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EA Sports Active shaping up for Spring '09 Wii-lease
Let's pretend for a moment that, just like us, you absolutely love physical exercise. With that out of the way, we can dive right into discussion of EA's new fitness game, EA Sports Active. Developed in collaboration with Bob Greene (he's Oprah Winfrey's personal trainer, it says here), the Wii-exclusive sweat-em-up will launch in Spring 2009. Though deemed "perfect for the whole family," EA Sports Active also claims to be "designed specifically for women seeking a simple, fun and cost-effective way to achieve a healthy lifestyle." Said lifestyle is achieved through a variety of cardiovascular workouts on a "Fitness roadmap," coaxed along by on-screen feedback and enabled by two Nunchuk-holding leg straps, as well as a resistance band for upper body training. The Wii's Balance Board peripheral will add further functionality to several exercises. And don't think this is just EA warming up. According to EA Sports president Peter Moore, Active "is a true fitness revolution and a space in which we intend to be leaders." Let's see if the publisher has the stamina to keep up with the runaway success of Wii Fit. %Gallery-36788%
Rumor: EA still working on fitness title for Wii, includes new peripheral
We picked up Nintendo's wildly popular digital personal trainer, Wii Fit, shortly after launch with hopes to transform ourselves into Hasslehoffian dreamboats -- sadly, we found the Balance Board's unflinching critique of our porcine physiques far too traumatizing. Fortunately, according to an article in the latest issue of Men's Fitness, Electronic Arts is hard at work on their own fitness title for the Wii -- one that will use a brand new (and hopefully less judgmental) peripheral.This isn't the first we've heard of EA's answer to Wii Fit -- though details on the new peripheral (and the apparent eschewing of the game's use of the Balance Board) is news to us. According to the magazine's interview with EA executive producer Dave McCarthy, the aforementioned peripheral will allow players to attach the Wiimote to their body, where it will measure their movements during a series of in-game exercises. No details on a release schedule for the game, or its capacity to make us openly weep, were mentioned.
EA plans a Wii Fit-slaying exercise game?
The Wii Fit might have some competition brewing, if Men's Fitness magazine is a publication worthy of the public's trust, that is. The details are vague, to say the very least but, here's what we "know": Dave Kushner, executive producer at EA Sports, told the magazine that the company is planning an 'unnamed fitness game' with a 'new peripheral' which will connect the Wiimote to the player's body, enabling all sorts of newfangled measurements, movements, and exercises barely dreamed of before. Sounds totally awesome, right? Well, if and when it materializes, we'll be sure to rush to the store, buy one, then sadly rue its unused, guilt-inducing existence every day thereafter.[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy]
Rumor: EA working on fitness title, will use its own peripheral
The latest Men's Fitness magazine had an interesting story about fitness and gaming (something we call "exergaming"). Apparently, EA is working on their own Wii Fit knock-off (remember, we heard about this months ago?), complete with their own peripheral. The article states that the new game will fall under the "All-Play" brand, which is the family-friendly label they use for the Wii. This new peripheral will somehow allow players to attach the Wiimote to their body, measuring how instense they run, squat and do a variety of other exercises, says EA's executive producer Dave McCarthy. We're not subscribers to Men's Fitness, to be honest, so we don't have the article to confirm any of this, so we're marking it as a rumor. If anybody wants to send us a pic or a scan, please, feel free. We'll be sure to update the post here.
ITAMI FiTrainer headset: it's like a coach on your head
Remember that Body Trainer headset unveiled by Sega Toys earlier this year? If not, there's hardly a better time to refresh your memory given that it's coming to US soil via ITAMI. The rebadged FiTrainer comes equipped with a heart sensor and built-in one-liners to keep you going when your muscles are just dying to return to the couch. ITAMI also has the nerve to claim that "Wii Fit is history, while the FiTrainer is the future." At any rate, the headset packs a trio of exercise modes -- walking, jogging and aerobics -- and by utilizing proprietary algorithms and subliminal encouragement from a variety of Pokémons, it tells you exactly how to exercise in order to "achieve maximum results." We're only told that the device is "coming soon," but you can certainly procrastinate signing up to hear more so that you completely avoid ever bringing this nuisance / assistant into your life.[Via I4U News, thanks Chris]
Nintendo unveils pedometer for upcoming DS fitness title
Remember that weird pedometer trademark that came up recently? Well, instead of being something tied to a Wii game, as many thought, it's tied to a DS title instead. During the video presentation showing off upcoming DS titles, the image to the right was shown. We're having a hard time translating the name, so we're just going to call it Lifestyle Rhythm DS for the moment. As you might have guessed, based on the image to the right, this is scheduled for a November release in Japan.Hit up Nintendo's Japanese site for a closer look at the upcoming game. [Thanks, Sonic_13!]
Jillian Michaels' Fitness Trailer 2008
Uh, guys? Did your Balance Board come with a set of damn monkey bars? We're starting to feel a little ripped off. Just asking.The first trailer for Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009 is out, and while it's full of promised butt-kicking, there's also a fair amount of game footage, as well as some discussion of the title's features. Verdict: the graphics look a little less than good, but does something like this need to look great? It's already one-up on Wii Fit: part of the title's philosophy is simultaneous multiplayer. Does that mean two Balance Boards? From the footage in the trailer, it's impossible to tell whether those games are Wiimote and Nunchuk only, or if they require boards.
Wearable Fitbit automatically tracks your exercise routines
Although the world already has a set of headphones that encourages you to work out, the newly announced Fitbit is just a hair more sophisticated. Designed to be worn or carried around in a spare pocket, the personal tracker is about the size of a standard flash drive and includes a built-in motion sensor to keep tabs on "exercise intensity levels, calories burned, sleep quality, steps and distance traveled." When it ships in late December / early January for $99, the unit will reportedly boast a fancy OLED display for quick readouts, and hey, it should even arrive just in time to complement your entirely meaningless New Year's Resolution.[Via Gearlog]
Punch your way to fitness in Shape Boxing Wii de Enjoy Diet
Despite its toony appearance, Shape Boxing Wii de Enjoy Diet regards itself more seriously than the boxing in Wii Sports. There are no Miis to be found here, more technical details (such as different boxing stances) are taken into consideration across the title's 28 lessons, and the game will dole out nutritional advice in a bid to get/keep you toned. Less seriously, you can punch bears, which we don't recall seeing in Rocky IV. Anyway, the overall vibe seems to be self-improvement.This releases in Japan on October 30th, and will use the Balance Board in some way. We're betting it could actually improve your fitness, based on the fact that we were wheezing, crimson-faced wrecks after one and a half minutes of Wii Sports boxing.%Gallery-31258%[Via Siliconera]
Be fit with BeFit for Mac
In case you're wondering why I've been writing about exercise and food applications lately, it's because I'm trying to lose a few pounds, OK? When I saw the press release for BeFit from Jon Brown Designs today, I jumped (well, would you believe moved slowly?) at the chance to post about this app.BeFit works like most food tracking applications in that it lets you count exactly how many calories you're taking in. If you take in fewer calories than you expend, then you'll lose weight over time. BeFit includes over 7,000 foods from the FDA/USDA food database. Spotlight search is built into the application to make it easy to search for foods, and when you find them they're displayed with a full Nutrition Facts panel like those on food packages.You can create a huge number of individual tracking lists, rename them, and sort them. If you're just looking for certain nutrients to track (e.g., carbs or saturated fats), you can hide other nutrients, then get a running total for those items you're interested in.BeFit 1.0 is US$15.95 and existing customers of Jon Brown Designs get a 50% discount. All purchasers of BeFit 1.0 receive free upgrades through version 3.0. There's a demo available from the BeFit website.
Rhythm game Helix coming to WiiWare tomorrow
Trying to get those chunky pounds to come right off, but you're unable to find a copy of the elusive Wii Fit anywhere within a fifty-mile radius? Perhaps a new WiiWare title, due out tomorrow, can temporarily fill the void -- Ghostfire Games' rhythm-fitness title Helix. The game, which will cost 1000 Wii Points, will have players performing 30 different gestures with two Wiimotes to the beat of 26 songs from independent artists. Ghostfire CEO Ed Roman highlighted the game's health benefits, saying that you can "really burn some calories playing this game." Based on the gameplay video we've posted after the break, you'll probably look totally cool whilst doing so.
Purported iPhone Nike+ screenshots found to be fake
And to think, we actually believed that Nike and Apple were this close to delivering the long-awaited running application for the iPhone. While it was widely reported that these shots were indeed the real deal, AppleInsider is pointing out a chink in the armor: Cupertino doesn't offer iPhone developers a programming interface for accessing one's music, yet this mysterious program clearly showed someone listening to Chris Martin and friends (an unreleased song, evidently) while attempting to make it to 0.02km. The take away? It's still pretty likely that the two outfits are working to create a fitness program for the App Store, but those screenshots ain't it.[Thanks, Michael]
Screenshots of iPhone Nike+ running app emerge, we're out of breath already
It has taken its sweet, sweet time in arriving, but it seems the iPhone Nike+ running application is just... about... here. A slew of new screenshots of the application have emerged, and while there are no juicy tidbits to accompany 'em (release date, cost, etc.), we all know how many lines of text a single snapshot is worth. Hang tight runners, the app you've been waiting (and waiting) for can't be far from the finish line now.[Via MacRumors]
Ubisoft sued by Yourself!Fitness dev for at least $26 million
ResponDesign, an Oregon-based company that published Yourself!Fitness a couple years back for various consoles, is suing Ubisoft over a game the French company was supposed to publish earlier this year. Ubisoft, which licensed assets from ResponDesign, was expected to publish My Fitness Coach to coincide with the release of Wii Fit, ResponDesign feels it has lost millions of dollars in royalties due to the game's delay. There's a lot of numbers in the suit, with many zeros behind them, but the point is that ResponDesign believes it's owed at least $26 million for breach of license agreement and continued damages from Ubisoft's inability to "diligently pursue development of the game." Ubisoft has yet to respond to the lawsuit.
Manhattanites pay for the privilege of being too good to buy a Wii
Can't find a Wii or Wii Fit for home workouts?? Too good to bother haunting the shops in the hope that one turns up? You can always shell out for 'em on eBay, but why give some random dude the satisfaction? If you live in Manhattan, you've got another option: drop over a hundred bucks an hour to play a little Wii Sports.Quite a few trainers seem to be jumping on the Wii workout bandwagon, but we rarely get to see more than a vague estimate of the cost of the sessions. Dorothy Evans isn't shy about trumpeting her fees, however; if you want an hour with her, it's $110, and the NYC-based fitness maven is mixing Wii Sports (on a twenty-foot screen!) in with other activities, and she calls it a full-body workout. Maybe we should be playing harder.[Via Kombo]
Jinsei Game of Life pedometer makes you exercise to play
Directly rewarding efforts with results, now that's the way to get someone moving. As we've seen time and time again, providing a clear, undiluted motivator is a perfect way to make fitness a top priority in life, and that's exactly what Takara Tomy is hoping to achieve with its pocket-friendly Jinsei Game of Life pedometer. Essentially, this device is a portable version of the famed Game of Life board game, but users are purportedly not allowed to take a turn unless they take 300 steps first. Additionally, two players can take on one another via the "communication mode," but there's a good chance the most chiseled among you will take home the gold regardless of luck. Out this month in Japan for ¥3,675 ($34).[Via CScout Japan]
Wii jOG the stuff of our nightmares, just might work though
Are you tired of using videogames to relax? Do you wish you could come home after a hard day's slog at work and wear yourself out some more, before collapsing in a breathless, sweating heap? Then UK-based studio New Concept Gaming has the product for you! People, say "hello" to the Wii jOG. Essentially a pedometer that plugs in to the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, using the Wii jOG means that your in-game character can only move when you -- yes, you -- jog on the spot. So, if you want to avoid having Leon's neck chomped by a possessed Spanish villager, or wish to sprint across the Gerudo Desert, you're going to have to get your own legs moving. The device is apparently available now on the PlayStation 2, but will be heading Wiiwards later this year -- Play.com has the Wii edition listed for release on October 31st, along with a price tag of £34.99. That's fairly pricey if you ask us, but hey: this probably isn't the worst idea ever. In the two videos after the break, the developers explain how their device could stave off obesity in kids, which is at least an admirable aim. While you watch those, we're off to recline in our La-Z-Boys and munch some Krispy Kreme Bacon Cheeseburgers.
Watch this Active Life trailer from your desk chair
Commercials that show people having fun while playing the Wii are a dime a dozen, so this Active Life: Outdoor Challenge trailer doesn't score any points with us in terms of creativity. We also think the narrator sounds as excited for the game as she would about an enema (fake enthusiasm is fake), but that's neither here nor there. Yet the game itself -- dare we say it -- looks pretty interesting.Don't take "interesting" to mean "good," but we can't help but be intrigued by some of the activities and the use of the mat. Granted, the last thing we need is yet another peripheral in our households, which will probably be enough to keep us away from Active Life. If Nintendo doesn't have its Wii Fit stock act together by the fall, though, we wonder if people will turn to Active Life instead. Granted, this game won't have even half of the hype that surrounded Wii Fit, but the situation does present an opportunity for Namco Bandai. Who knows, families might even buy into the whole "working out together" angle.On the other hand, there's yet another obstacle in the way of Active Life. It looks to us at least that if you're going to go with a game with a mat, DDR would probably offer a better workout. But what do you lovely readers think? Does Active Life: Outdoor Challenge have a place in the current gaming market? Gallery: Active Life: Outdoor Challenge
Active Life screens for the whole family except Dad
Hey, don't feel too bad. Just because you haven't heard of Active Life: Outdoor Challenge is no reason to shed those tears. Wii Fit is great and all, but you need something more. Something to do with a big island of fun, apparently. With a bunch of games and a new mat, it's pretty obvious that peripheral-crazy Wii gamers will dig this latest installment into no holds barred gaming fun. It's your fun-loving responsibility to check out the new official gallery with the latest and greatest in Active Life images. Hit the link below for river-rafting, see-saws, and a traditional mine cart ride. Despite the notable lack of Short Round on this ride, the characters are stumpy enough to be somewhat passable. %Gallery-26977%[Via press release]
Promotional Consideration: Play to lose
As it did with My Word Coach, Ubisoft sees a lot of potential in My Weight Loss Coach (My Health Coach in Europe), putting enough money behind the nutrition and fitness trainer's marketing budget to support several print and television advertising campaigns worldwide. The publisher has timed the title's release and its promotional push perfectly, too, riding the exercise-game wave set in motion by Wii Fit.In this edition of Promotional Consideration, we look at several of those My Weight Loss Coach advertisements to pick out the goofy details and voice our trivial complaints. Eat a light lunch, run up a flight of steps, and meet us after the break for the ads!%Gallery-15787%
