Little known fact: Bandai's NES "Power Pad" was known as "Family Trainer" in Japan. And so old is new again, as Atari has announced the European release of Namco Bandai's thoughtfully named
Family Trainer for September (it's called
Active Life in the US and hasn't been dated). These days, names like
Family Trainer and
Active Life certainly conjure a connection to
Wii Fit, a "knockoff" if you will, though the new
Family Trainer is more a resurrection of that mat from the 80s than another way to
get weighed on your Wii.
This "new" Power Pad is bundled with zany feats, forgoing the track and field games that were packaged with the original peripheral for things like log jumping and mine karting in jungles and haunted mansions. Missing the mark? We think so. Price this pad at half the cost of
Wii Fit, toss in a Pilates program, and
Family Trainer will go platinum, like day one.
[Via
Engadget]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Shagittarius @ May 14th 2008 10:28PM
I'd knock the stuffin out that egg McMuffin.
SoulBlade @ May 14th 2008 11:00PM
Oh sigh.
Kye @ May 15th 2008 4:56AM
LMAO!
Kye @ May 15th 2008 4:57AM
Damnit, I replied to the wrong person. The laughter was for thew replies to blue falcon. A back-handed compliment. lol.
Blue_Falcon @ May 14th 2008 11:06PM
Just what the Wii needs, another peripheral. The controllers were enough, but now we're getting into floormats and everything.
I'm seriously wondering how much longer until every game gets its own additional piece of plastic of some kind.
(Before the NDF gets all in a tizzy, I'd like to say I LOVE my Wii, but enough is enough with all these games with gimmicky one-off items like this)
jackbauer (mk:4811-7496-3209) @ May 14th 2008 11:11PM
what the! a compliment and a insult in the same comment! is this neutralism? what's next someone being rational?
Slayer @ May 14th 2008 11:22PM
I believe it's called a back handed compliment.
John McPoop @ May 14th 2008 11:25PM
And the beat goes on
JRM @ May 15th 2008 12:04AM
If old is new again, then this mat will be used for one game and then get thrown out, just like the old power pad.
Mike @ May 15th 2008 12:05AM
Are game companies even trying anymore? It's just one abortion after another. Thanks for turning the Wii into a veritable wasteland, developers!
Pajama_Man @ May 15th 2008 1:17AM
"Hold on to your potatoes Dr. Jones!"
Kye @ May 15th 2008 4:58AM
Atari: Here comes the bandwagon! Quick, everyone on!
Sesur @ May 15th 2008 8:27AM
what a bunch of garbage..
Ibere @ May 15th 2008 9:13AM
Next: Wii Family Power Glove.
... it's soooo bad.