The reasons why games like Guitar Hero, Rock Band, and Dance Dance Revolution were so popular was because of how they rewarded real-life movement and coordination in a satisfying way. Ultimately, it made for an incredibly addicting gameplay experience. Unfortunately, being talented in these games doesn’t mean anything in the real world, the most common criticism they receive. And while these games are incredibly fun, that criticism is kind of valid.
Judging by his product, it seems like Matteo Ercolano was once bitten and burned by his love for these type of rhythmic gaming experiences. Instead of moving on, though, he sought to combine that gameplay with a real benefit. Settling on exercise, he created Motion to Music. Its Bluetooth-equipped wrist/arm/ankle band works together with a mobile iOS/Android app to match body gestures to the on-screen prompts given. And like the aforementioned rhythm games, the better someone does, the higher their score and happier their fans; poor performances garner jeers and boos instead.
The initial version of the Motion to Music software mainly focuses on running, Zumba, bounce fit, cardio and shadow boxing exercises, with more in the works. Anyone eager to fill that rhymth game-sized hole in their heart can grab a wristband for $79, slated to ship in February 2017. The Kickstarter campaign is looking to raise $35,000 by August 16th, 2016.
The addition of classic rhythm gameplay to real-world exercise works because the need to get higher scores and create better and more complex combinations is a potent motivational tool. Still, some may be turned off by it’s still rough-around-the-edges UI design and the silly position they’ll inevitably strike by using Motion to Music. The Smart Rope and the Move It exercise system are some gamiefied alternative exercise products that may work if this is the case.