E3 Exergaming
E3 2004
By Steve Fulton
(Originally published on Gamerdad.com)
Exercise and gaming.
Ever since Nolan Bushnell introduced the first arcade dance-game through
Bally/Sente in 1987, the very idea of getting exercise while playing video
games has enthralled people like myself, who get bored after 30 seconds on an
exercise bike, and can’t get to the gym on any consistent basis, yet could play
video games all-day everyday.
While there have been dance pads, and other devices that
have incorporated exercise and gaming in the past, E3 this year seemed to take
this niche to another level. One huge
segment that I glossed-over, and wish I had not, were “drum” games like Donkey
Konga. Since these games only use a drum
as a controller, and don’t force players to move their fat behinds, I did not
include them here, but rest assured, exercise can ber obtained fro, those
devices, as well as the following ones.
Eye Toy
First off, The Eye Toy exploded into E3 this year. While just a foot note in 2003, in 2004 the
Eye Toy composed of a huge booth with giant screens, and several new
games. While the Eye Toy is not
technically used for Exergaming, the sum result of playing it a lot of fun and
a lot of sweat. This year, several new
games were shown. “Groove”, the Eye Toy
dance game that is currently available was shown prominently at the Sony Booth,
along-side “Antigrav”, a futuristic boarding game that, unlike other Eye Toy
games, does not show the user on the
screen, but instead uses their movements to control an on-screen character. Besides “Antigrav”, Sony was showcasing EA’s Harry Potter And The
Prisoner Of Azkaban”, which will allows EyeToy owner to compete in Mini games
based on the Harry Potter novel, while not strictly requiring the device to
play the game. Finally, Seag was showing
Sega Superstars, another collections of min games featuring Sega
characters. All in all, The Eye Toy
seemed like the “big winner” in this small category.
The Kilowatt from Powergrid is a new type of Exergaming
device. It hooks up to almost any modern
console (including a PS1) as the game controller.
The device forces users to exert pressure in one direction,
or another to control certain aspects of nearly any game. It measures the force you exert in any
direction, and claims to build muscle through static-contraction (force against
an immovable object), or in other words: resistance. While trying this device, I was struck by
how comfortable it was to use. The movement
seemed natural, and after just a few minutes, my muscles began to feel the
strain. Concentrating on the game while
using the device is not a problem at all, because the device feels like part of
the game itself. The Kilowatt is not
available yet, but can be pre-ordered now at their website www.pwrgrid.com. The retail price seems a bit steep ($699),
but if it performs as advertised, it could be worth every penny.
The Cateye looks like a standard exercise bike that hooks
into a PS1 Or PS2. It is usable mostly
with speed-related games, like racing and off-road races. The faster you pedal, the faster you go in
any of the compatible contests. The
handle-bars control side-to-side movement, and a full PSX controller is
included for any extra-controls. The
bike is comfortable to ride, and concentrating on the game while riding was not
very difficult. It takes some time to
relate pedaling the bike to speed in the game, but steering was no problem at
all. However, some games will be
frustrating to play. A game like ATV Off
Road Fury, seemingly works well, until you go over a jump. You will instinctively try to pull-back on
the handle-bars simulate the downward pull of the an analog control-stick. The problem is, the Cateye does not support
this action, and you will end-up popping useless wheelies on a your new
stationary bike. You can augment your
control of any game with the included controller, but it’s awkward, and has the
added effect of ripping you out of the biking experience Still, at $349, The Cateye will provide a
nice aerobic workout, and if you can find a good game that does not require,
forward or backward movement of and analog stick, it could be a great
choice. If Cat Eye Fitness include a
forward and backward function in their next version of this product, it could
easily be the perfect Exergaming device for both performance and price. You can check out the Cateye here: http://www.cateyefitness.com/GameBike.htm
For smaller and cheaper contests SDW Games was offering
Virtual Boxing, Virtual Tennis, Virtual Ping Pong and Dancing Expert.
All of these games work with dedicated “consoles” like the type Jakks Pacific has been selling for the past couple years filled with Atari and Activision classic game ports. They are battery operated, and connect directly to the TV. The Tennis and boxing games looked fun, but rather hard to play. The 8-bit graphics did not blow-me-way, but then that is not their purpose. These games are designed for the casual player who wants to get a bit of exercise with a single game. Newer 16-bit versions of the games are available with much better graphics, and game play. While not as robust as the Cate Eye or Kilowatt, these devices are much cheaper and could prove better for anyone who hates riding a bike, or does not have the space for an exercise machine. Currently these games do not have any mass distribution in the USA, but if you are interested, you can visit their web site: http://www.sdwgames.com/web/index.html
So if you are looking to get some exercise with your gaming,
what should you do? If you have a PS2,
the most compelling choice right now is
still the Eye Toy. Great games will be
released this year for it, and it’s relatively cheap ($50). However, if you are looking for a more robust
workout, and think a full-fledged piece of exercise equipment will suit your
needs, the new machines from Cat Eye and Power Grid are very attractive. Neither may be perfect, but their benefits
your health and well-being may out-weight any negatives thoughts you might have
about them. If you don’t own any console
at all, or wantto buy a cheap, fun gift for a friend or relative that they can
really get some benefit from, be sure to check out the offerings from SDW. The point is, any of the products mentioned are bound to help you in some way (however, be sure to
check with your doctor before using any of these devices). You will get to play games, and get a
workout at the same time. Where is the
downside?
Kid Factor
Kids will probably not be able to use the Cat Eye, as most
stationary bikes are too large for anyone under the age of 8 years old. However, all of the other products, including
the Kilowatt, should be usable by kids and adults of all ages. Again, be sure to check with your doctor
before using any of these products.
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