Exercise Through Entertainment?
Playing video games and getting exercise generally do not go in the same sentence. Those who play video games are generally seen as couch potatoes or drains on society. They are assumed to be overweight, have acne filled faces, and survive mostly on hot pockets.
Now, a lot of “gamers” (as they are referred to) seem to fit that stereotype, but a new generation has been born. You can no longer assume that since someone is a gamer, they are overweight and do not interact with society. A new class of games and systems have been developed to keep individuals in shape and entertained.
Many believe that this revolution or paradigm shift started with the Nintendo Wii. The Wii has moved exercise through entertainment forward, but it was not the first mover. It started in an indirect way through dancing arcade games. Most people have heard of Dance, Dance, Revolution. It was the first popular game in which the player actually got exercise while playing. It was more of an after thought than the games primary purpose, but it got people thinking.
Nintendo Wii was the first system that was designed to have a fitness element to it. Games such as Wii fitness tracked players’ stats and measured their body weight and body mass index. Practically every game for the Wii requires players to stand up and move. It may not be intense exercise, but at least you won’t be sitting on the couch eating Cheetos.
The Wii isn’t merely for children either. It has games that encourage people of all ages to participate. The way the controls are set up helps anyone with no experience playing video games get started and accustomed quickly. Adults and children alike can get exercise through entertainment now.
The future of exercise through entertainment is bright, too. Every major video game console company is designing some sort of virtual reality aspect and motion control to increase the physical activity of playing video games. Many times it isn’t the primary purpose of the console, but the incremental increase in energy expenditure can do wonders for young children and adults.
