Back in the summer of 1986, Bandai released a fitness game titled Family Trainer: Athletic World on the 8-bit Famicom which shipped with a flimsy mat controller. The idea was to get kids off the couch and in motion with simple mini-games that were played by stepping on the circular cues located on top of the mat. Sales were mediocre and Bandai eventually abandoned hopes of starting a video game fitness craze.Fast forward two decades later and Bandai's at it again. Emboldened by the recent success of Nintendo's Wii Fit, the company revives Family Trainer for a new generation of gamers. Similar to the original incarnation, Bandai includes a flexible mat controller with the game which looks suspiciously like Konami's dancing pad. The mat is designed for use by one or two players who are able to step lively side by side. This means the entire brood can take turns engaging in gaming exercises which take place upon the mat controller. That's not all folks - the Wiimote is also used in some games for arm waving antics so the whole body gets a workout.
Bandai touts over 15 cooperative and competitive games in Family Trainer including one where players make like lumberjacks and leap over rolling logs by jumping on the mat. Yet another game has the player rafting downstream and another features a gnarly ride on a mine car. Preorders are welcome to ship on May 29, 2008 at JPY6800 or US$85.90 per bundle.
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