Experts Rate “Exergames” for Consumers

The Exergame Network has been busy rating exergames (via http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/2010/09/experts-rate-exergames-for-consumers.html). Gamercize isn't rated in this batch, but I say - bring it on, we've got the "A" game(s)!!!


Exergaming (Active Gaming) combines video games and exercise to provide a physically challenging but enjoyable experience. Traditionally, laboratory tests have been used to determine exertion levels and mainstream journalists review and rate a game’s game-play.

The Exergame Network (TEN) has created a next generation rating system which is ready for world wide release. TEN’s ratings system evaluates the holistic experience of an exergame in it’s Exergaming Experience Rating System (EERS)

TEN is a non-affliated, non-profit games for health exergaming advocacy. Its website portal is http://www.exergamenetwork.org/. TEN represents an international collaboration of dedicated health and fitness practitioners, exergame developers, researchers and clinicians, wellness entrepreneurs, all devoted to promoting an active and healthy lifestyle through exergaming.

The peer-reviewed EERS results have been compiled by a panel of world renowned exergaming experts. The system used to rate the exergame experience has taken a collaboration of over 12 months, driven by the previous lack of real world consumer information into the genre.

Exergames are not only scored on exercise and game play, including the physical interface between the two, but also on the interaction of seven further attributes including sustainability and intervention capacity. Six popular video games with an exercise component have been scored in the first results, including Wii Fit, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), Eyetoy Kinetic, Wii Sports, EA Sports Active and Rockband.

"With so many different games available on the market, a rating system for exergames like the EERS by TEN, is a welcome tool for healthcare practitioners trying to help their patients make the most appropriate choices for their families." says TEN contributor Dr Ernie Medina of MedPlay Technologies LLC.

The highest rated exergame, so far, is Dance Dance Revolution (DDR), which scored 63% with the popular Wii Fit making a mid-table position with 57%. TEN has a resource of over 40 exergames listed that will be peer-reviewed and rated over the next 12 months.

"The EERS results compliment the research work being done in the Exergame Lab at SUNY Cortland. While there is no substitute for scientific research in PE, the thorough rating system is extremely useful to consumers when looking at which product to purchase." says TEN contributor and exergame expert Stephen Yang.

The full Ratings table can be viewed at the TEN Blogsite http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/p/exergame-experience-rating-system.html and the resource of exergames at http://exergamenetwork.blogspot.com/p/exergame-products.html The Exergame Network can be joined or contacted via LinkedIn, Facebook, Wiki, Twitter or by email at info@exergamenetwork.org

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How do you rate exergaming?

Active games have a fun element, but that depends on what you call fun.



You may think that all exergames or active games are pretty much the same. You put a disc in your console and off you go, happy, busy, good. Well, it's not quite that simple. There are different types of exergames, and within these types there's quality and disasters.


I like to think this time in exergaming's history has similarities with the great Video Games Crash of the early 80's. I have always approached exergaming from the gaming rather than exercise perspective (which is a minority viewpoint in the fraternity) but time will tell if who has the right end of the stick and who has ... well, the other end.

Back in the 80's the popularity of videogaming went mainstream and floods of really poor quality games that went unsold. The consumers lost confidence and held back on all purchases, bringing the video game industry to it's knees. I don't think exergaming will go through a period as bad as this, but I can foresee similar times ahead.

The most obvious exergaming genre is the fitness "game", the types like Wii Fit, EA SPORTS Active and all the other similar themed titles that replicate exercise via your console. I have my own views from a gamer's perspective that these titles are just too dull to warrant any of my active screen time, but that's the point, some people like them, some don't. Personally I'd take Gamercize and Call of Duty over simulated running round a track any day. However, as fitness themed games go, there's a lot titles in that genre and a lot of variance in quality.

In the fitness game genre, take two examples to prove the point on quality. Both EA SPORTS Active and Jillian Michael's Fitness Ultimatum have somewhere approaching 500 reviews each on Amazon.com, but EA gets well almost 300 five star reviews, while the Ultimatum is given a similar amount of one star reviews. One game will get you fit the other will disappoint and demotivate you. You can see there's two aspects at play here as to if an exergame will work for you:

• Is it the type of game that you're interested in?
• Is the actual title a good game of that genre?

Good questions, but as yet no answers, UNTIL you part with your hard earned cash and take a gamble. We live in a different world of collaboration and information these days from the 80's when word of mouth was the communication method that unseated many poor video games. We should be better at avoiding mistakes.

Communication and collaboration for exergaming is working right now, to try and answers the questions of features, attributes and experience that'll make video game exercise work for you. The collaboration comes from a group of industry experts, researchers, supporters, users and observers from a LinkedIn group that closely resembles an anarchic collective.

In this group we're working on a model for an exergaming rating system - you can see what we have so far on the wiki site that's been put up. We've had a go at rating Wii Sports, Wii Fit and Konami's console DDR for now, just to test the rating system. There's a lot of work going on by good people, donating time and effort freely, so I expect this system will not only be pretty good - but also unbiased and consumer focused.

If you think you can help us with this, from a standpoint of professional or wide personal experience, then jump on the LinkedIn group, maybe even one of the skype calls (next on Saturday 12th @ 5PM ET). Let's not make the same mistakes with exergaming that were made with videogames in the 80s. After all, back then it was a but of fun at stake, with exergaming it's the future health of ourselves and our children.

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More to Come from the Calorie Burn Benefits of Exergaming

Wii and DDR show the trend!

It's good to see the recognition that DDR has given exergaming in the raising of awareness that active video games can burn calories. BUT, there is more to come.

As you can see from the chart Nintendo Wii and DDR (Dance Mat) are indeed good exercise, something that we published in 2006, so it's not really news to us. What I'm waiting for is the researchers to pick up on Gamercize, with it's whopping calorie burn of over three times Nintendo Wii.

But that's not the full story, Gamercize is configurable, so if you can't kick out 650+ calories per hour, then you can tune it to your level. In the case of the Power Stepper you can bring back the effort to DDR levels, and with the Endurance Cycle, back down to Wii/Eyetoy levels.

It's important that you (or your personal trainer) sets the level of effort required, because everyone is different, and everyone should be allowed to achieve at their current ability and given the chance to improve.

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Can games like 'Wii Fit' really work it?

The games that work best will be the ones that are the most fun!

Stephen Yang as contacted by Kim Painter, Senior Health Columnist for USA Today, for comments on how effective exergames are for cardiovascular benefits and overall health. He had a great discussion and here is the article that was just posted online today.

But games that are more demanding, more interactive or both are on the way or already available, says Stephen Yang, assistant professor of physical education at the State University of New York-Cortland. For addictive, calorie-burning fun, Yang recommends Eye Toy Kinetic (for PlayStation2), a workout game that points a camera at the user to track movements and provide instant feedback.

He also likes tween favorite Dance Dance Revolution (for various game systems), which is not marketed as an exercise game but fits the bill. And he directs parents to Gamercize, a British import that connects to any video game system — and keeps it running only as long as the user keeps moving on a mini-bike or step machine.

The future will bring games that track heart rates and keep exercisers working at a challenging but safe pace, he says. Virtual group workouts, with participants connected online to a live coach, will happen, too, he says.

But the games that work best, Yang says, will be the ones that are the most fun.

via Exergame Lab @ SUNY Corland - http://exergamelab.blogspot.com/2009/03/can-games-like-wii-fit-really-work-it.html

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Wake up call for Change4Life

Anti-Video Game Campaign Unfairly Targets Industry

If you are going to spend millions of pounds in a massive awareness campign, you are bound to make a few mistakes. Websites, posters and radio adverts from Change4Life have labelled video gaming as a bad thing for your health. What about Gamercize, Wii, Eyetoy and DDR? It's unfair to depict gaming as a bad thing, there's even an organisation called Games For Health set up to facilitate the health and fitness promotion of gaming.

Lots of top companies have complained, but there seems no sign of recognition from the campaign that it got some facts wrong. This is taking away from the main message of Change4Life, which is to eat better and move more to improve health. If the words and letters are falling on deaf ears, let's explain it with pictures... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7r42VboHtg0

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Exertion Games

Exergaming's exercise component.

I believe that the effectiveness of exergames is not down to the calorie burn per hour alone, but a combination of physical exertion and sustainability through video game play. Recently a spectator of the exergaming field brought up the question of exertion, in isolation from practical experience, and highlighted the need for exergames to create physical exertion.

Although I don't advocate choosing an exergame based solely on physical exertion, but none the less, this is a chart pulled directly from the Gamercize website. Which ever way you approach exergaming, Gamercize always comes out on top.
As you can see from the chart Gamercize has the top spot, but a chart only tells half the story. See this video from independent film makers VideoJug for a better picture of the four top home exergaming options here.

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Making Exergaming Affordable for All

Rip-offs take the Fun out of Exergaming.

I have seen some pretty awful attempts to cash in on the new demand of fitness technology, with flawed exercise, appalling gameplay or graphics. What is worse is that these lesser options cost a lot more! Not so with Wii, DDR, Gamercize and Eyetoy that can all be purchased for less than two hundred pounds, including the video games console! If you are not sure how to spot a rip-off then read on... it's all about how much you are asked to pay.

I can't comment on non-video interactive gym equipment, but being in the exergame industry for 4 years, I am an expert in the field of video game exercise. My view is that exergaming is the addition of exercise to video games in order to replace sedentary video games. I also believe that exergaming should be affordable, but some companies believe exergaming is a chance to make a quick buck.

Companies take advantage of a lack of understanding to get consumers cash. I mean, advertising "video game exercise" for a product that has no "video" element is the most ridiculous marketing attempt that I have ever seen! I am not going to name and shame the companies or products you should avoid, that's not my business. What I can do is point out the strengths I see in the main four home exergame options to help you make your decision.

Price is the very best indicator of a potential rip off, take for example a metal dance mat for commercial or school use with DDR. How much would you expect to get charged? Two thousand pounds? Rip-off, try two hundred pounds!

With an eye on ongoing cost, start looking at what you need to keep your video game exercise up to date. Console based exergaming such as Gamercize and Wii are fair and reasonable, but look out for "video game" alternatives with non-standard electronics charging hundreds of pounds for a new game! Rip-off, use your own games for no premium!

Other things to look out for are charges for network connectivity, something you don't have to pay for with Wii and PlayStation and costs a nominal amount with Xbox. I have seen brand new fitness technology with subscription charges of over a hundred a month! Rip-off, try online exergaming for nothing!

As a rule, if an exergame involves a video games console, and costs less than the console itself, then you should be pretty safe. If in doubt, try it out - when unsure, don't pay more!

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Get Fit Playing Video Games

Look into the Future of Video Games

Australia is in the future, when you are getting ready to go to sleep, they have already started work the next morning! So it's the prefect place to ask the hottest question in gaming - "Can you get fit playing video games?"

Before you answer that question you need to understand what's being asked - It's not just a question as to if you can get fit with Gamercize; if you couldn't get fit using our tried and tested cardiovascular exercise machines then someones been tinkering with the laws of biology.

The question is about absolutely everything to do with video games and fitness. Bring in Wii, Eyetoy, DDR, even enthusiastically leaping around hitting the chords in Guitar Hero. Most people will be thinking "Wii Fit" when they answer the question, so there maybe a bit of a backlash against software that goes about calling people fat as motivation for them to get fit.

I've cast my vote on Do you actually think it's possible to 'get fit' playing video games?. If you think the outcome is certain, think again - currently the vote is split right down the middle. Get your vote in at http://www.palgn.com.au/ - here!

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What is Exergaming?

Ask Your Kids What an Exergame is!

The misuse of the term exergaming is not surprising as there is no formal definition in any recognised dictionary. The joining of the words exercise and game could define football, tennis or any sport as an exergame - but the term is being used to group together new and exciting fitness technology.

Some commercial organizations have spotted this market, and misuse the term aggressively to gain credibility and revenue. This is not good practice, but the lack of definition has left the door wide open. Exergaming is a good thing, but it's meaning goes deeper than the joining of two words.

In the last two or three years the realisation that 21st century lifestyles are taking a toll on our health has come into the media spotlight. The traditional pastimes for enjoyment have been replaced by labor saving devices providing huge diversity of entertainment for it's target audience. These labor saving devices, designed to make entertainment convenient and effortless, are video game consoles.

If there is going to be a definition of exergaming then it should reflect the environment that has driven the term to be in common use. Exergames have been born from the use of video games so therefore are themselves video games, but with added exercise.

So is the Nintendo Wii and exegame? Absolutely. Is Sony's Eyetoy an exergame? Most probably. Are Konami's dance mats exergames? The original. Is Gamercize an exergame? Without doubt.

So what is masquerading as an exergame that is not? Flashing lights you hit in sequence. No video game there. Game bikes with hardware graphics from the 70's? Not a chance. I have even seen one company use the term "interactive video game" for a product that does not even have a video screen! These pretenders could be good exercise and they can provide a reasonable amount of fun, but they are not exergames.

Exergames address the social need, they need to be as fun and engaging as a games console but also give physical exercise in a sustainable and safe manner. In my experience the best judge of what makes a true exergame are children. They know when activities are fun and enjoyable. They know what will keep them active and having fun - video games with exercise.

The term exergame is being used by some as an advertising gimmick. Without a video games console and a number of games that can be used - there is no exergame. Do not be fooled.

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VideoJug - Video Game Fitness Film

VideoJug: How To Use Video Games To Keep Fit

See the Wii, Eyetoy, DDR and Gamercize in action, all in the same video!

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