Sunday, October 30

Making a Splash in the World of Exergaming!

a.k.a. the big (belly) flop!


I have been in the world of exergaming for a few years, and seen some "Big Splashes" on in the industry. Pretty much every single one of these has been quickly followed by the inevitable "sinking like a stone" without trace.

On the products side does anyone remember BodyPad? No? Let's try something more mainstream then, Fitbit, Nintendo's Vitality Sensor, Big Ben Cyberbike? All of these products have had a big money launches, lots of people jumping on the bandwagon in supporting the hype, but all have been forgotten as quickly as they were announced.

There are also consumer targeted games, mostly on the Wii platform, that have made the headlines, but failed to leave a subscript in the world of exergaming. In fact there are too many of these titles to mention, they come and go too often.

I must stand in defense of exergaming - these are not failed attempts at exergaming - these failed products represent failed attempts to make a quick buck. They miss the point; exergaming is all about sustainability, all about delivering the goods not the hype and everything to do with making a difference not a focus on making a steal.

Although it is disappointing to see this "easy and cheap" attitude, it does go to show that exergaming has a profile that's now being noticed by very many, and this in itself tells me that exergaming is here to stay! There are many examples of products and people that are genuine, put the effort in and have real worth. The world of exergaming is getting bigger and I'll not say "wait to see what comes next"; rather "wait to see what we can do more!".





Thursday, August 25

How to Fit Exercise into a Busy Schedule

"I don't have the time to exercise, I'm too busy"


Does this sound like you? Getting the time for exercise is next to impossible, some say. Where do you find an extra hour a day? If you look at exercise this way, chances are you won't find the time, but think differently.
"The question is not how to fit exercise into my busy schedule, BUT How can I make exercise part of my routine?"
Routine is important, its habit, it's sustainable, it's the comfort zone. Schedules infer lack of choice, time boxed activities, it's the obligation zone. If you have kids you'll know how important routines are; Your child needs a routine for comfort and you change your schedule around to suit THEM! Making sense? Hope so, (especially to parents!!) but what can you do to implement this missing aspect?


The very simplest way of doing this is to take the stairs, not the elevator or escalator. If you work in London, or another major city, you'll probably find taking the stairs is quicker than the queue for the escalator anyway! (Well, probably not at first, but you'll get there!).


That's not going to get you all the way to 60 minutes a day though, although it'll be the right intensity. Here's a tip, take a diary (journal) of all the "free" screen time you have. Be it playing video games, surfing the web, listening to songs on YouTube, checking your Facebook or reading Blogs. Is there any pattern? Chances are there is, and after a few weeks you should have an hour a day (including weekends), so let's use this.


I'm not suggesting you forgo your leisure time in favor of going to the gym or out running, that's changing your schedule, and that's a bad tactic. What I'm looking for you to do is change your routine - instead of having this time as sedentary, making the behavior change to Active Screen Time (AST).


If you spend a lot of time on the computer or internet, use the Gamercize PC-Sport to make this active time. Studies indicate this will improve your BMI and health with a more efficient cardio vascular system, i.e. you'll be fitter. If you play a lot of video games, change that journalled sedentary time with Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. We're not suggesting you change the game to a tedious exercise game, keep playing what YOU want to, Gamercize works online, offline with the games people play for entertainment.








Tuesday, August 23

Gamercize Research Information

Any time, any thing, any place - Gamercize delivers!


Here is the current list of Gamercize studies that have been published. You will notice there is no "back-page" to this publication, the reason being there is more to add!


I hope you can see that a sound concept leads to sound results! It should be recognized that it is the effectiveness and flexibility of the products that lead to these great results, if you have not experienced Gamercize, maybe it's time to put it to the test yourself!





Sunday, August 21

Getting the Team Spirit into Exergaming

Group exergaming in teams? Gamercize shows you how!


The video gaming world has progressed from the solitary player of the late 80's, "two player mode" was always the greatest form of gameplay. Now those days are gone, with "online mode" being king - or are they? Gamercize works with all games on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, in all modes of play, and an often overlooked mode of "Linked Play" has to be one of the best exergaming experiences, it's multiplayer in teams!


One of the main advantages of linked play in exergaming is that it's a safe and controllable environment for users such as schools and clubs. Linked play gives equal levels of engagement of online play, with the simplicity in technology of single player mode. It's like the racing video games you see in arcades, with four cars next to each other, everyone gets a screen but the play is linked in the game.


Here's what you need to get exergaming in linked mode, using the Xbox 360 as an example. First you'll need a suitable Gamercize setup, and double it. A good configuration is a screen, Xbox 360 and 2x Gamercize Pro-Sport Power Steppers. Now double that. Arrange the screens and stations back to back if possible. The advantage of linked play over two player (also known as co-op) mode is that the screen real estate is not split, and each screen is hidden from the other team!


You will also need two Xbox 360 titles that are compatible with "system link", one for each Xbox. The game needs to support this function and as with every Gamercize experience - the game is the most important factor, so spend some time to get this right and do a little research (for some ideas check out http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Xbox_System_Link_games). The Xbox uses the term "system link" for linked play, here's the symbol to look out for on the back of the box;




The last thing you'll need is a connection between the two Xbox'es. Some people call this a network cable, RJ45, Ethernet cable or patch cable. It's the type of cable that plugs into the back of your computer at work. There is a port for this on the back of the Xbox, which is normally used to plug into the network for online play, but using it to link two Xbox'es together doesn't need help from IT, doesn't need ports open on the firewall and presents no risk associated with "online chat" etc. Plug the same lead into both consoles. This is what the port looks like (highlighted in the red box below).




You are all set to go! Now you can play the same game on both stations, but linked! For the next part, playing the game, you will need the help of another person. Using the same title in each Xbox start stepping (or cycling if you are using the Gamercize Endurance Cycle) to activate the controllers. If you have not set up gamer profiles for you Xbox, do this now (yes, you have to keep stepping while you do this, it's exergaming!).


In the main game menu there will be an item similar to, if not actually reading as "linked play", sometimes this is a sub-menu under a main menu item of "multiplayer". With BOTH stations at this point in the game it will be possible to set up a game where both are playing against each other. 


There's often the chance to set up MORE than two stations in system link, this concept is readily seen in Major Leauge Gaming competitions, but we start to get a little more complicated as an eithernet hub is required. If you are interested in this option take a look at the Xbox knowledge base (and tell them Gamercize sent you!) http://support.xbox.com/en-us/pages/xbox-360/troubleshoot/kb/xbox-kb.aspx?kbid=910583 


A great title to try this with would be a soccer game. Both stations can have two players, creating a 2 on 2 scenario where tactics and co-operation are the ultimate winners of the competition. Games that also have "plays" that can be selected also work very well, with the added advantage that the opposing team can't see what play you have selected, just like real life!


If you do get stuck, go back to basics, make sure you have the connections right and get some teenagers to figure it out for you! Have fun, keep fit and enjoy! 
   





Wednesday, August 17

Gamercize in Hong Kong

Gamercize has Global Appeal

This week saw Gamercize featured in a TV show in Hong Kong as an intervention for a case of a sedentary lifestyle. The experience of HKU was explained as "wow factor". See the video below.



Videos and content to keep you up to date with Gamercize are available on our Facebook page here. Hope you Like it! 




Friday, August 12

Active Gaming for the Girls

London's Girls get Exergaming!

When you think about Active Gaming (AG) you may be thinking about images of Wii Bowling in retirement accommodations, or maybe mom’s keeping up with a Jillian Micheal's fitness regime after the kids have left for school. Another perception you may have comes from the “gaming” aspect of AG, which gives the impression that it’s more of a “boy’s” activity. In my experience with my company Gamercize, I’ve found this is far from the case. Active Gaming is much more than this, and has a much wider appeal, global appeal in fact.

My company, Gamercize, works with many different types of active gaming users, including teachers and schools, and providers products and services to help every person be more active by changing sedentary screen time into active screen time.

One service we provide is a PE Teacher familiarization and training day, to bring PE and technology together, almost like a hands-on “Show and Tell”. These days are a great way to give us a chance to test out the reactions to different types of games, reaching out to new demographics, and acquire useful feedback from students. One event that appeared to offer different challenges was for a girl’s school. We took along a good selection of games, finding the Xbox 360 offered more variety than the PlayStation 3, that has predominately shooting or racing games. The fun part about the equipment we used was any game would work, the active part of the active gaming being to keep stepping to play.

The XBox 360 video game console supports 4 players, although most readily available and popular games available for them support two players per console. There are options for up to 16 players “linked” and countless social interactions available with online play. The cost per station is far more attractive for multiple players per console and the offline play mode makes it much easier for the teacher to be in control of the session without outside influence.

In the UK the adherence for girls in PE is generally lower than for boys, especially at the age range we had at this school, the teens. Some problems have been recognised and addressed, for example not mandating gym skirts and allowing sweat pants or shorts not appropriate for PE wear, but this group remains the most difficult to keep engaged in class. It’s difficult for teachers to keep to curriculum and progress the children if they only sporadically attend class; I was given the job of working out how to engage them more.

The easiest games to engage boys with are sports games, would the same be true for girls? Sports worked well, but it was clear the girls wanted more variety, so to engage the whole class we had to do a lot more. After changing games on the consoles a couple of times we settled into three different genres on all three consoles. Sports was still popular, fantasy racing won out over pure racing simulation and the last genre turned out best; fantasy adventure. This kept the whole class active and happy, and pleasantly surprised as they were expecting traditional gym work for the lesson, not active gaming!

What surprised me was about half the 16 year old’s in class had arrived not intending to take part in the expected gym class, with parental notes and the old “forgotten kit” excuses. I did wonder how many would have skipped PE had they known Gamercize would be there? From the feedback we had, the girls who were not planning to engage in the class appeared more keen on the active gaming class, with many asking if the equipment would be available next week.

One group that knew active gaming was coming to school was the teachers. After running the classes it is normal to use the equipment as an “ice-breaker” with the teachers and to wind down before reflecting on the lessons learned from the day’s classes. It was long past time to pack up and get on the road, but the competitive nature of PE teachers was overriding the message from the school clock. Of course do-overs were the order of the day as we battled it out with Super Monkey Ball Grand Prix.

The only other time you will see engagement over such wide demographics is with traditional sedentary video games. Although technology is not normally associated with the Physical Education department, the active version of video games looks very promising for attendance rates. The teachers certainly saw the appeal, which is always more conducive in a hands-on environment when the reactions of students can be seen first hand and the equipment tried out by all ages.

This post originally appeared on PE Central's Active Gaming blog at - http://pecactivegaming.blogspot.com/2011/08/active-gamings-global-appeal.html




Wednesday, August 10

The Power of Video Games (for Exergamers)


Exergaming is Driven by Gaming


This is a post that has been long overdue! As I write this I am sitting with my kids (see pic from six years ago!) who have got me crawling, not the walls, but the floor to plug in our original Xbox. They have loaded a save game from 2004 and are playing with an "ancient" Gamercize for Xbox!

Recently I saw a re-post of an article (that's not worthy of a link, sorry) claiming to be "everything you need to know about exergaming". Sadly this promising title leaves a lot to be desired and represents a terrible view of exergaming. Why is it so bad? It has a common attitude, even shared by a fair few exergame advocates - those that don't understand and have never experienced "The power of video games" - that exergaming is great (but we don't know why).

There is one aspect of exergaming that sets it aside from traditional physical activity and fitness options, and that is THE VIDEO GAME! The whole reason that (good) exergames are successful is that they tap into the engagement, sustainability and enjoyment of a past time that can keep anybody playing for hours! It's time to refocus on the basic principle that makes exergaming what it is - video games.

Video games now with the latest Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 consoles have two basic modes. I will make no apology for going back to basics. The first mode is offline, or story mode, where a player progresses through a what is in effect an "interactive movie". The game play can last for between three and over a hundred hours (Blue Dragon on 306!). Game play is preserved by saving the game and typically as you progress through the story, your symbiotic in-game character improves and gains new skills.

It's this progression, the sense of achievement, options for personalisation that leads to an attachment with the video game. The basics of video gaming are very simple, but in reality it takes tens of millions of dollars to make a global best seller. There is all this going for a video game, but what happens when you reach "the last boss" / "final challenge" / "finale"? In short, the player becomes bored with the game, and it's appeal is lost. This is the reason why there are always new games out each month, it's a concept called "attach rate", meaning the number fo games per console per year.

One major misconception I see from a few exergame advocates and a lot of main steam media is to take an exergame in isolation. Attach rate statistics show the appeal of a game can last a couple of months at best. Is that enough time to change a lifestyle with exergaming? Maybe not, so sustainability (changing the game) needs to be a huge consideration when using exergaming as an intervention. Give it six months and that's where you'll see some amazing health benefits that traditional activity would be hard to match, especially when considering seasonal changes for outdoor exercise.

Video gaming has progressed beyond the solitary play stereotype into a whole new world, and the second major mode of games today - the online mode. The PlayStation Network (when it's up) and Xbox Live provide a transport mechanism for the most engaging for of gaming. While solo play may engage players for a couple of months, online play has the ability to engage players for 12 months or more.

Halo and Call of Duty (both compatible with Gamercize online or offline) are classic examples of video games that have relativity short story modes, but almost unlimited appeal when played online. The social aspects of online play are compelling for the human species. There is of course progression, but this is largely cosmetic, in terms of new kit, and almost never functional. Everyone has the same chance to achieve, depending on skill.

There's the catch for online gaming. It's one thing to beat a pre-programmed story, but another thing to compete and socialize with people from all over the world - and win! Getting to this level takes time and lots of practice (all of which is active time with Gamercize) but is more rewarding than, say, soccer practice compared with an actual match.

The true benefit of exergaming is the video game. If you've never experienced the "3 yard stare", it's unlikely you'll be able to fully appreciate this and the power of exergames. My advice would be to get online and get gaming with a genre that appeals to you (and don't forget to add Gamercize to the mix and keep healthy too!).




Tuesday, June 7

Active Gaming Research Projects

Gamercize Proving the Case for Exergaming!
Gamercize gives wold wide support to graduates and undergraduates looking to research exergaming
.
If you are an undergrad looking for a project idea for your dissertation or a researcher looking to break new ground with the best active gaming has to offer then take a look at our Research Questions.

This is a list of the projects that have been completed using Gamercize equipment by various organisations;

.

Research ProjectProduct UsedOutcomeResearcherYear

.

Observe the free choice of 7-11 year olds between exergaming and exercise to evaluate the engagement of physical activity interventionsGamercize GZ Kids-Sport Stepper and CycleGamercize showed six times more engaging than exerciseFPLC (Published in Future Fitness)2007

.

Using emoticons (X Y Z) ask school children if they enjoyed Gamercize as a PE ClassGamercize GZ Sport Stepper95% Of 130 children enjoyed Gamercize in PEGamercize (Shown on BBC News)2008

.

Compare the difference in experience of exergames by giving children 10 mins on each exergame and asking them to choose a favoriteGamercize GZ Kids-Sport Stepper and CycleGamercize was chosen 2:1 over the next best exergameGPS (not published)2008

.

Post-intervention interviews on 11-12 year old attitudes to physical activity Gamercize GZ Sport Cycles90% Of 50 children wanted to use Gamercize for exerciseUniversity of Cumbria, Tyson J2009

.

What are the fitness benefits of using Gamercize PC-Sport under desk stepper over 12 weeks, self-studyGamercize PC-SportImprovement in RHR and reduction in BMI, 1 hour per day recommendationUniversity of South Florida, Runjaic I2010

.

Comparison of physical activity levels in children between Recess activity and Gamercize activityGamercize Pro-SportSustainable PA observed (note similar Wii study showed no sustainability)University of Coventry, Duncan M (Reported EGOC)2011

There are many research questions that still need to be answered, and this is a top list of study designs that Gamercize would be interested in seeing the results. There is a list of our "Research Questions" here.




Saturday, May 28

Gamercize at Games for Health 2011

Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360 Lights up GFH

I have been to the Games for Health conference before and the return to Boston was always going to promise something special. After the school and PE focus of national AAHPERD in San Diego a month earlier, this conference takes out the teachers and replaces them with academics.

I attended to support Gamercize primarily, which was exhibited at the conference by Motion Fitness in the Exergaming Tent. Gamercize was more than a product on show, however, with many of the presentations using the equipment as an example of exergaming.

One of the most notable mentions of Gamercize was from President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports, Shellie Pfohl. You may have remembered my post on her visit to the University of South Florida's active gaming labs, with thanks to, and run by Lisa Witherspoon (http://gamercize.blogspot.com/2010/11/healthy-people-of-tomorrow-play-video.html)

In Shellie's presentation she talked passionately about exergaming as a motivator to health and fitness, making an example of the Gamercize Power Stepper used with Toy Story 3 there, saying "I experienced it, I witnessed it and I thought it was pretty cool." I would agree with her that in the hands on consumers en-mass, there would be some positive results.

Meanwhile, back in the Exergaming tent I was introduced to officials of the National Active Gaming League (NAGL), a brainchild of Dr Ernie Medina. It did not take much introduction before the game was on!

At Games for Health we had the advantage of the new Afterglow controllers for Xbox 360 used with our Gamercize equipment. These definitely add another dimension to the experience of playing real video games with real exercise!

As for the score in the FIFA match I played... No comment!

My schedule in the US has been hectic but enjoyable over the last two and a half years, with visits to many US cities and I'm happy with what we have done over there. There are emerging markets in Asia, Europe and the Middle East which will benefit from my experience stateside, which is where my focus moves now having built the presence required to keep Gamercize rocking in the Land of the Free!





Thursday, March 24

Exergaming putting PE in the news (Video)

Gamercize in Tampa, helping kids get active!

Children are supposed to get 60 minutes of exercise a day, and that's often not happening. With child obesity rates rising and kids interest in physical education dropping, educators are constantly trying to craft new and exciting ways to get kids pumped about fitness.

Lisa Hansen is leading the way with research and practical application of exergaming in schools. The USF Research Labs are showing that technology and PE can co-exist with results that the kids love!





Saturday, March 19

Gamercize - The Story So Far

Check out this video to look back at the Gamercize story over the last five years!


The first five years of Gamercize active gaming has delivered real exercise to work with real games.

Patented technology provides the immersion of the very best gaming has to offer, with genuine heart pumping workouts at a level you choose. There is no finer exergame for the millions of true gamers playing the latest games co-op, solo and online. If you want to know what we have for 2011, click here:http://www.gamercizeshop.com

Gamercize - Reach the Next Level - http://www.gamercize.net




Tuesday, February 22

Active Gaming meets PE in Greensboro


What did we LEARN from Southern District NC AAHPERD?


Active Gaming (or exergaming) is basically technology meeting physical activity. Which is a good thing, unless you're a PE teacher!

Exergaming is not bad for PE, but the way it is portrayed is poor in the eyes of the quality PE professional. Physical activity, for a start, is the age old nemesis that devalues PE from a taught subject to an organized recess. This message towards schools needs to change from exergaming, and the game changers where in Greensboro to do just that!

The representation of Kymm Ballard from SPARK at the recent AAHPERD conference brought good focus to the exergaming world as to what PE really is. Setting out a curric
ulum of physical learning, and using the skills of the teacher and the resources available to meet objectives is key. PE Students should come out of a class having learned something, and understood they have learned it too!

I chose this slide out of all others from Lisa Hansen's presentation on Active Gaming because it illustrates the reaction to a poor exergaming message.

If exergaming can't speak the same language as PE or share objectives, then the old mistakes will be repeated and we will all have let the kids down.

The presentation was about technology, and asked some core questions about not just active gaming but about quality PE. The focus was learning. One demonstration held for the presentation was how an exergame, Gamercize specifically, can be applied by teachers as a tool to make learning fun! We showed how you can teach soccer tactics, and yes, the kids break a sweat while learning so!

So what did we learn from NC AAHPERD - Exergaming can be an appropriate tool to make teaching PE easier in certain respects, certainly more engaging for the hard-to-reach student, but we also learned that exergaming needs to fit in with PE, not the other way round!






Sunday, February 20

Gamercize School Handbook

Your Guide to Implementing Active Gaming Technology in Schools

This handbook is for all teachers and principles looking for the practical side of technology for physically active learning, exergaming PE and using technology to improve physical activity uptake.




Friday, January 28

Gamercize in Active Gaming Schools


Welcome to Westminster Primary School, the first of five schools in a three year Westminster pilot study. This school is equipped with the Gamercize Kids-Sport for ages seven to eleven. When the kids are stepping their controller lights up and they can play normal video games, if they stop exercise the controller is disabled and the game pauses. They have to start stepping again to play. This is great visual feedback of the Gamercize interaction that keeps kids moving!



We are now at Westminster Academy in London, the second school of the Westminster Project, for the older children aged eleven to sixteen. We are looking at the positive effects Gamercize has on engaging the children in exercise to provide not only physical activity minutes, but to also improve learning and skill development. The equipment being used here is the award winning Gamercize Pro-Sport. These children are using their Gamercize Power Steppers to keep the controllers lit, so they can play great games on PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.



There is a wide variety of age-appropriate games for the kids to use and keep them entertained while they meet health, fitness and cognitive objectives. Student mentors help get the younger kids started, but the appeal of Gamercize is wide enough, even the teachers are immersed in active gaming.



To find out why Gamercize has been voted by the public as Best PE Exergame Of the Year and to browse the range of home , work and school equipment, see our website http://www.gamercize.net




Friday, January 21

Gamercize Voted Best Physical Education Exergame of 2010


The Gamercize Pro-Sport active gaming accessory as been chosen “Best Physical Education Exergame” by public vote in The Exergame Network Awards. Gamercize was nominated in four other categories, also being voted “Best Competition Exergame”.

The Exergame Network (TEN) held the first ever public voting for awards relating to active video games with results announced this week. Of the fifteen award categories, Gamercize products were nominated for Best Physical Education Exergame, Best Competition Exergame, Best Group Exergame and Best Brain (Training) Exergame.

The Gamercize Pro-Sport range, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Nintendo Wii was the public choice for Best Physical Education and Best Competition Exergame of 2010. The international awards reflect public recognition of Gamercize used in schools around the world, available to educators with distribution hubs in America, Middle East, Asia and Europe.



“The nominations and awards mean a lot to Gamercize, and are testament to the hard work everyone has put into the company, our partners and distributors over the last five years. The awards mean a great deal to me personally being public votes, my goal is to make a difference to the young people of today and help them lead a healthy life rather than be an obesity statistic. I think we’ve demonstrated we can achieve this goal, and the recognition through these awards will encourage us to keep expanding the benefits of Gamercize to more and more children. Thank you to everyone who voted for us!” says Gamercize Founder and CEO Richard Coshott



The effectiveness of Gamercize in schools that these awards recognise is currently being tested in the biggest pilot of its kind in schools in Westminster, London. The project measures health, fitness and cognitive outcomes from getting kids active with Gamercize, covering five schools over three years in partnership with top industry consultants such as, Dr Ernie Medina, Stephen Yang and Judy Shasek under the lead of Dr Michael Duncan.



Results in real world operation from the Westminster Project are expected to ratify research study results that have proven Gamercize as effective in terms of both energy expenditure and sustainability for health impact.



For more information on Gamercize for schools, see the official Gamercize websitehttp://www.gamercize.net and order from your local distributor or directly from the webshop athttp://www.gamercizeshop.com



# # #

Gamercize, the company behind world-wide patented exergaming accessories for PC, Xbox 360, PlayStation3, Wii, PS2, Xbox and Gamecube. Products encourage exercise motivation by making fitness fun for schools, home and office. See http://www.gamercize.net




Monday, January 17

Kinect Wins Top International Exergaming Award


Microsoft Kinect has been awarded the top accolade by public vote in The Exergame Network Awards 2010. Fifteen categories covered the new generation of Active Video Games with nominations from industry experts and public votes from around the world.



In the category for Best Home Exergame of 2010, Microsoft’s Kinect Sports has taken the honours with the majority of the public vote. Nintendo Wii Fit and Sports achieved significant victories in awards for older exergamers and rehabilitation.



”The inaugural TEN Awards is a significant initiative to raise public awareness of the commercial grade Exergaming solutions available world wide and to honour the key pioneering manufacturers in this exciting health and fitness genre” says Brett Young, founding member of The Exergame Network and CEO of Exergaming Australia.



The full results of The Exergame Network Awards 2010 are as follows;

- Best Children's Exergame - WINNER: Dance Dance Revolution Disney Grooves by Konami

- Best Physical Education Exergame - WINNER: Gamercize Pro-Sport for Wii

- Best Seniors Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports Bowling

- Best Accessibility Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports

- Best Home Dance Exergame - WINNER: Konami DDR

- Best Commercial Grade Dance Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Exergame Fitness Avatar - WINNER: Wii Yoga

- Best Rehabilitation Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus

- Best Group Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Gateway Exergame - WINNER: Nintendo Wii Sports

- Best Competition Exergame - WINNER: Gamercize Pro-Sport for Xbox 360

- Best Brain Exergame - WINNER: NeuroActive BrainBike

- Best Music in an Exergame - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Commercial Exergame 2010 - WINNER: Positive Gaming iDANCE2

- Best Home Exergame 2010 - WINNER: Microsoft Kinect Sports



”The first ever TEN Awards is a great step in helping both consumers and healthcare professionals know where to start when trying to select (or recommend) an exergame for their particular need. The voting was from a wide array of exergaming enthusiasts from around the globe. I believe this is a great start and hope that this will encourage game developers and exergaming manufacturers to continue to produce great products and raise the field of exergaming” says Dr. Ernie Medina, Jr., DrPH, founding member of The Exergame Network, CEO of MedPlay Technologies, and the “Exergaming Evangelist/Interventionist”.



The full nominations and results are available on The Exergame Network website at http://www.exergamenetwork.org/ and an analysis of the voting data will be provided later this year through TEN member and Co-Director of the USF Active Gaming Labs, Dr Lisa Hansen. The Exergame Network can be joined or contacted via LinkedIn, Facebook, Wiki, Twitter or by email at info@exergamenetwork.org