Your Shape Fitness Evolved is a fitness game for Microsoft’s Kinect system. As a controller free game, you use your arms to make selections as you choose whether to do Personal Training, Gym Games or Fitness Classes.
The game uses your body image, and you can choose to either have it appear normally, or with colored “skin.” You are placed inside your own area of the game, and appear as the same size as the on-screen fitness trainers who you must imitate for your works.
We really enjoyed the game’s fitness classes. There are two types of class you can take – Zen and Cario Boxing. In each one, you’ll follow the motions of the trainer. The camera system tracks your complete body orientation, and will reward you with a percentage depending on how well it thinks you are doing the exercises, but ultimately, even if you’re doing it a bit wrong, you’re still winning because you are doing some exercises.
Our family particularly enjoyed the Yoga classes in the Zen section, although we were frustrated by the lack of feedback as to how well we were performing moves.
The game also features a Personal Trainer mode and a Gym Games mode. For Personal Training, you can put yourself through a number of different exercises, and the game will track your time playing as well as your calories that you’ve burned. You’re asked to keep up the regimen and can track your progress.
The Gym Games were another highlight for us, and something we were even able to enjoy with kids as young as three years old. There are four different games in which you must stack blocks, or pretend to hula hoop, or dance and punch virtual objects that appear on screen. These games are all available for up to 4 players to play, but none of them are simultaneous, they all involve players taking turns with each other.
Your Shape Fitness Evolved is an all-new videogame experience unlike anything our family has ever played before. The Personal Trainer and Fitness Class modes are a revolutionary new way to interact and participate with a virtual workout that places you on the screen alongside the trainer. The game also contains some fun fitness mini-games that even young kids can enjoy. Your Shape Fitness Evolved for Kinect is a game that will appeal to many different family members, especially those in pursuit of a healthy lifestyle.
*FamilyFriendlyVideoGames.com Favorite* - This was one of our favorite family-friendly video games we saw at the E3 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June. Here's what we had to say about it then:
Your Shape – Fitness Evolved is scheduled to be one of the first games available for Microsoft’s new Kinect add-on for Xbox 360. The game promises to provide personal- or classroom-style training to help family members get into shape.
In the personal trainer mode, players will need to follow the routines of their on-screen fitness trainer, with the Kinect sensor ensuring that the timing and movements are being done properly. The game appears to deliver a level of interaction and feedback that’s never before been possible in a video game.
There are also other classroom-style modes such as Yoga and Tai-Chi. These activities seem to be a perfect illustration of the possibilities of the new Kinect technology, as well as how this game is really working hard to cater to all members of the family.
From the demonstration we saw at the E3 2010 video game trade show in Los Angeles in June, there also appears to be a number of fitness-style minigames that encourage body movements and exercises. Activities such as kick-boxing and jump-rope were shown, with the promise of other games that will engage all family members.
Your Shape – Fitness Evolved looks to be a giant advance forward for not just fitness video games, but also the entire interactive workout industry. This title should be more than enough to get moms on board with the Kinect experience, and can also hopefully engage all family members in healthy movement and interaction.
INFORMATION FROM COMPANY FACT SHEET
Fitness Has Evolved
Introducing Your Shape™: Fitness Evolved, a revolutionary fitness game for Kinect for Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft. Your Shape’s proprietary Player Projection technology puts your body into the game for the ultimate experience. You’ll control the game intuitively with your voice and body as you create your desired fitness experience. Choose a personal trainer to help you meet your specific fitness goals, take a Yoga or Martial Arts class, or play fun, family-friendly mini-games. As you exercise, you’ll receive specific feedback on your every move, thanks to the game's real-time precise tracking system. Plus, you’ll interact with captivating visual effects that respond to your movement and impact. You’ll have so much fun that you won’t notice how hard you’re working until you see the results!
Key Features:
• Player Projection Technology Puts You Inside the Game Ubisoft’s proprietary Player Projection technology puts you in the game. Instead of the 16-dot tracking in other games, Your Shape Fitness Evolved tracks over 1 MILLION dots on your body. That means better tracking, no lag, and 100% player engagement.
• Fitness Your Way You choose how you want to play – do you want a personal trainer to help you meet your specific fitness goals? Or do you want to take a class such as Yoga, Martial Arts, or Tai Chi? You can also get the family involved in fun mini-games like dancing, target practice and more! No matter what you choose, you’ll burn calories, have fun, and improve your fitness level.
• Get Rewarded and Stay Motivated with Interactive Visual Effects As you master the fitness moves, the game responds with fun and surprising visuals that match your movement and impact. The better you perform, the more you are rewarded with interactive effects such as paint, water, light, fire, confetti, and more.
• Unprecedented Feedback System Your Shape: Fitness Evolved will give you precise feedback on your every body part as you follow your coach’s instructions. Not only that, but the game will help you correct your form by adding guidelines to the screen so you know exactly where your arm or leg should be placed and you can see it in real-time. When you have perfect form you’ll get the most out of your workout and stay safe.
• Cutting-Edge Workouts Created by Fitness Experts Your Shape features workout classes from well-known fitness experts. Michael George, who has trained celebrities including Reese Witherspoon and P.Diddy, leads a Martial Arts class. Michelle Bridges, trainer for all 5 seasons on Australia’s “The Biggest Loser”, teaches a special weight loss class.
• Track Your Progress and Share It with the Community The game keeps track of your stats, such as calories and scores. All of your stats are uploaded seamlessly online and can be shared with friends and family. Create challenges among friends and help each other reach fitness goals.
• Never Do the Same Workout Twice The game comes with hundreds of exercises; plus, there will be regular downloadable content releases to ensure you’ll always have new and exciting workout routines to learn.
• Challenge Friends using Xbox LIVE® Multiplayer