Wii Exercise Bike Coming Soon
Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2009 2:38 pm
Wii Exercise Bike Coming Soon
by: Jason Mick
A new bike accessory is reportedly coming to the Wii, along with a cycling game. (Source: Engadget)
Compatible with Mario Kart, and a promising way to work up a sweat, the new Wii Cyberbike just might be the best biking game since, well, the last biking game... the Exertainment System, released in 1994 and pictured here. (Source: Gamers Graveyard)
New accessory to aid in America's quest to get fit
Video games can be good for you. From helping seniors exercise to (in theory) helping to catch sneaky terrorists, there seems to be few challenges that Nintendo's wildly popular Wii gaming console can't tackle. The Wii has been lauded for getting gamers in better shape, as its motion-sensing controls and exercise-themed games typically involve a lot of movement.
Now a new Wii accessory -- the Cyberbike -- may be helping users to further burn off those unwanted calories. Big Ben Interactive is taking its license to produce Wii controllers quite liberally and has unveiled the new "controller", an interactive exercise bike that will immerse Wii fans in an interactive riding game.
The idea of a bike controller has been floating around for some time now. In 1994 the Life Fitness Exertainment System hit the market, but it failed to win over many customers, thanks to its lofty price of $3,500. No price on the new Wii accessory has been announced yet, but it's safe to say that it will be far less than the Exertainment System and the cheapest interactive biking simulator to date.
One major concern that many potential customers have raised is the durability of the peripheral, a reasonable concern given that you'll be pounding out miles on thing.
States one commenter, "quag" on Engadget, "I don't see why this thing can't be made of reasonable quality for about $100 (maybe $150). It's just a lot of plastic and some metal, plus a Wii transmitter module. Unlike a real exercise bike, there is no led display. And I assume you can't in anyway adjust the resistance on the pedals. Plastic isn't expensive and neither is Chinese labor. I wonder if they were smart enough to design it for a 'generously sized' person, rather than the one pictured on the box."
The commenter refers to the unveiled box art, which shows a slender exerciser peddling away in front of a TV. According to the box art, the controller will be compatible both with the titular Cyberbike game, and with Wii Mario Kart.
No release date has been set yet for the device.
by: Jason Mick
A new bike accessory is reportedly coming to the Wii, along with a cycling game. (Source: Engadget)
Compatible with Mario Kart, and a promising way to work up a sweat, the new Wii Cyberbike just might be the best biking game since, well, the last biking game... the Exertainment System, released in 1994 and pictured here. (Source: Gamers Graveyard)
New accessory to aid in America's quest to get fit
Video games can be good for you. From helping seniors exercise to (in theory) helping to catch sneaky terrorists, there seems to be few challenges that Nintendo's wildly popular Wii gaming console can't tackle. The Wii has been lauded for getting gamers in better shape, as its motion-sensing controls and exercise-themed games typically involve a lot of movement.
Now a new Wii accessory -- the Cyberbike -- may be helping users to further burn off those unwanted calories. Big Ben Interactive is taking its license to produce Wii controllers quite liberally and has unveiled the new "controller", an interactive exercise bike that will immerse Wii fans in an interactive riding game.
The idea of a bike controller has been floating around for some time now. In 1994 the Life Fitness Exertainment System hit the market, but it failed to win over many customers, thanks to its lofty price of $3,500. No price on the new Wii accessory has been announced yet, but it's safe to say that it will be far less than the Exertainment System and the cheapest interactive biking simulator to date.
One major concern that many potential customers have raised is the durability of the peripheral, a reasonable concern given that you'll be pounding out miles on thing.
States one commenter, "quag" on Engadget, "I don't see why this thing can't be made of reasonable quality for about $100 (maybe $150). It's just a lot of plastic and some metal, plus a Wii transmitter module. Unlike a real exercise bike, there is no led display. And I assume you can't in anyway adjust the resistance on the pedals. Plastic isn't expensive and neither is Chinese labor. I wonder if they were smart enough to design it for a 'generously sized' person, rather than the one pictured on the box."
The commenter refers to the unveiled box art, which shows a slender exerciser peddling away in front of a TV. According to the box art, the controller will be compatible both with the titular Cyberbike game, and with Wii Mario Kart.
No release date has been set yet for the device.