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Ever since the major video game platforms (the Nintendo Wii U, Sony PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Xbox 360) added motion-controlled gaming, players have been jumping off the couch and moving more than their trigger fingers. But say you're new to the world of games and are more interested in fitness than collecting virtual coins or battling digital aliens. Which console should you buy?
Our game and fitness experts just tested five games that can help you get in shape: Nike+ Kinect Training, Zumba Fitness: Core, Just Dance 4, Your Shape Fitness Evolved 2013, and UFC Personal Trainer. They used all three of the game platforms to test. And one feature that proved essential was how well the consoles tracked players' movement.
For more tips and advice, check out our guide to video games, consoles, and tech toys.
Tracking is very important in fitness games, because it helps the game provide proper feedback on your form. Doing the exercises incorrectly can diminish the value of the workout or even cause injuries.
Of the three platforms, the Xbox did the best job of motion tracking. Its Kinect controller can track your full body movements; the Wii Remote and PlayStation Move and Eye are less accurate, as our testers demonstrated. (Bear in mind that tracking accuracy also depends on the game.) Prices for the three consoles are comparable, but keep in mind you'll need to buy the controllers as well, separately or in a bundled package.
Read our full story, Fitness video game reviews, to see how well the games did in our tests.
