Working out with Fitness and Exercise games on the Sony Playstation 3

It’s only a few weeks until the Playstation Move launches. So let’s say you placed your pre-order on Amazon to guarantee that you’ll get it on the first day. The next question, of course, is: what games can you get that’ll help you get a great workout?

From early press reports, these look like the best fitness games that’ll be out in the first month or so of the console.

1) Sports Champions:

Sports Champions will be the game that’s bundled when you buy Playstation Move Equipment. You’ll be able to play hi-res, photorealistic versions of Disc Golf, Gladiator Duel, Beach Volleyball, Archery, Table Tennis and Bocce. I really like the fact that Sony didn’t just copy Wii Sports, but is introducing new games to show off its technology as something that’s different and new than the Wii.

Set to be released on October 12, The Fight: Lights Out is a street fighting simulation game that will let you use one or two PlayStation Move controllers to punch, uppercut, put opponents in headlocks, and perform head blows in a quest to be the toughest bare-knuckle street fighter.

This will be a title launching on the Playstation Network and if it works anything like the video trailer looks, it will be pretty darned cool and a totally immersive game, especially for a downloadable game. (I’ve since realized that this doesn’t use the Playstation Move controllers, just the Playstation Eye camera (that you need for Playstation Move). Will be impressive if it works. You’ll need to buy a PLAYSTATION Network Card so you can download it on PSN. Early reports confirm the price will be $14.99, much cheaper than a Kinect

This one will be interesting to watch. The Wii will have Just Dance, the Kinect will have Dance Central, and Sony will have SingStar Dance starting in early November. Time will tell which one reigns supreme. Sony’s version will let you dance with up to 4 people and sing on up to 2 microphones, download songs, and upload dance videos to share with the world!

EA Sports Active 2 from EA follows on the heels of its predecessor, a top rated title for the Wii.  Expect better graphics with the PS3 version. Instead of using the Playstation Move controllers, EA decided to go with its own wireless sensors that don’t require you to hold anything. It’ll be interesting to see how well it does.

Dance Dance Revolution (PlayStation 3) from Konami finally comes to the PS3 and promises to be a “reboot” of the series, with Just Dance-like hand movements and improved graphics.

Zumba Fitness will be a multi-platform release from Majesco on the Wii, Xbox, and Playstation. The Playstation version is reportedly compatible with Playstation Move, but it’s too early to tell to what extent it’ll be used. Still, if you’re already into Zumba for exercise, it may be a nice addition to your collection.

Get Fit with Mel B is a fitness title featuring Mel B (formerly known as Scary Spice). You can work out alongside Mel receiving her feedback in dance fitness, cardio, step and kickboxing.

If you’re like me, when the Wii and the Wii Fit came out a few years ago, you waited a few days, and then found out that no retailer in the world had it in stock for weeks. So the coolest families on the block were raving about how much fun they were having with Wii Tennis and Wii Bowling, you had to sit there and take it.

Not this time! Amazon.com has an option where, for a shipping fee of $7.97, you’re guaranteed to receive PlayStation Move Starter Bundle on the very day of its release, September 17, 2010. But you have to pre-order it now (and something tells me the earlier the better).

I’ve signed up for this, and as long as Amazon holds up to its end of the deal I’ll be posting my thoughts that night! Stay tuned!