Exergaming is king.

When students are trying to win major game design competitions using physical activity as a major component, you know exergaming has really arrived.  Every year the Game Developer’s Conference (GDC) holds a competition for students as part of the Independent Games Festival (IGF).  Students enter their innovative ideas hoping to come up with the next hot game idea.  I was shocked when I saw that one of the ten finalists chose an exercise-centered game.  I suppose I shouldn’t be so shocked with Nintendo’s Wii Fit still topping all the game charts.  But still…

The Legend of Zelda meets Dance Dance Revolution.

This year’s revolutionary exergame idea is called Winds of Orbis, and was developed by students at Carnegie Mellon’s Entertainment Technology Center in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Winds of Orbis is an action-adventure title that uses the Wii remote and Nuncuk with a re-configured floor pad.  The first of it’s kind!  Become a virtual cat hero and climb trees, throw objects, and hop through treacherous worlds, all through active gameplay.  Use the correct foot pad combination to solve puzzles, and fight the bad guys Wii boxing style.

I’m extremely excited about this game because, for once, this isn’t just a move-your-hands-as-fast-as-you-can kind of active game.  It actually requires you to be active.  The development team actually put thought into this.  Watch the Winds of Orbis game trailer to see for yourself.  We salute you Garth, Zikun, Ryan, Bard, Seth, Drew, and Jesse.  Good luck at the competition!