When the Nintendo Wii first arrived on the scene the world took a sigh of relief assuming that this device would get their kids (and themselves) off the couch. However, as people lined up to buy this interactive gaming system they were soon let down by it’s slow processing speed and glitched games. Next came the Xbox Kinect. As people viewed the new commercials with hesitation, they began to realize that the Kinect gaming system was what they thought the Wii was going to be ! Here is a break down of the pros and cons of each gaming system and which one is better for interactive play time and weight loss.
PROS
- Cheaper then Xbox 360
- Tons of games
- Wii Fit Board – senses pressure for games like yoga and balance
- Doubles as a DVD player
- Includes Wifi with ability to connect to Netflix
- Less space is needed to use this system (3-6 feet)
Cons
- Movement is delayed
- Workout games require you to either hold the remote or use board.
- Easy to cheat – since this system doesn’t track your true movement (just the remote) you can cheat on the games
- Due to the use of the remote you must buy more devices to hold the remote while playing such as a steering wheel, dumbbell,golf club etc.
PROS
- Fast processing speed (game keeps up with your movement)
- No extra equipment needed to go along with games
- You can’t cheat! Which makes you work harder!
- Graphics – excellent graphics in comparison with the Wii
- Interactive games address every type of exercise (yoga, weight lifting, boxing, sports, dancing etc)
- Increased game speed, accuracy, and variety of games keeps people interested in the games
- Kinect Sensor continually scans to make sure it’s view is accurate.
- Xbox has voice command for watching DVDs
CONS
- Expensive – it retails for between $299 – 399.00
- Space – you most have a 3-6 foot space for movement (6- 9 is optimal).
- Not as many games released since it’s still pretty new.
Overall, the Xbox 360 got our vote! I will have to say that upon buying the Wii with the fit board and all the games for fitness I was increasingly disappointed time and time again! The slow speed of the game and the inaccuracy of the Wii took away all the fun! The XBox 360 with Kinect allows you to move through out the room without worrying you were going to throw the remote! It was also very accurate as long as you were in the vision of the sensor. For fitness and weight loss the Xbox is a great choice for all family members!
Adria Ali
Tiffany says