One of IGN's most anticipated titles at next week's E3 is EA's fitness game, tentatively titled EA Fit. They know that the game will be different stylistically from Wii Fit, with a focus on techniques more familiar to Western cultures. Furthermore, EA Sports president Peter Moore said, "…we're working on stuff, trying to work out how we can use EA Sports applications there."
That perked IGN's ears up just a little bit.
Actually, it got them to thinking instead -- what exercises could EA come up with that could employ existing Wii technology (essentially the balance board, Nunchuk, and Wiimote) while combining with existing EA Sports games to deliver functional, useful, and even (gasp) entertaining exercises? Well, naturally, that's where IGN come in. They have taken the All-Play games (combining Madden and NCAA since it's the same sport), added NHL to the equation, and come up with games or activities that could find their way to EA Fit.
Popmatters writes:
"We all know what you're wondering about these two games. Which is better at making that number on the scale go down? Out of the three articles I've read comparing the differences between Wii Fit and EA Active, the weirdest idea they've seized on is the PR meme that EA Active is a 'Western' game. To paraphrase, thanks to its sweat inducing exercises it can satisfy our cultural expectations for exercise far better than the stretches and few exercises of Wii Fit.
An easier distinction is a mechanical one between the two games: the Wii Fit knows its limits. I've played both games (my unflattering Wii Fit review) and despite the extra sweat EA Active gives me, it's still inferior to the Wii Fit. Obviously a lot of this boils down to my personal opinion, to give a "Western" review neither has made me lose weight, but mechanically EA Active just reaches beyond what the motion controls can really do."
