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RETAILBIZ: RIIFLEX/I’M A CELEBRITY 58 MCV 13/11/09
WWW.MCVUK.COM
Power Play’s Riiflex weights offers Wii owners a little more resistance in their workouts… by James Batchelor
RELEASED: NOVEMBER TBC FORMATS: WII
FITNESS GAMES are certain to be big sellers this Christmas. Everyone is looking for something to counter the mince pies they put away. And the knowledge that those all-important New Year’s Resolutions are just around the corner makes the public a little more health-conscious than usual. With plenty of games such as Wii Fit Plus, EA Sports Active: More Workouts and Your Shape all hitting shelves this Q4, you’d think the Wii-owning public has all it needs to shed the unsightly pounds. But peripherals specialists Power Play have proved that there is more to offer. WEIGHT A MINUTE
The Riiflex weights transform the official Wii Remote and Nunchuk into dumbbells, perfect for a proper workout. These hefty plastic shells weigh 1kg and crucially add resistance to any lifting a fitness game requires, making the exercise significantly more effective.
PUBLISHER: POWER PLAY DEVELOPER: POWER PLAY PRICE: £TBC DISTRIBUTOR: IMPACT CONTACT: 01606 881 633
The weights have been designed to make them as comfortable as possible during prolonged Wii Fit sessions. The underside has been moulded to fit comfortably around the fingers and thumb, with a dashed texture that prevents the shell from slipping out of players’ hands as they lift it. Riiflex shells also boast durability, ensuring that they last long enough for players to get plenty of use out of them. Power Play is currently planning to release additional Riiflex weights early next year. These will be available in 0.5kg/1lb and 2kg/3lb varieties, allowing gamers to tailor exercises more closely to their abilities. Additionally, a Balance Board Fitness Step will also be released designed to raise the Wii Fit peripheral off the ground.
Brave the creepy crawlies of the jungle without having to endure a day’s flight to Australia… by James Batchelor RELEASED: OUT NOW (WII)
WHEN THEY’RE not challenging cabbies to Brain Training challenges, Ant and Dec are best known these days for putting ‘celebrities’ – and we use the term broadly – through sheer hell. The annual bugfest that is I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! is almost upon us, and to help fans get back into the mood for cringeworthy challenges, Mindscape has brought the exploits of the Australian jungle to Wii and DS. Players take on the role of contestants trapped in the jungle camps. In order to dodge elimination, win the competition and generally avoid starving to death, they must master 24 mini-games that recreate the notorious Bushtucker trials. “I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! is one of the biggest events in the whole TV year and this year looks like being no exception,” says Mindscape’s Mark Stanger. “The high profile of the series can only be a major benefit to the sales potential of the games. “The timing of both the Wii and DS games fits perfectly with the scheduling of the TV show and we have a very
NOVEMBER 20TH (DS) FORMATS: VARIOUS PUBLISHER: MINDSCAPE DEVELOPER: MINDSCAPE PRICE: VARIOUS DISTRIBUTOR: KOCH CONTACT: 0870 027 0985
high profile retail campaign to ensure consumers are fully aware of the game.” Mindscape has put together an extensive trade and consumer campaign that includes some high profile online and print activity with selected partners, including The Sun and Heat. The company has also been collaborating with ITV in order to tap into the inevitable boost the new series will provide. “We have worked extremely closely with ITV in all aspects of bringing the games to market,” says Stanger. “They have been involved at every stage of the development process and as we have moved closer to the release of the games, we have worked with ITV’s commercial people. We will be supporting a range of online and PR initiatives to support the release.”