Most people don’t associate physical activity with video games. In fact, video games are sometimes viewed as the definition of physical inactivity. Images of youths spending hour upon hour glued to their computers or t.v. too busy playing to even come down to the dinner table (let alone go outside for a game of pick up basketball) are conjured up when you think of games.
That was then. This is now.
The evolution of next generation consoles now offers gamers a chance to get off their behinds but continue playing. Let’s take a look at two of the hottest new titles available (bonus: doesn’t feel like exercise)
1. Dance Dance Revolution
Starting out as a popular arcade game, Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) is now available @ home on Playstation 2 and 3, Xbox 360 and the Nintendo Wii. This game will make you SWEAT as you move to cool dance tracks! The main objective of the game is to hit the dance squares on a mat/pad (that is plugged into the console) @ the right time, as indicated by arrows on the screen. You can groove by yourself, or with a friend!! No guarantee that this will make you a better dancer at that party though 
Oh, and there is a special “workout” mode too that counts calories!
2. Wii Sports
Wii Sports is the title game that comes free when you buy a Nintendo Wii — it’s main purpose is to show how COOL the Wii is and how active you can be. The sports available to play in this game are: baseball, boxing, tennis, golf and bowling. Oh and there are also “training” programs to make you better at the game. This game is addictive and you definitely can feel the burn in your arms the day afterwards. While it’s arguably not as “active” as participating in the real sport (there is less running) the level of activity is still pretty high — especially in boxing. You also have the opportunity to create a “Mii”, an avatar that you can customize to look however you want, and use it in the game!
OK.. i know you thought both of those games are pretty cool. But before you go out and buy a $300 system, let’s get some perspective. Video gaming is quite an expensive hobby. The consoles are expensive, and games can sell for about $50-80 dollars a pop! Also, while these are awesome games that are revolutionizing the industry, playing baseball in Wii sports will never be able to replace real baseball – your teammates, the atmosphere, the actual running, etc. It’s still pretty cool though..
