Majesco Entertainment’s Zumba Fitness – E3 Video

Let me make one thing perfectly clear: I am NOT a dancer. I am NOT a fitness instructor. I am NOT graceful. Not that I couldn’t be, but that’s neither here nor there. I am very skeptical about the casual gaming trend that’s creeping into the living room. Hardcore gamers are being pushed out of the comfortable couches because Sister-Who-Hates-Games discovered she loves to flail around wildly with Wii-motes in her hand and mimic the on-screen dance instructor, and Dad-Who-Things-Games-Are-Stupid is now boxing like a crazy person against a virtual opponent who has bigger arms than he does in real life.

But back to dancing, I really am not the dancing game type of guy. But Majesco Entertainment changed all that at E3 2010. I mean, sort of. I don’t know if I’m a convert, but I was able to take Zumba Fitness for a ride, via the Microsoft Kinect motion system, and loved every minute of it. Fun Fact: I wasn’t even supposed to meet with Majesco to demo Zumba Fitness, but because Greg Hastings was tied up with another set of clients and I had time to kill, Majesco’s PR folks thought it would be fun to have me try it out! *grumble grumble* Being the good sport I am, I readily agreed and started sweating profusely.

Created in the 90′s by Miami-based celebrity fitness trainer and Colombian native “Beto” Perez, Zumba® has become the fastest growing fitness program on the planet. Inspired by the traditional Cumbia, Salsa, Samba and Merengue music he grew up with, Beto paired his favorite, pulsating Latin rhythms with the red-hot international dance steps his clients loved and the Zumba Fitness Program was born.

The Zumba® program is a Fitness Party^TM with a contagious blend of Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow dance moves that provides an exciting and effective workout to a global community. Through exhilarating, high calorie-burning fitness classes, Zumba® has helped melt the pounds and inches off approximately seven-and-a-half million Zumba enthusiasts in 105 countries. Using simple Latin and urban dance moves, Zumba routines successfully tone and sculpt the body while burning fat.  Offered in 60,000 class locations worldwide, the Zumba brand also encompasses specialty programs including Zumba Gold® (classes for active seniors and de-conditioned participants), Zumba Toning^TM (body-sculpting classes using light weights), Zumbatomic® (for kids) and Aqua Zumba® (water-based workouts). For more information, please visit http://www.zumba.com/.

Zumba Fitness, Two Players

Now you can bring the excitement and exhilaration of Zumba right into your own living room this holiday season (2010) with Zumba Fitness. The Zumba program pairs red hot international dance steps with sexy Latin music to create an ultra fun fitness party on your console that’s focused on the joy of movement. Follow along as Zumba instructor fan favorites Tanya Beardsley, Gina Grant and Zumba’s creator Beto guide you through 30 routines that will make you forget you are even exercising. Honestly, even though I worked up a sweat, I had so much fun focusing on the freedom of movement and how well the moves translated on-screen that it didn’t feel like robotic exercise, it was fun.

Zumba Fitness was the first game I played using the Microsoft Kinect motion system (formerly Project Natal). I have to say that this was the best translation of movement onto screen that I witnessed at E3, hands down. My movements didn’t have to be spot on, but it picked up every single step and misstep I made with pinpoint accuracy. It took some getting used to, for sure, but as you’ll see from the video below, my Zumba Instructor had NO problems schooling me in the art. Oh, and I got an awesome picture with her…she was a riot!

Me and the hot Zumba Instructor!

Zumba Fitness enabled you to learn and master nine different dance styles, including Reggaeton, Salsa, Cumbia, Mambo, Hip-Hop, Merengue, Calypso, Rumba, and Flamenco. You can dance in a range of venues: sweat into shape at the Zumba gym to learn the basics, then take the party to a fantasy night club, industrial factory, futuristic “Master Jam” stadium, and a skyscraper rooftop!

Majesco even promises DLC for new routines, dance styles, and music packs, allowing you to keep the fun going while getting one of the best workouts out there. And I can attest to that. In my short 8-minute demo, I was panting. I am NOT a dancer…but I loved Zumba Fitness!!

Pricing is not yet known, but the game will be available for the Nintendo Wii, Sony PlayStationMove, and Microsoft Kinect motion systems this holiday! I want to take the time to thank Majesco Entertainment and Rogers and Cowan PR for the fantastic opportunity afforded me at E3.