image by: HWN

HWN Suggests

ExerGames: Not Just Another Health Craze!

Can exergames be used positively to treat childhood obesity and get kids moving more than just their thumbs? In contrast to traditional video games, exergames allow players to experience various activities (e.g., bowling, fishing, tennis, golf) in a virtual world or even take a walk or run. Hand controllers are eliminated and the body is used to power the game.

For obese children, “eating less and moving more” is the formula. In fact, research has revealed that children were six times more likely to take to exercise if it involved a video game. 

read full article

Featured

  Gamercize

Real games, real fitness; Serious exergaming fun!

  Happy Neuron

Discover thousands of hours of cognitive training fun with diverse exercises, each one with numerous options, difficulty levels, and data sets.

  Positive Gaming

Positive Gaming’s mission is to create innovative, technologically advanced gaming concepts of top quality that pervade as many different environments as possible, bringing numerous physical and cognitive benefits to their users while they are having fun.

Articles of Interest

Physical Video Games May Help the Elderly Psychologically

There's no denying the physical benefits of motion gaming: studies have shown that even just a few sessions with the Wii has led to improved balance, coordination and strength, and could help prevent falls, a serious concern for many seniors.

The rise, fall and return of Dance Dance Revolution in America

For Chris Chike, Jeff Lloyd and Hudson Felker, the moment had been over a decade in the making. What started as simple hangouts with friends or family vacation diversions became a passion shared with thousands of others, one they’d dedicate their entire selves to, despite the company responsible nearly allowing it to perish.

Resources

EyeToy

A fitness game that utilizes the EyeToy camera (including a wide-angle lens attachment) to allow players to work out in interactive games, work on posture and balance, and tone their body with conditioning exercises.

Fun, Fitness, and Skills

Fun, Fitness, and Skills... owerful Original Games Approach brings 93 fresh games with countless variations. The games are easy to adjust to all grade and ability levels, and you''ll never run out of fresh ideas for fun and exciting games that teach fitness concepts and skills.

Snowboard Simulator

Our Snowboard Simulator machine allows you to race down snowy slopes against competitors. No need to go to a mountain when you can hop on our Snowboard Simulator!

Wii Fit Plus

Wii Fit Plus combines fun and fitness into one product. It can change how you exercise, how you balance, and even how you move. Expanding upon the original Wii Fit software, Wii Fit Plus is packed with every feature from Wii Fit–plus new exercises and tools to personalize your exercise routine.

Exergaming Research Centre

An innovative research project is hoping to discover whether the new generation of ‘exergames’ can really impact on youth fitness, and perhaps help with the growing incidence of obesity among Canadian youth.