Battle obesity with a video game (hint: it’s not DDR)

Body Mechanics is an "edutainment" DVD game with a comic book theme that aims to teach 5-11 year olds about childhood obesity. In Obeez City, the story’s location, terribly named villains like Col Estorol, Betes II and the rest of the Evil Coalition of Harm and Disease are jeopardizing Jack Decayd’s life. Calling it a game might be a little bit of a stretch since it really is an interactive DVD where players answer questions to save Jack. Get too many wrong and Jack dies. Health games are a great idea, but they have to be fun and more immersive than sitting on a couch flipping through menus. If you want to make a game about fighting obesity, why not make a fitness game like the SNES life cycle or gasp a clone of Dance Dance Revolution. Compared to Bronkie the Bronchiasaurus or Captain Novlin for the SNES, Body Mechanics is a step backwards. At least those games were games where you did stuff like fight giant elephants and use asthma inhalers.