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| The Entertainment Review |
| Genre: Sport Developer: EA Sports Publisher: Electronic Arts |
When it comes to exercise, there are two specific groups of people. The first group of people loves physical exertion while the second
group of people hates it. A majority of people will fall in the latter category and would do anything to get out of having to exercise.
Whether it is going to the gym or simply walking around the block, sometimes exercising just takes way too much time. When Nintendo
released the Wii and the exercise game genre was taken to the next level and many people began to take note of the newly remodeled
genre. How great would it be to get home, turn on a Nintendo Wii and get a workout that rivals the kind of workout that could be
accomplished in a gym? After a few missteps in the genre including “Wii Fit” and “Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009,” players
will be happy to see that “EA Sports Active” finally bridges the gap between the home and the gym, earning it top honors as one of the
best exercise games currently available for the Nintendo Wii.
“EA Sports Active” gets away from the yoga poses found in other games of this type and instead focuses on the workout piece of
working out. Either a single session or a full 30 day challenge, which is a series of 20 customized workouts meant to be completed
over the course of a month. Most of the workouts are short and they encompass exercises that include running in place, boxing and
completing bicep curls. Each exercise transitions into the next in such a fashion that always feels like a great cardio workout every time.
The game comes packages with a leg strap that is used to hold the Nunchuk when performing lower body routines and a resistance
band that is used to increase the intensity of upper body routines. For those who consider themselves to be in good shape will
probably be better off going out and picking up some stronger resistance bands because the ones that come packed with the game are
very easy to stretch to their maximum. “EA Sports Active” also supports the Wii balance board, but even without the peripheral, players
will get a great workout from the package.
For those who may not consider themselves to be in the best shape, the first workout will give players a run for their money, they will feel
the burn. They will be sweating, but they will be feeling good. It is at this point that players will know that “EA Sports Active” surpassed
every other workout game ever created. For most, this will be the first game that will make them sweat, and luckily the sore muscles
won’t last for more than a day.
In addition to the workouts, “EA Sports Active” comes with several healthy living surveys that ask questions like, “Have you eaten at a
restaurant today?” and “How much water have you had to drink today?” The surveys, though they are not a complete representation of
eating habits, are a nice reminder to think about what the player puts in their body. The game also has an area where players can
record any activity that they performed outside of the game. For example, if players went for a walk or ran some errands, they can record
this in the game. It is a nice way to keep track of everyday activities and see how they influence the player’s overall fitness.
One thing that many players will probably find themselves wanting would be more overall routines. Fitness games in general seem to
lack in the variety section, so it would have been really nice if EA would have included an online mode where players could download
new routines created by certified personal trainers, or even from other “EA Sports Active” users. It is one area that could have made the
game into a truly viable alternative to going to the gym everyday to work out.
The true test of any fitness product is how it holds up in the long run, does it stand a chance to be a useful game or product for a long
time. Many people picked up “Wii Fit” and used it every day for a couple of weeks, then it was put away, never to be seen again. With
“EA Sports Active” players will look forward to getting home from work and putting in a good workout. Over the course of a couple of
weeks, players will still be very happy with the game and the results that they will eventually see as a result of their time with the game.
Now does “EA Sports Active” actually replace the intensity of a normal gym workout? No, but it does provide a balance between
strength and cardio workouts, all from the privacy of the users living room. For those that are a little self conscious about going to the
gym to work out, this is exactly the game that they have been waiting for.
group of people hates it. A majority of people will fall in the latter category and would do anything to get out of having to exercise.
Whether it is going to the gym or simply walking around the block, sometimes exercising just takes way too much time. When Nintendo
released the Wii and the exercise game genre was taken to the next level and many people began to take note of the newly remodeled
genre. How great would it be to get home, turn on a Nintendo Wii and get a workout that rivals the kind of workout that could be
accomplished in a gym? After a few missteps in the genre including “Wii Fit” and “Jillian Michaels Fitness Ultimatum 2009,” players
will be happy to see that “EA Sports Active” finally bridges the gap between the home and the gym, earning it top honors as one of the
best exercise games currently available for the Nintendo Wii.
“EA Sports Active” gets away from the yoga poses found in other games of this type and instead focuses on the workout piece of
working out. Either a single session or a full 30 day challenge, which is a series of 20 customized workouts meant to be completed
over the course of a month. Most of the workouts are short and they encompass exercises that include running in place, boxing and
completing bicep curls. Each exercise transitions into the next in such a fashion that always feels like a great cardio workout every time.
The game comes packages with a leg strap that is used to hold the Nunchuk when performing lower body routines and a resistance
band that is used to increase the intensity of upper body routines. For those who consider themselves to be in good shape will
probably be better off going out and picking up some stronger resistance bands because the ones that come packed with the game are
very easy to stretch to their maximum. “EA Sports Active” also supports the Wii balance board, but even without the peripheral, players
will get a great workout from the package.
For those who may not consider themselves to be in the best shape, the first workout will give players a run for their money, they will feel
the burn. They will be sweating, but they will be feeling good. It is at this point that players will know that “EA Sports Active” surpassed
every other workout game ever created. For most, this will be the first game that will make them sweat, and luckily the sore muscles
won’t last for more than a day.
In addition to the workouts, “EA Sports Active” comes with several healthy living surveys that ask questions like, “Have you eaten at a
restaurant today?” and “How much water have you had to drink today?” The surveys, though they are not a complete representation of
eating habits, are a nice reminder to think about what the player puts in their body. The game also has an area where players can
record any activity that they performed outside of the game. For example, if players went for a walk or ran some errands, they can record
this in the game. It is a nice way to keep track of everyday activities and see how they influence the player’s overall fitness.
One thing that many players will probably find themselves wanting would be more overall routines. Fitness games in general seem to
lack in the variety section, so it would have been really nice if EA would have included an online mode where players could download
new routines created by certified personal trainers, or even from other “EA Sports Active” users. It is one area that could have made the
game into a truly viable alternative to going to the gym everyday to work out.
The true test of any fitness product is how it holds up in the long run, does it stand a chance to be a useful game or product for a long
time. Many people picked up “Wii Fit” and used it every day for a couple of weeks, then it was put away, never to be seen again. With
“EA Sports Active” players will look forward to getting home from work and putting in a good workout. Over the course of a couple of
weeks, players will still be very happy with the game and the results that they will eventually see as a result of their time with the game.
Now does “EA Sports Active” actually replace the intensity of a normal gym workout? No, but it does provide a balance between
strength and cardio workouts, all from the privacy of the users living room. For those that are a little self conscious about going to the
gym to work out, this is exactly the game that they have been waiting for.
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