UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System is a fighting and fitness video game created by THQ, based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The game requires the Kinect accessory for the Xbox 360 version and the PlayStation Move and PlayStation Eye Camera for the PlayStation 3 version. The Wii version does not require any additional accessories to play.

UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System
Developer(s)Heavy Iron Studios
Publisher(s)THQ
Platform(s)PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii
ReleasePlayStation 3 & Xbox 360
  • NA: June 28, 2011[1]
  • EU: July 1, 2011
  • AU: July 7, 2011
Wii
  • NA: July 12, 2011
  • AU: July 13, 2011
  • EU: July 22, 2011
Genre(s)Sports, fighting
Mode(s)Single-player

Gameplay

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The game consists of training instructions within three separate sections from three champion UFC fighters and trainers: Mark Delagrotte, Greg Jackson, and Javier Mendez. They start with a warm up, followed by stretching, and then the workout the player has selected from the menu under their section, ending with a cool down stretching period. The instructors give tips, instructions, and encouragement throughout the entire workout. There are also occasionally jokes, such as when Javier Mendez asks if you "need time to wipe your tears" when you pause the game mid-workout. The player can work out alone or side-by-side with a partner.

The player sets up their account using their height and weight and fitness level during a sequence called "The Official Weigh In with Dana White". This includes a short fitness test which can be retaken. There are workouts under each of the three UFC fighters as well as preset 30 or 60 day workouts. The game also contains an option to make customized workouts called "The Customized Workout with Dana White".

As the player progresses, there are prizes and trophies they earn and instructional and motivational videos that they unlock. There are also separate activities they can choose for fun or as a break from their work out.

Development

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Initially, the development team approached UFC president Dana White, wanting to make a UFC-based exercise product, who suggested they consult with the National Academy of Sports Medicine to learn how to exercise safely. He then proposed his three top coaches to work with. Motion capture technology was used to capture movements of professional fighters and coaches. Greg Jackson, a UFC trainer, was involved, responsible for the game's mixed martial arts (MMA) and jujitsu elements. Muay Thai kickboxer Mark DellaGrotte and MMA coach Javier Mendez were responsible for the game's kickboxing segments. Scott Ramsdell, working for the National Academy of Sports Medicine, was responsible for the exercise routines. While the game is "not exclusively for men, it is tailored for men," THQ director of production William Schmidt explained.[2]

Reception

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The game received "mixed or average reviews" on all platforms according to the review aggregation website Metacritic.[16][17][18] GameSpot's review stated that the Xbox 360 version offers the most exhausting workout in video games, but bugs, repetitive programs, and overlong stretching periods cause the player to "tire for the wrong reasons."[7]

References

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  1. ^ "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System in Development on Kinect for Xbox 360, PlayStation Move for PS3 and Wii". Business Wire. April 7, 2011. Archived from the original on February 4, 2012. Retrieved March 4, 2012.
  2. ^ Haley, William (May 4, 2012). "UFC Personal Trainer Interview: Taking the Kinect to the Mat". GameZone. Archived from the original on May 11, 2023. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  3. ^ Minkley, Johnny (July 21, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System (Xbox 360)". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on October 2, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  4. ^ Reeves, Ben (July 8, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer (X360): Kick This Impersonal Trainer To The Curb". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on August 23, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  5. ^ Tan, Nicholas (July 1, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer Review (X360)". Game Revolution. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on September 7, 2012. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  6. ^ "Review: UFC Personal Trainer (X360)". GamesMaster. Future plc. October 2011. p. 93.
  7. ^ a b Cocker, Guy (September 6, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System Review (X360)". GameSpot. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 18, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  8. ^ Clements, Ryan (July 1, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System Review (PS3)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 17, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  9. ^ Clements, Ryan (July 15, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System Review (Wii)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on March 4, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  10. ^ Clements, Ryan (July 1, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System Review (Xbox 360)". IGN. Ziff Davis. Archived from the original on October 27, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  11. ^ "Review: UFC Personal Trainer". Nintendo Gamer. Future plc. August 2011. p. 69.
  12. ^ "UFC Personal Trainer review". Official Nintendo Magazine. Future plc. August 2011. p. 100.
  13. ^ "UFC Personal Trainer". PlayStation Official Magazine – UK. Future plc. September 2011. p. 110.
  14. ^ Yee, Alaina (June 29, 2011). "UFC Personal Trainer". Official Xbox Magazine. Future US. Archived from the original on July 3, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  15. ^ Martin, Liam (June 29, 2011). "'UFC Personal Trainer' (Xbox 360)". Digital Spy. Hearst Communications. Archived from the original on July 2, 2011. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  16. ^ a b "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System for PlayStation 3 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on May 5, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  17. ^ a b "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System for Wii Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
  18. ^ a b "UFC Personal Trainer: The Ultimate Fitness System for Xbox 360 Reviews". Metacritic. CBS Interactive. Archived from the original on January 8, 2019. Retrieved September 19, 2019.
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