arts & entertainment
Video Games
Getting
in the game
Active video games are all the rage
By Scott Steinberg
STOP SITTING THERE twiddling your
thumbs, and start getting in the game. Thanks
to motion-sensing “active” titles—digital
diversions designed to get the entire family up
and moving—physical activity is rapidly
becoming the future of play.
Courtesy of cutting-edge outings such as
Wii Sports Resort, All Star Cheer Squad 2 and
DJ Hero, fans of all ages are rediscovering the
joy of interactive entertainment. Nearly seven
in 10 households now play PC or video games,
enthusiasts are 35 years old on average and
women represent a whopping 40 percent of
the joystick-loving population, according to
the Entertainment Software Association.
“These types of video games are a lot
easier to get into [than traditional titles],”
explains George Jones, editorial director for
GamePro Media, which publishes GamePro,
one of the world’s bestselling game magazines,
and a number of online publications. “The
notion that you can actually play a plastic guitar or swing a virtual baseball bat is just more
visceral and engaging. But the great part is
that it’s even more fun to do so with friends
who wouldn’t necessarily call themselves
‘gamers.’ Suddenly, it feels like family board-game night all over again.”
Clearly, it’s a concept that resonates
strongly with everyone, as evidenced by the
success of Nintendo’s Wii system, which has
sold more than 52 million copies worldwide.
The first-of-its-kind console, which features
custom movement-tracking controls, has
become a global sensation, popping up everywhere from Westin hotels to Princess Cruises
and even nursing homes. It’s also prompted
renewed global interest in health and physical
fitness, courtesy of bestselling high-tech
workouts Wii Fit Plus, Ubisoft’s Your Shape
COURTESY OF MAJESCO
Today’s video games are not just for
couch potatoes. Active games lead
players through routines such as yoga
and exercise.
and uses the player’s own body as a controller.
It’s expected late in 2010.
Still, with countless innovative offerings,
from the plastic-skateboard-equipped Tony
Hawk: Ride to the full-size musical-instru-ment-packing The Beatles: Rock Band, experts
say the sky’s the limit.
“It’s exciting because active titles open
entirely new avenues for games and game
designers to explore,” says Musgrove. “Because
of this, we’re constantly discovering new ways
to play … and ones that the entire family can
enjoy.” C
The Costco Connection
Costco offers a variety of video games and
consoles in the warehouses and at Costco.
com. Quantities are limited in some cases.
and EA Sports Active, plus unique peripherals,
including balance boards, cameras and vitality sensors.
“Technology has finally caught up to our
imagination,” explains celebrity trainer Jillian
Michaels, whose own Fitness Ultimatum 2009
brought the thrill of computerized cardio and
strength-building routines to more than
600,000 individuals. “Now you’re really playing football with John Madden, golfing with
Tiger Woods or working out with me. In the
future, anything will be possible using these
games, from training for Olympic sports to
undergoing physical rehabilitation.”
COURTESY OF NINTENDO
So why the sudden surge of interest in literally going hands-on with games? After all,
decades before titles such as Dance Dance
Revolution or Rock Band popularized active
play, late-’80s accessories such as the NES
Power Pad floor mat and Power Glove controller were already living room fixtures.
“It’s a question of implementation,”
responds Mike Musgrove, consumer tech
reporter for The Washington Post. “So often,
ideas that sound good on paper are tough to
execute from a technical standpoint. The Wii
succeeded because it really works as advertised, and, more important, the system’s interface is intuitive and easy to learn.”
At the very least, the category is proving
fertile ground for game designers’ imaginations. You’ll find active games for every system
from the PlayStation 3 (EyePet) to Xbox 360
(Lips: Number One Hits) and even handheld
devices such as the DSi (Personal Trainer:
Walking). The PS3’s SIXAXIS controller can be
tilted to steer cars or spaceships, while
Nintendo’s Wii MotionPlus add-on lets you
fish or shoot arrows with a flick of the wrist.
In 2010 Sony plans to release a motion-sensing wand that will be compatible with its
PlayStation Eye camera and capable of doubling as a sword or tennis racquet. But it’s
Microsoft that may surprise most with its
upcoming Project Natal, a 3-D camera-based
interface that eliminates the game pad entirely
NOVEMBER 2009 The Costco Connection 55
Get Rich Playing Games author and TV/
radio host Scott Steinberg covers entertainment and technology at
www.thevideogame
expert.com.
