EA Sports Active brings high-impact exercise to Wii

Electronic Arts today sought to build on the formula set out by the Wii Balance Board with a new peripheral and game combo of its own. EA Sports Active centers around a pair of leg straps that hold both the Wii remote and nunchuk in place as well as a single resistance band for the upper body. The set lets Nintendo's own controllers properly track exercise across the whole body and also introduce enough physical stress to provide strength-based exercise.

As a result, the Active is more likely to improve people's fitness than Wii Fit's primarily balance-oriented routines, EA says. The company nonetheless says the Balance Board can optionally be used to add to the workout. The software bundled with the peripheral is designed solely for exercise and produces 20-minute routines that scale the intensity as users become familiar and raise their base fitness levels.

The add-on is due to ship in spring for $60 and is considered a Wii exclusive.