As a video game enthusiast and part-time weekend warrior it was my pleasure to review The Biggest Loser "Ultimate Workout" for Xbox Kinect for the Spine Center at Altamonte. My initial objective was to trial both the Xbox Kinect technology as well as gaming software.
At the onset the game was user friendly and easy to start. A few questions, and I was off and running. There was opportunity for all users to gauge their physical ability in the form of a standard testing period and analysis. From this analysis the program recommended an initial fitness level, and adjusted its degree of difficulty accordingly. During this testing, the end-users are encouraged to work hard and to use the analysis as a building block for their new fitness journey.
As my review process continued it was clear that there are a number of bugs that I am sure will be addressed with future versions of this product to name a few; the voice recognition, the body scan process, the calibration of the Kinect, and the ability for the Kinect to pick up the human object in varying lights. These system issues acted as dissatisfiers coupled with the room in my house did not allow for ease of use compels me to state that I would not enjoy using this game as my regular workout routine.
In conclusion; this game has some significant pros and cons. If you are passionate about working out with a gaming system and can look past some of the hiccups I would recommend this product. Personally, I currently find greater joy working out utilizing traditional exercise methods and will continue to remain hopeful that the gaming companies will pursue a more accurate workout platform, until then I will see you at the gym.
~ Jason Newmyer
