Technology

By Phil Stauskas
FORT WORTH (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ― Nintendo has been forcing video gamers to get active since 2006, when the Wii first launched with copies of "Wii Sports" included in the box. The game had players up and moving around to simulate bowling and boxing and other activities. It shattered the stereotype of a gamer sitting alone on his couch, and even led to physical rehabilitation clinics purchasing the Wii to help motivate patients.

Nintendo then took the idea a step further with "Wii Fit," which not only included more physical activities for gamers, but also tracked weight and body mass index using a specialized Balance Board accessory, and encouraged players to perform yoga and balance exercises in order to stay healthy.

After the global success of both games, several copycats quickly followed, including ones based on the routine of "The Biggest Loser" star Jillian Michaels and fitness center Gold's Gym. Each promised a more intense workout than that found in "Wii Fit," and each succeeded to varying degrees. But now, EA Sports, known for their yearly lines of professional sports titles like "Madden NFL," "Tiger Woods PGA Tour" and "NBA Live," have thrown their sweatband into the ring with "EA Sports Active."

The title, developed in collaboration with Oprah trainer Bob Greene, is being marketed as an "interactive and customized home fitness product" and a "personal trainer in a box." (Note: None of these phrases refer to this as a "game.") It comes packaged with a resistance band and a leg strap for attaching the Wii controller to your body (like we need more Wii accessories). And, it's also compatible with the aforementioned Wii Balance Board.

Now, I'm not out of shape, but I also don't exercise. Like, at all. I'm one of those people that dieters hate, because I could actually stand to GAIN some weight. That said, this genre of exercise software frightens me. Should one of these titles actually work well, it could literally be the death of me and my underworked body.

So, after 20 long minutes of playing "EA Sports Active," I absolutely hated the game with every muscle in my sore and tired body… which is to say, it worked perfectly.

"Wii Sports" was just a game. Even "Wii Fit" was a game. But be certain, "EA Sports Active" is no game. This is a real workout. With heart pumping exercises. And real sweat. And after I was finished, I needed a real nap.

"Wii Fit" is filled with several mini-games, which certainly makes it more fun to play. Shift balance to roll a marble into a hole. Walk slowly across a high wire. Dodge soccer balls. It's cute, but it doesn't require all that much energy. Even the game's yoga activities are more about deep breathing, not strenuous activity.

"EA Sports Active," in contrast, will kick your butt. It's aerobic. It calls for more movement. And it doesn't mask itself behind mini-games. Bicep curls. Shoulder raises. Squats. Upright rows. Standing twists. Jump lunges. Side-to-side jumps. High steps. (And, in between the activities, you get a nice workout switching between the various accessories and controller setups.) Make no mistake, you've come here to exercise, and "EA Sports Active" is going to make sure that you're not wimping out.

The game, if that's what you want to call it, is extremely good at what it does. You just have to know what you're getting into ahead of time. This isn't "Wii Sports," which provides some tiring fun. This isn't "Wii Fit," which could help encourage and motivate kids (and adults) to get up and get healthy. This REALLY does have the feel of an interactive exercise program, meant mainly for those who knowingly want to workout, but perhaps cannot afford a gym membership or a personal trainer.

If that's the kind of thing that you're looking for, then I highly recommend "EA Sports Active." It's different, and I think more effective, than the other exercise titles on the market. I, on the other hand, am just glad that my exhausted body has survived to see another day. Or, at least another fitness game.

(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)

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