Realplay Peripherals
Realplay is the brand name of a range of peripherals released for the PS2. The developers, In2Games, are the same people who brought out the Gametrak. Realplay games include Realplay Racing, Realplay Golf, Realplay Puzzlesphere and Realplay Pool. These are games which include a wireless motion-sensing controller. This range of peripherals was released in November 2007.Nintendo Wii
The Wii comes with a controller capable of tracking motion in three dimensions. The Wii-mote and nunchuck attachments come with the console, so owners will be able to play sports and exercise games on the Wii without the need to buy any extra peripherals. The console also comes bundled with a selection of games, Wii Sports, which showcase its capabilities.The Wii is one of the few consoles where exercise gaming is its main focus. However the remote does have the disadvantage of poor battery life, since it can see a lot of use.
The EyeToy
The EyeToy is a small camera that attaches to the USB port of the Playstation 2, which is the only console it will currently work with. It also has a microphone attached. It's good for upper body exercise, but it's also very versatile and can be used to make short movies to send to your friends, for karaoke, and probably a host of other things that haven't been thought of yet.The biggest drawback of this peripheral is in having problems with the motion tracking, which responds to light. The camera can be confused by a busy background or one that does not contrast enough with the colour of your skin and clothes. You will also need to clear a good space and make sure there's enough room to move. In other words, you may have to tidy up. Aaargh.
Gametrak
Gametrak is one of the newer and more expensive peripherals for action gaming, and one of the few capable of tracking motion in 3 dimensions. You wear gaming gloves which are attached to a base unit by wires, and surprisingly this is all it takes to track your motion and speed with good accuracy. There's also a foot pad which works as a single button. The Gametrak controller, like the EyeToy, isn't interchangeable with any other controller. It's good for upper-body fitness and toning the arms.There's not much to dislike about Gametrak, it responds well and is accurate provided you calibrate your height correctly each time you play. The experience of playing with it brings it quite close to virtual reality, for a consumer gaming peripheral.
Dance Mats
Dance mats vary slightly in size, and some come with more buttons than others. The original 4-way dance mat actually has 10 buttons, corresponding with the buttons on a regular game controller, with the exception of the L1, L2, R1 and R2 buttons and the joysticks. The eight-way dance mat has 14 buttons and includes L1, L2, R1 and R2. All dance mat games can be played with a regular hand-held controller, and the dance mat could be used to play many standard games as well, if you wanted to. Dance mats provide a good lower-body workout.The main disadvantage of the dance mat is that the choice of games for it is largely limited to dancing titles. The games tend to involve a lot of jumping so it can be quite jarring, and although the mats have a little cushioning this will not always be sufficient protection. Some of the mats are intended to be used barefoot and others with trainers on, so opt for the mats that recommend you wear trainers if you want to avoid joint pain.
Another potential problem is slipping and falling. In practice this will only happen rarely if you use the mat on a carpet like the manufacturers suggest, and don't go overboard.
