game systems for exercise. Suggestions and info needed

I have friends with the Wii Fit and while they love it, they never seem to work up a sweat or get much out of breath. It's not for me. I know I never managed to work all that hard with it on the few times I've played it, but that's just my opinion. I have a PS3 because I'm a geek and love video games, but I just got EA Sports Active 2. I love it. The workouts are varied in a circuit training style (a little cardio, body weight squats, lunges, curls, presses with a resistance band that comes with it) and there's a training program you can follow. It gives me a good way to get a pretty good workout in my own living room. Another good point about the game is that it comes with everything you need - you don't need the Playstation Move peripheral to work with it. There are dancing games for the PS3 and other fitness games, but I think most if not all of them use the Move, and I haven't had the cash to get it yet.

If you're looking for strictly cardio and don't want to shell out a lot of money, look for a used Playstation 2 (or other older system like XBox) and something like Dance Dance Revolution. There's pads with arrows you plug into the machine and follow the directions on the screen. It's very easy to work up a sweat with it, and it may be cheaper because the console and games are older.

I can't comment on the Kinect and XBox360, so maybe someone else can!

Dancing IS exercise. I took dance classes a few years ago and lost forty pounds, even though I didn't change my eating. Anything that gets your heart rate into the fat burning range is exercise. I hate when people tell people they aren't getting a "real workout" unless they go to a gym.

I love our x-box 360 with Kinnect and in particular Zumba Rush. It is so fun, I use a HRM to track calories burnt and the Kinnect camera ensures you don't skimp on the exercising.

I agree with others above that XBox Kinect is best. So much better than Wii for workouts. I only wish I could afford my own.

Great games for fitness are Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2012, Nike+ Kinect Training, Dance Central 3, UFC Personal Trainer, and I hear Zumba Core, though I've never tried the latter myself. Not into Zumba.

I bought a Wii when they first were on sale. I already the wii fit and although i used it a little at first i didn't use it as much as i should/could have.

When i started my weight loss in Feb 2012, i began using my wii fit ALOT. I eventually bought the wii fit plus (though the wii fit does alot of the plus things). Just by watching what i ate and by mainly using the step advanced (on and off the board basically) i lost around 2 stone or more. I loved it because i could do it whilst watching TV.

i personally enjoy the XBOX360 with the Kinect. My workout consists of the dance games: Just dance 3 & 4, Dance Central games, and just recently the Black Eyed Peas experience. I have tried the biggest loser game, but haven't put it in my workout yet. I have lost 5 lbs so far using the dance games and eating the right amount of calories.

I sweat like a pig doing Zumba 3 on the Wii..usually burn an avg of 400 plus calores in 45 mins.

I take it you don't need a hand control for the dance and exercise games? It senses your movements? Do I have that right?

Yes, the Kinnect cameras watch your body and in particular your joints and 'sees' when you are moving and if you are doing the 'right' movement. The 'My Shape' game is very clever and gives you verbal feedback, speed up, keep your back straight, squat lower and if you don't do it right, you don't get green lights, grrr.

The Zumba games give a written feedback on the bottom of the screen and coloured flashes depending on how closely you are matching the dancer. 100% right and in time get a blue 'Zumba', medium effort gets a red 'hot' or a green 'nice' alongside an accuracy rating of up to five stars, I normally get 3 stars on the songs I know, as I often miss the changes, lol.

We already had a Wii. I heard good things about EA Active. So I got it, a little sceptical that you could "work out" to a video game. But holy squats, batman! It's a really good workout and both my husband and I find ourselves cursing it out at least once a week! And there are a lot of workouts on it at all different levels. You can even make custom workouts. But the "prebuilt" ones are really varied and good. I heard the 2nd one they came out with was good too.

I say make the kids share! You already have a system just spend the $40ish on the game.

^^ This. I have EA Active 1 and 2, I still prefer 1 but it's a good work out and you get a resistance band which is really good.

I play skyrim while using my elliptical, but I am a nerd.

The Kinect is amazing! I have many dance games (Dance Central, Just Dance, Dance Masters, Hip-hop Experience, Zumba) and the best is definitely Dance Central 3. Zumba is great too but the playlist really plays on my nerves, as latin music isn't necessarily something that I want to hear everyday for an hour or so.