A handful of companies vacated the expo floor this year at E3, but that wasn’t a reflection of the quality of the games. In fact, companies such as Majesco expanded their brands, increasing their digital content as well as their consumer base.
Zumba Fitness goes World Wide with Zumba Fitness: World Party. The #2 fitness franchise in history follows up last year’s Zumba Fitness: Core offering up its 4th iteration concentrating on world dance. Expanding the parameters of Zumba, players traverse the world, learning new styles of dance and new forms of fitness. Players can jump locales during their workouts with over 40 high-energy routines to the sounds of superstar artists such as Lady Gaga, Pitbull, and Daddy Yankee.
The creative team went around the world shooting locations and different styles of dance. They settled on seven locations. With a reach in over 185 countries, the largest market is 18-45 females. In talking with the Majesco representative, males are not left out of the fitness craze, and there may be more focus down the line. At the Licensing Expo, Gwyneth Paltrow and Tracy Anderson articulated their expansion to the male fitness market. Half of the celebrity instructors in Zumba Fitness: World Party are male. No matter the gender, the player will get a workout.
“Active Games Market Analysis,” found that 20 percent of all games released in 2011 were active video games, up from 5 percent between 2002 and 2007. Zumba Fitness is leading the pack in active games, infusing the sector with fitness and fun.
Over 30 new dance styles are available including Salsa, Tahitian, Calypso, Bollywood, Cumbia, Reggaeton, and Irish Step along with new additions like Plena, Blues, Capoeira, and Girly Funk. Local songs, rhythms and dance styles are unlockable, and fitness goals can be personalized. Workouts can be tracked with the Progress Tracker Plus.
Zumba Fitness: World Party will be available for Xbox One and Xbox 360. The Wii and WiiU versions will come with an exclusive Zumba Fitness belt to holster the Wii Remote.
In their quest for artifacts to fill out the Museum of Cool, Phineas and Ferb aren’t standing still either. Travelling to outer space, under water, and to an ancient temple, with Perry the Platypus along for the ride, the step-brothers of invention are up against the villainous Dr. Doofenshmirtz and his obscure-inator devices designed to take over the entire Tri-state area.
Set for release August 13 on Wii, WiiU, Xbox 360, and Nintendo Ds and 3Ds, Phineas and Ferb: Quest for Cool has two play modes: Exploration and Action. In action mode, the player can build and upgrade an All Terrain Vehicle equipped with wall-scaling pincers, indestructible drills, and customizable color.
Out of Phineas and Ferb or players of Zumba Fitness: World Party, I’m not sure who will get more of a workout, but with both, miles of fun are in store.