I stumbled upon an amazing throwback article on Kotaku by Brian Ashcraft yesterday called “Have We Reached Exercise Game Saturation?“  Ok maybe not throwback–it was written last summer. Anyway, in it, a summary of the exergame movement along with a most memorable quote from Ben Sawyer.

“When I was in Best Buy the other day and saw the huge EA Sports Active displays it felt like we’d hit saturation but until we have Richard Simmons Wii Workout I don’t think we’ve reached it. Famous last words, right?”

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Think it began with DDR?  Think again!

• 1982 – Amiga releases the Joyboard, a stand-on peripheral for a skiing game (total flop)
• 1982 – Atari conceptualizes the Puffer project, an exercise-controlled bike for the 400/800 or 5200 systems (abandoned and never released)
• 1986 – RacerMate releases CompuTrainer for the NES, a training aid and motivational tool where users pedal along roads (very expensive)
• 1988 – Namco releases Family Trainer Power Pad for the NES, a floor mat game controller complete with giant buttons
• 1989 – Mattel and Nintendo release Power Glove for the NES, a robotic glove peripheral controller (users found to be relatively inoperable)
• 1989 – Namco releases Dance Aerobics, an aerobics video game for the Power Pad and NES
• 1992 – CyberGear Inc releases Tectrix VR Bike and Climber, a software driven interactive bike and stair stepper (difficult to maintain and master)
• 1995 – Nintendo and Life Fitness release Extertainment System, an exercise bike with corresponding on-screen games ($3,500 price tag)
• 1996 – Namco releases Prop Cycle, an exercise bike game
• 1998 – Konami releases Dance Dance Revolution (and the era of exergaming truly begins)
• 2001 – UK company Exertris unties with Microsoft to release Exertris Interactive Exercise Bike, an interactive gaming workout cycle for Windows CE and XP
• 2003 – Cat Eye Fitness releases GameBike, a racing bike for PlayStation 1 and 2
• 2004 – Respondesign releases Yourself! Fitness, a virtual trainer for PlayStation 2 and XBox
• 2005 – Bodypad is released, a suite of controllers for knees, waist, elbows and hands for PlayStation
• 2007 – Gamercise releases power stepper and pedal peripherals, a power supply system that requires footwork from the player to power consoles
• 2007 – Fischer-Price releases Smart Cycle, a miniaturized stationary cycle arcade system for children ages 3 to 6
• 2008 – Nintendo releases Wii Fit, a personalized training board for the Wii
• 2009 – Electronic Arts releases EA Sports Active, an advanced workout peripheral for the Wii
• 2010 – Sony releases Move, a motion controller for the PS3 (coming to U.S. in September)
• 2010 – Microsoft releases Kinect, a motion gaming system for the Xbox 360 (coming to U.S. in November)

That’s almost thirty years of good old fashioned exergaming history.  If some of the more retro products caught your eye, check out this great article from the folks at Boing Boing on the last 25 years of exergaming.  It’s a great one, complete with pictures and detailed descriptions.