Weekend Deals from the Digital Ether – July 30th, 2010 Edition
July 30, 2010 – 4:51 pm | View Comments

This week on the Digital Ether, we have a solid selection of deals for those looking for something new on their PC to play.  Whether it is something old, or something new, you should be …

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Home » Nintendo Wii

EA Sports Active Shows Off Its Equipment

Submitted by Joe Haygood on March 24, 2009 – 4:38 pmView Comments

Since the arrival of Wii Fit, Nintendo users have seen an onslaught of exercise games that take use of the accessory.  The biggest issue is that most of them tend to lack two huge components: presenation and actual workout value.  Wii Fit is great for stretching and relaxation, but after you get through the Yoga, there is not much else there.  Other games like Gold’s Gym Workout or Jillian Michaels Ultimate Fitness have a better workout style, but have horrible presentation values, giving players that the titles are there more for their name and not to help with losing weight.

Now comes the big coming out party for EA Sports Active, with these two videos, showing off the new resistance band and leg strap, that not only seem to give better feedback for users, but also lets Wii owners get into the workout game, without the necessity of the Balance Board, which is hard to find right now.  So far, EA Sports Active has been out there, but not much has been seen from the product until today.  I have had a lot of interest in EA Sports Active, because I wanted a good exercise game,where I did not need to use the overpriced scale, as I have issues with it being too sensitive.

Check out the videos, and let us know what you think of the new title.  So far, I am impressed with what is being shown off with the game.  Too bad it is not on the 360 of PC, as I would love to see the “Your Not Fat Anymore” achievement come across the screen.

  • As I've said on the podcast, I'm dying for a decent, real exercise game. If it can provide a varied workout that runs 20min start to finish with no interruptions, I'm in. If it's more dopey mini-games and overly chatty yoga poses with endless dialogue boxes, it's Wii Fit 2: Without the Charm.

    I have the balance board. I'd love to use it.

    Shame EA Active lacks the chic Nintendo Wii visual style. I'll take cute Miis-over-white over boring Sim avatars any day of the week.
  • Jordan_Snyder
    I don't understand wanting to have a game focused on exercising when you could just exercise for free. If I want a workout, I'd go to a gym, do some push-ups, run outside (or on a treadmill), etc. Seems like a gyp to me, but to each their own.
  • It is a simple reason. People are more inclined to workout if they have a buddy to work out with. Hard to believe but at one point, I was big into hitting the gym, and I was dedicated to it, because I have a friend of mine working out with me. We set up a workout schedule, and we were there to pick each other up when one of us felt like slacking off. When I moved, I lost my workout buddy and I fell out of working out within a month after moving.

    With an exercise game, you have a virtual workout friend that can keep you going and it makes you come back on a regular basis. This is the problem with Wii Fit. The game is not an exercise game, so there is no compelling reason to come back to it. With EA Sports Active, I think we are looking at the first exercise game that actually puts together a comprehensive resistance training game that will work you out. It also does it in a non-complicated manner and gives you true feedback via the resistance band and leg band.

    I am eager to give the game a shot. The paid online component bothers me a bit, but nowadays, game developers are always looking for a way to expand their balance sheets long after a game releases.
  • Looks alright, but the question is how durable is that band that comes with it? It certainly looks like it might provide a good workout.
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