual video game industry trade show – the Electronic Entertainment Expo – kicks off today, and the rumor mill hasn’t exactly been working overtime, especially when it comes to fitness related titles.
What has been announced so far is that Majesco Entertainment is sticking with what it knows best and that means Zumba Fitness. According to the company: After selling more than 6 million copies worldwide, the Zumba Fitness video game franchise is breaking new ground in the fitness genre with an exhilarating new experience. Be there when Majesco reveals its next Zumba Fitness game that’s set to hit store shelves this fall. Read the rest of this entry »
Adidas miCoach is looking to follow The Biggest Loser and Zumba Fitness into the video game arena. This week 505 Games announced that it would publish the upcoming Adidas miCoach for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. the Xbox Kinect motion camera peripheral and the PlayStation Move controller accessory will be not only supported , but will be integral parts of the game. Read the rest of this entry »
This past Sunday’s episode of The Simpsons, showed the efforts patriarch would go to avoid working out while watching TV on his treadmill. Fortunately, someone else has devised a way of turning Mario Kart into real exercise. The SMKCycle transforms an exercise bike to work as an SNES controller, where pedaling will hold the A button down to accelerate and make Mario’s kart go.
Well we would still prefer a real bike ride, at least this adds some exercise to playing with Mario.
We have written a few stories about the fitness video game trend (in fact, we just posted one the other day), but one new study has found that such games don’t offer kids any benefits, according to a HealthDay report, and questions whether using video games as a way to get kids active is appropriate or not
The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, examined the physical gaming activity of two groups of kids (78 children between the ages 9 and 12) over a three-month period. Each child was given a Nintendo Wii system (none of the kids had ever owned one) plus accompanying accessories. One group of kids could choose from a selection of five fitness-based titles such as Wii Fit Plus, while the second group played “non-active” video games like Mario Kart Wii. Read the rest of this entry »
Video games have opened possibilities beyond mere “gaming.” While no one is actually going to be a rock star playing the various musical themed games, the wave of Rock Band and Guitar Hero have reportedly inspired some young musicians while more recent releases have actually utilized more realistic instruments. On the fitness side of things games have tried to encourage exercise, with motion control opening up new possibilities.
But just as real music isn’t actually being created with video game controllers, real exercise isn’t happening either. And the interesting part is that it should be so hard. Dr. Werner Schoeman is one researcher who thinks that video game systems could be used as exercise machines.
“There remains a significant market segment untapped in the cycling game genre,” Dr. Schoeman tells KineticShift.com, “specifically it has been a practical hardware interface that has proven difficult. Most cycle simulator games require you to buy the whole cycle, such as the typical cycle simulator games found in up market gyms.” Read the rest of this entry »
Admit it – there are times when you just want to throw your phone. You know you shouldn’t do it but it would feel so good. At last week’s Toy Fair The O was awarded the Popular Science Best of Toy Fair 2012 award for making a way to throw the phone and even make a game of it.
Developed by Physical Apps, a NH-based technology company, The O takes mobile gaming to a whole new level – and in a very big way. Instead of just titling or shaking that iPhone or Android device you can put it in this special casing and really play with the phone! Throw it in a game of “hot potato” – just be sure you don’t play when “mom” calls! Video after the jump
While winter is still doing its thing, gamers can get a jump on getting fit right from the living room, as Majesco Entertainment’s latest workout game, Zumba Fitness Rush has arrived. The game promises to be the most technologically advanced and feature-rich addition to the Zumba Fitness franchise. This new title is available exclusively on Kinect for the Xbox 360. Video footage after the jump
In the 1980s “The Clapper” worked with sound to allow lazy people to turn lights on and off without having to get up to do so. Now Crestron is looking to help simply our daily lives in a similar way – but by actually using some motion. Read the rest of this entry »
There is no promise of health benefits with the game controller that Ben Hecks came up with, but we’re calling it out as a Kinetic(Mis)Shift for just taking gamers in the wrong direction. Instead of encouraging gamers to get up and get moving, Hecks created the Hot Pockets extruder that attached to a game controller – allowing a player to eat without having to actually stop playing. It features a manual slider to even push food forward – thus making it a true step backward at least as far as fitness and gaming goes.
According to a recent survey of people aged 50 and up in the U.K., one in 25 uses a video game to exercise. Of course, we aren’t talking about the latest Grand Theft Auto or Call of Duty, but the popular Nintendo Wii and its Wii Fit accessories and games. While the survey specifically targets segments of the U.K. population past middle age, the results mirror similar surveys that have been conducted stateside since the Wii Fit exploded onto the scene; the Wii has been a been a hit with casual gamers thanks to the active movements and low learning curve required. And, Microsoft and Sony have recently entered the scene with their Xbox Kinect and PlayStation Move products and fitness-related titles.
As we have pointed out, video games are not a substitute for good-old exercise. However, according to a CNN report, the light intensity is ideal for older adults, particularly with systems that require full-body movements. These movement-based games are also great for those who never engage in any form of exercise. As we have reported in the past, institutions such as schools in Alabama and Iowa are using the Wii as part of their physical education curriculum to get kids active and help fight childhood obesity.
While fitness video games could be a fad down here on earth, the Microsoft for Kinect for Xbox 360 could boldly go where only a few have gone before – namely outer space. The video game system could help astronauts stay a little fitter, thanks to the body tracking camera system built into the game controller’s sensor.
This could help astronauts better calculate their weight in zero gravity, something very important as those in sapce can lose up to 15 percent of their body mass because the muscles tend to develop atrophy due to lack of use. The crews already spend up to two hours a day exercising, but until recently there has been no way to measure weight post-workout.
When we think of video games we do think of living room activity, but the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has announced a partnership with Outdoor Nation, a national initiative that connects kids with outdoor activities, to launch Game On: Challenge Grants. The goal is to get young people to the outdoors through entertainment technology. This pilot program will invest in youth-inspired projects that leverage entertainment gaming technologies to get a new generation outdoors, active and engaged in conservation challenges. Read the rest of this entry »
Archery is hot right now, thanks in no small part to movies such as Brave and The Hunger Games. And while getting started isn’t really that hard or expensive Canadian chiropractor Ron Green has devised a fitness game that can be used with an app to simulate shooting arrows. The result is BowBlade, which is far closer to actual archery than anything we’ve seen to date in a true video game. It works as a fitness device, but adds a gameplay element when combined with an iPhone and accompanying app.
The annual video game industry trade show – the Electronic Entertainment Expo – kicks off today, and the rumor mill hasn’t exactly been working overtime, especially when it comes to fitness related titles.
Adidas miCoach is looking to follow The Biggest Loser and Zumba Fitness into the video game arena. This week 505 Games announced that it would publish the upcoming Adidas miCoach for the Microsoft Xbox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3. the Xbox Kinect motion camera peripheral and the PlayStation Move controller accessory will be not only supported , but will be integral parts of the game. 
Video games have opened possibilities beyond mere “gaming.” While no one is actually going to be a rock star playing the various musical themed games, the wave of Rock Band and Guitar Hero have reportedly inspired some young musicians while more recent releases have actually utilized more realistic instruments. On the fitness side of things games have tried to encourage exercise, with motion control opening up new possibilities.
Admit it – there are times when you just want to throw your phone. You know you shouldn’t do it but it would feel so good. At last week’s Toy Fair The O was awarded the Popular Science Best of Toy Fair 2012 award for making a way to throw the phone and even make a game of it.
While winter is still doing its thing, gamers can get a jump on getting fit right from the living room, as Majesco Entertainment’s latest workout game, Zumba Fitness Rush has arrived. The game promises to be the most technologically advanced and feature-rich addition to the Zumba Fitness franchise. This new title is available exclusively on Kinect for the Xbox 360. 
There is no promise of health benefits with the game controller that Ben Hecks came up with, but we’re calling it out as a Kinetic(Mis)Shift for just taking gamers in the wrong direction. Instead of encouraging gamers to get up and get moving, Hecks created the Hot Pockets extruder that attached to a game controller – allowing a player to eat without having to actually stop playing. It features a manual slider to even push food forward – thus making it a true step backward at least as far as fitness and gaming goes.
While fitness video games could be a fad down here on earth, the Microsoft for Kinect for Xbox 360 could boldly go where only a few have gone before – namely outer space. The video game system could help astronauts stay a little fitter, thanks to the body tracking camera system built into the game controller’s sensor.
