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

Back in August we shared that Move Fitness from Sony was coming. And sure enough, it arrived in the UK just before Christmas on November 25, 2011.

Strangely, though, the US version still is “TBA” according to Sony’s official sources, and isn’t even showing up for pre-order on Amazon. One wonders whether the marketing folks at Sony are holding off until THQ does what will sure to be a massive PR campaign for MiCoach in the Spring which should increase awareness for PS3 Fitness in general.

Surfing around UK message boards, I’m finding that the UK version received tepid responses from critics. The consensus seems to be that while motion controls are excellent (not surprisingly), the routines themselves are repetitive and uninspired. Worst of all, they’re reporting that the game is simply not entertaining, a surprising assertion given that it’s developed by the same folks who developed The Fight: Lights Out.

However, in what I see as a trend for fitness games, user reviews seem to be giving it much higher reviews. This is where the perspective of a magazine reviewer playing the game for five minutes will differ from someone who’s committed to doing an exercise regimen and is looking for any tool available to spice up her or his routine.

Hopefully the delay in getting it to the US will be used to fine-tune it based on reviews in the UK. In the meantime, if you’re really looking forward to this game and can’t wait, you can buy the UK version of Move Fitness on eBay. As with all PS3 games, the UK version will play on US Playstations, but of course things like narration, spelling, and units of measurement will be British. Not a bad thing if you’re looking for a sophisticated workout

One thing I’m very excited about is the release of the new Playstation 3D Display. So excited, in fact, that I’ve started a new blog called 3DPlaystation.Net.

I won’t be updating it as often nor as fastidiously as PS3Fitness.Com, but I figured it was a good place to share my thoughts on the new 3D hardware with those of you who might be interested. Feel free to swing by and share your comments.

I did get a chance to play Medieval Moves: Deadmun’s Quest and the demo for Happy Feet 2 in 3D, and I have to say that it is a phenomenal experience. If you’re planning to install a PS3 for fitness in your workout room/den, that monitor is just about the perfect size for it.

Okay, enough 3D talk…back to the fitness games

While this isn’t directly related to fitness on the PS3, something I’m definitely very excited about is the imminent release of the Playstation 3D display.

I admit, since  firmware release 3.30 in March 2010 which brought the ability to play 3D games, and firmware release 3.50 in September 2010 which allowed for playback of 3D Blu-Ray discs, I’ve been seriously contemplating replacing my LCD screen for a new 3D one. Problem is, the economy being what it is, I don’t happen to have $2000 lying around. Still, being able to “immerse” yourself in games, particularly Playstation Move games like Medieval Moves, should really enhance game play.

The PlayStation 3D display is finally getting released on November 13, 2011. It’s not $2500 or $2000 or $1500. You can get it for under $500 (okay, four pennies under, but that’s still under). For that price, you’ll get a very high quality 24″ monitor (if that seems small, remember that just 15 years ago a 25″ inch TV in your living room was considered gargantuan) which boasts active 3D (meaning the crispest, cleanest picture you can get), incredible sound, and a pair of 3D glasses.

What’s more, it’ll play 3D Blu-Ray discs right from your PS3 and can be attached to your cable box for watching TV with crisp digital picture and sound. And if you have a home gym, it’s the perfect size for you to use while working out, whether to a PS3 Fitness Game, or just walking on a treadmill watching the latest 3D movie or your favorite TV show.

Rumor has it that sometime in November, Sony will start selling a “3D Starter Kit” which will include two pairs of 3D glasses and the last two Harry Potter movies in 3D.  This is perfect for someone like me who bought the Harry Potter Years 1-6 Blu-rays. Not only will this complete the collection, the last two movies will be in glorious 3D. You might recall that Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1 was supposed to be in 3D, but was released to the theaters in 2D only because they couldn’t finish the 3D process in time. Well, they did now, so you can be the first to see the last two movies in full 3D.

After a disastrous year which included the PSN security debacle, the Japan earthquake, and other things that sent Sony stock plummeting, I have a good feeling that this is going to start to turn their fortunes around. While most TV manufacturers have assumed people want bigger and bigger TVs and would be willing to spend the money for them, I like Sony’s bet that people will be able to shell out $500 to experience 3D on a smaller screen (which ultimately will be crisper than a huge TV because the pixels are closer together AND you’re sitting closer to it). My guess is that they’re not making a ton of money off of it, but like they did with spending the extra money to provide a Blu-Ray drive inside each Playstation, hopefully their gamble that getting 3D in more people’s hands relatively cheaply now will pay off huge for them in the future.

I’ve ordered one myself and will be documenting the unboxing and my thoughts on it as I try new 3D games and demos and new 3D movies and Blu-rays. We’ll be keeping this site focused on PS3 Fitness, so those thoughts will go onto our sister site about the Playstation 3d Display, 3dplaystation.net.

Well, it took them long enough, but it looks like Sony is officially throwing its hat into the fitness gaming arena with “Move Fitness”. They announced it at the recent GamesCon conference. Here’s the official trailer.

Right now, it looks like the game is going to be largely derivative of previous games available on the Wii. From the video, it looks like everything from using basketball simulations to encourage squat jumps, jumping jacks, sparring, heavy bag punching, and sword fighting will be included (things we’ve seen already in EA Sports Active 2, UFC Fitness Trainer, Gold’s Gym Cardio Workout, Wii Fit, and Wii Sports Resort). It looks like there are a few things that will be original (the exercise with the lady breaking the glass windows looks promising).

While such obviously derivative games are usually not destined to do well, I think Move Fitness will have a few things going for it. First, it’ll use the resources of Sony to ensure that the Move Controller accuracy is spot-on (as much as I enjoy EA Sports Active 2 for the PS3, at the end it feels like a direct port of the Wii version, rather than something that really uses the Move to take it to new heights). For example, using brightly lit “targets” to hit when doing jumping jacks and jump squats looks like a promising way to discourage “cheating” (which is easy to do on both the Wii and Xbox). Second, since the title is by Sony, it’s going to have a very high quality standard to meet.

Anyway, I’ll post more here when the release date is set, and when it’s ready for pre-order.

3D television has been out for some time now. How well is it doing? Well, let’s put it this way. How many of your friends have purchased a 3D TV so far?

Of course, most people are holding off. Why?

• Most people just spent a ton of money on a huge LCD (or plasma or LED) TV that’s the centerpiece of their living room, and are in no rush to spend another couple of thousands of dollars to replace it.
• There just isn’t much content out there. Yes, my cable company lets me subscribe to a package to watch sports in 3D–if I subscribe to their top tier package for over $1000/year.
• The technology is awkward for multiple people viewing. To get a good picture, everyone in the family need to squeeze into a tiny section in the middle of the living room sofa. Oh, and make sure everyone has their 3D glasses at another seventy bucks a pop.
• The technology is early. Just today, they announced that several manufacturers are getting together to decide on standards for 3D glasses. It may be a few years before they all agree on something!

Sony has been releasing Playstation games with 3D capability for some time now. By all accounts, gameplay in 3D is phenomenal. Imagine facing down a fastball in The Fight: Lights Out or reaching in to beat up bullies in The Fight: Lights Out. But unless you have a lot of disposable income you don’t know what to do with (and who does these days), chances are you’ve though to yourself that you’ll live with the 2D version for now until 3D becomes a lot more affordable.

I’m really bullish on the concept of 3D TV. But it’s never going to achieve critical mass if no one can afford it. This is why I love an idea Sony has come up with for Christmas 2011.

This fall, Sony will be selling a 24 inch 3D LED TV Bundle for Playstation for $499.99 (Amazon lists the release date as December 31 2011 as of this writing , but the actual release date will be around 11/26/11, plenty of time for Christmas if you pre-order). While that’s still pricey, it’s definitely more affordable than larger TVs for people who want a “taste” of 3D gameplay (and television–you’ll be able to watch 3D Blu-Ray movies right from your PS3, as well as any 3D channels your cable package might have).

The package will come with:

• One pair of 3D glasses (retail value $70)
• One HDMI cable (retail value $10)
• A copy of Motorstorm:Apolcalypse (retail value $60).

Originally Sony promised they would bundle the superior Resistance 3, but they have since reversed this (Can anyone say  ”OtherOS”? Oh Sony…Sony…Sony…) FLASH! Amazon has just announced that they WILL be bundling Resistance 3 in for customers who pre-order the bundle, following a similar move by GameStop. So place that order today!

But still, this package is a deal and a half. In short, with all the stuff you get in the bundle, your cost for the TV ends up being about $350 and change. And this is no second-rate TV; it features an LED display, with high contrast (5000:1), wide viewing angle (176 degree), high response time (4ms GTG average). And of course, it supports both 2D and 3D viewing. Something unique to the Playstation and this TV will be “SimulView”, where two players playing on the same TV and wearing glasses can view separate (2D) screens (instead of putting up with tiny split screens).

I imagine that Sony’s margins are paper-thin on this one, but that they’re gambling that once you experience 3D, you’ll want to spend money on things like more games, movies, and bigger TVs. It’s sort of the strategy they used by bundling the Blu-Ray disc player into the Playstation–it cost them a lot more, but their prize at the end of the day was Blu-Ray’s victory in the format wars over HD-DVD. While they couldn’t afford to bundle a TV with every PS3, perhaps making 3D affordable to the masses will have an effect on adoption.

As for the size of the TV, I frankly welcome it. I already have my big LCD TV in the living room,which I’m perfectly happy with. But having another TV in a smaller room like the bedroom or even the home gym (in my case these are both the same ) would not be a bad thing.

I figure this is a cheap way to get into the world of 3D gaming AND TV shows. If I like it, maybe I’ll invest in buying a lot more games and Blu-Ray discs, and eventually a large screen 3D TV. Otherwise, hey, I got a great TV I can use when others in my household want to use the big TV and I want to watch my own show or play a few 3D games from time to time. In either case, I can predict this is going to be a HOT seller during Christmas, so be sure to get on the pre-order list at Amazon. Again, ignore Amazon’s messages that the release date is December 31, 2011. Also, remember that if the price increases (or decreases) between now and then, you’ll be guaranteed the lower price.

In addition to the exciting announcement of MiCoach which is slated for release in 2012 there are a couple PS3 Move games that were recently announced that give me hope that developers are starting to see the potential of the Playstation Move for active motion gaming.

Here are the upcoming titles in 2011 that look the most promising:

Medieval Moves: Deadmund’s Quest is slated for release on October 18, 2011. From early videos of the game, it looks like you’ll be placed in a world where you’re actively throwing stars, wielding your sword, and performing archery. It’s based on the same mechanics that Sony used for “Sports Champions”, so you know the controls will be spot-on. As exergames become more and more littered with subpar dancing games and sports games, it’ll be nice to have a truly unique game like this one.

Ubisoft hopes to cash in on its mega- successful Just Dance franchise on the Wii by releasing Just Dance 3 simultaneously on the PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii. It will be interesting to look at all three of these versions head-to-head to see which platform handles dancing accuracy the best, and if Ubisoft’s very late entry into the field can outsell Dance Central on the Xbox and the upcoming Everybody Dance on the Playstation 3. This “dance battle” will be fun to watch.

As I wrote in my review of Singstar Dance, Sony’s first entry into dance games left something to be desired–maybe because dancing seemed almost like an afterthought to the singing portion of the game. Everybody Dance, set for release on October 18, 2011, is Sony’s attempt to cash in on the “pure dancing” genre. Again, it should be interesting to watch if Sony can keep up with Dance Central on Xbox, the current front-runner in next-gen dance games.

Speaking of dance battles, Dance Battle Vs. is a new game by Hyperkin due for release in Winter 2011. Reportedly, it will feature dance styles like capoeira, salsa, trance and even belly dancing. I don’t know too much else about the game now, but we’ll see how successfully the hardware manufacturer enters the world of software distribution. Seems that there won’t be a shortage of dancing games to choose from for Christmas 2011.

Motionsports Adrenaline is Ubisoft’s first foray into motion sports titles, after the decidedly lackluster Motionsports game released exclusively on the Xbox 360 last year. This time, the sports featured will be wingsuit proximity flying, kiteboarding, whitewater kayaking, mountain biking, free fall skydiving, ETRM skiing, and jungle parkour. Let’s hope that this game will live up to its name, and get your heart pumping in simulating those extreme sports. Due for release October 25, 2011.

My Body Coach 2 (Big Ben Interactive): If you’re racking your brains trying to remember what My Body Coach 1 was, the answer is, it was a game that was released only for the Wii and only in the UK. Developed in conjunction with popular fitness coach Valerie Orsoni, this title will feature 130 routines, two-player capabilities, the ability to play your own music (no more awful generic video game music), nutrition features, and will also include two 1-pound dumbbells to put your Move controllers in.

So, those were the highlights for me. There were also announcements of other core games such as Resistance 3 adopting the Move controllers, but I get the sense that those games will use the Move controllers in ways that don’t involve a whole body workout (but leave a comment if you hear differently).

In short, there are decidedly fewer motion games to be released for the Playstation than for the Kinect this year, but as we’ve seen with the Wii, more does not necessarily mean better. If the developers for the Playstation can focus on the things that make it strong, the pinpoint accuracy of the controls, the arguably superior graphics capabilities (including Blu-Ray and 3D), and the existence of buttons, these few Move games will shine. On the other hand, if they just churn out port after port which just uses Move controllers as a formality, Sony will have a lot of catching up to do. Whatever happens, it’ll be fun to watch.

We’ve had a bit of a drought with PS3 Fitness games lately, but recently, THQ has announced some pretty interesting ones. UFC Personal Trainer is going to be released in a few weeks, on June 28. Here, you’ll be brought through the regimen of an “ultimate fighter” with training of the type that a mixed martial arts athlete goes through.

Also just announced from THQ was MiCoach Premium – Move and MiCoach Basic, due to be released in March 2012. This looks like it’s going to be amazing. Working with Adidas, this is going to be an interactive experience which will feature athletes from various sports, including Dwight Howard, Kaka, Tyson Gay, Jrue Holiday, Josh Smith, Jessica Ennis, Ana Ivanovic and Eric Berry. Each of the athletes will guide gamers through training programs in their respective sports, receiving real-time feedback on their actual in-game performance during their workouts when wearing a miCoach heart rate monitor. This is one I am definitely looking forward to.

Long story short, while the lack of Move games has been a bit disappointing, hang on, reinforcements are coming! Check out this video of Dwight Howard talking about the game:

It’s been kind of a dry spell for Move games in recent months, but I promise I’ll be back in the coming weeks with more reviews.

In the meantime, what is obviously occupying Sony’s time is trying to recover from when hackers got into Playstation Network and stole all our personal information.

If you haven’t heard yet, Sony is offering anyone who had a Playstation Network account before April two free games from a selected list. To download your free games, just go into the Playstation Store. They’re also offering “free access for 30 days” to Playstation Network Plus, but I won’t spend time covering that here because frankly, I see this as an insulting way for them to use their foul-up to try to upsell us to their paid service.

But if you’re like me, you’ve gone onto PSN and have faced even more headaches. Long story short, the  “Make Good”  is not so good, and is making Sony look even more buffon-like. Sony had better get on their horse and do a lot more if they expect us loyal Playstation users not to defect to the Xbox.

To help you through the morass, I’ve put some of the most common answers and questions (and annoyances) about the Playstation Welcome Back program here.

Q: What games should I choose of the five free games (InFAMOUS, Dead Space, Little Big Planet, Super Stardust HD, and Wipeout + Fury)

A: The best reviewed games on the list are Infamous and Little Big Planet–those are must-haves if you don’t have them already (Infamous is a mature “open world” game where you fight your way through a post-apocalyptic world; Little Big Planet is a fun little vertical scroller/puzzle game where you dress up your own “bag boy” and walk him through some really innovative worlds).

If you have either of these already, the next best choice is Wipeout, a fast-moving spaceship racing game.

I’m not a fan of Super Stardust–it’s a Robotron-like game which is much too complex for its own good. Also not a fan of Dead Space–it’s just another zombie game. If you like zombies, maybe you’ll get a kick out of it, but no thank you. I like my undead dead.

Q: I keep getting a message that says “An error has occurred. (80710D36)

The dreaded (and dreadful) Error 80710D36

A: This is likely caused by millions of Playstation Network users flooding the system. Just press O to go back and X to try again, and keep doing that until it works (it could take 5-10 tries). Or, if that gets too annoying, just wait until a time with less peak traffic (e.g., after midnight).

Q: I selected my FREE PS3 GAME 1, but I’m unable to go back and choose an actual game. What do I do?

A: How annoying is this? You follow the instructions to check out with the FREE PS3 GAME 1, only to receive an error message AND to find that the option has disappeared when you return. Sony really should have delayed the launch a few more days and got a usability expert to test these things, because it’s a simply awful user experience.

Happily, there is a way you can claim your free game.

1) Exit out of Playstation Store and click “Account Management” on your main screen under “Playstation Network“. (It’s the icon of the square smiley face with the pencil in front of it).

2) Choose “Transaction Management” and then “Services List“. If you get the 80710D36 error, just press O to back out and try again.

3) You should see an entry called SCEA Promotion / Sony Computer Entertainment America. Click on it, and again, keep backing out and trying again if you get the 80710D36 error. Eventually you’ll see a “Welcome Back: Free PS3 Game 1” entry. Select it.

4) Click “Select Content“. Once again, keep going back and trying again if you get “An error has occurred”.

5) You should eventually get to a screen where you can select Dead Nation, inFAMOUS, Little Big Planet, Super Stardust HD, and WipEout HD.

As most of you know, Sony released the Playstation Move Playstation Move Starter Bundle today.

I just got my notice that mine is on the way (I paid a little extra to Amazon to have it delivered on the “day of release”)

Come back later today for a full review to see if it’s all it’s cracked up to wii, I mean be

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.