Video games are often associated with unhealthy activities, because gamers usually lack the daily activity. However, as the video gaming technology is becoming more advanced, there are many ways for people to get entertained. Kinect was introduced in 2010 and it represented a significant advance in gaming technology. It became the first mainstream gaming use to detect motion. The Nintendo Wii is a popular gaming platform and it allows for more physical interaction. However, not many parents know about this gaming console and for those who are concerned that their children won’t move much when playing games, they should consider choosing this device. WiiFit U is the latest version of the physical gaming system from Nintendo. It is the successor of the earlier Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. If you purchase it, you will get a Balance Board, special gamepad and a Fit Meter.
Wii Fit U allows you to display the output to regular TV screen. The Fit Meter can be carried by gamers when they are moving in front of the console. It’s similar to the Pokewalker. It is found that Wii Fit series improve upper body motion and sense of balance. For people with brain injury, Wii Fit could also initiate healing. Wii Fit U is ideal for conditioning and moderate daily exercise for any casual gamer. Exercise gaming is also introduced later through Microsoft’s Xbox console. The Xbox Fitness service comes with tracked metrics to correct form and heart rate. Mobile games, such as Zombie, Run!, Run An Empre, Ingress and Pokemon Go also encourage people to move through augmented reality.
According to studies, exercise games are able to provide light to moderate physical activity. People with neurological disabilities need to perform physical activity regularly. Exercise gaming is a relatively affordable solution. Although evidence is still weak on the actual health benefits, it is clear that people who have moderate daily activities will be healthier, compared to those with sedentary lifestyle. On healthy older adults with mean age of 69, light exercise is enough to maintain their cognitive functions, keeping them intellectually active longer. Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative diseases could be caused by lack of activity and cognitive exercise. When playing exercise games, people will also need to think fast.
When choosing exercise games, make sure that you can move your entire body when playing them at proper intensity. Some games that can be played by using only buttons; can actually be played by body movement as well. Dance Dance Revolution is a good game that keeps people entertained and healthy. Physically exhausting games are challenging and make sure that they match your physical conditions. Kinect can be played for different games. As an example, fighting games that integrate with Kinect can allow you to move your entire body. You won’t become a martial art expert, but you will move a lot and become healthier. Some fitness centers and gyms also offer exercise gaming, so their benefits have received acceptance even among fitness practitioners.