XRKade centers are popping up across the nation, allowing kids to exergame, or play arcade games that require more effort than just moving thumbs. Despite the unfortunate name, the adolescent-focused gyms want kids more active and healthy, by sneaking exercise into their gaming sessions, Wii style. All I can imagine is a giant room full of sweaty, smelly, pre-teen nerddom.

The gyms feature notable games such as Dance Dance Revolution, and less notable ones such as tae-kwon-do and mountain climbing simulators. One XRKade in Arizona even claims a high school football team showed up to stay active when it was too hot outside. This is a step in the right direction, I suppose. But seriously, if I told someone I was exergaming when I was 13, they would have kicked my ass. [Arizona Republic via Core77]

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