Should the food pyramid really be a food pie? We’re in the process of creating a health game about the food pyramid at the Playnomous office.  And it hasn’t been easy.  In my opinion, from a graphical standpoint, the latest edition of the USDA food pyramid (or MyPyramid) is nonsensical. ...

It’s no secret that Nintendo has people jumping around, stretching, doing yoga and bowling – all in the comfort of their own home. Since the debut of the Nintendo Wii and its exercise focused component, the Wii Fit, the world of healthy gaming has forever been changed! The Wii has impacted...

Remember when Dance Dance Revolution (DDR) was all the rage when it first came out several years ago? People seemed to gravitate toward the flashing lights, the hypnotizing beats and the opportunity to get your groove on without dancing lessons! Well over the past few years the idea of applying gaming...

For prevention (and treatment). At the Games for Health Conference last year, Humana announced its newest venture, Humana Games for Health (HG4H), an online world where users can play video games to keep their minds and bodies fit.  Their hope was to engage consumers through the use of a most popular...

A game that makes kids want to brush their teeth. The National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research branch of the NIH is jumping on the health games bandwagon.  They recently awarded $3.4 million Small Business Initiative Research (SBIR) grant to Firsthand Technology, Inc and the Dental Public...

Register for GFHC 2009 soon! I received an email from Ben Saywer, Co-Founder of the Games for Health Project, that seats for the Games for Health Conference this year are filling up fast.  According to Ben, “This will be the event’s biggest content offering yet.”  In other words,...

Bulk up with the Wii. Just in time for summer, the Wii is going buff with a new peripheral, the Riiflex by Power Play.  This fun peripheral is basically a pair of dumbbells (2 or 4 lbs) which are designed to help tone your arms while using the Wii Remote and Wii Nunchuck.  The Riflex boasts an ergonomic...

DDR meets Schoolhouse Rock. Rice University and the National Science Foundation are taking health games to the next level with a step game that makes the lives of kids better in more ways than one.  SciRave, a research project led by chemistry/engineering/computer science professor Dr. James Tour, ...