10% Amazon Video Games Discount with ECA Membership

The Entertainment Consumers Association (ECA) is a 501(c)(4) non-profit membership organization which was formed in 2006. The ECA serves as advocates on the State and Federal Level to represent consumers who play play computer and video games.

Membership is $19.99 a year. In addition to being an advocacy group, the ECA can be consider an "AARP" or the "AAA" for video gamers, where members enjoy amazing discounts on video games in partnership with retailers, industry events, and more.

The best benefit they offer is a 10% discount with Amazon.Com. After you join the ECA, you can go in and generate a unique coupon code which will deduct 10% of your purchase price on any video game.

If you do the math, you'll realize that the membership will pay for itself quickly. Just buy 4 video games in a year that cost an average of $50 each and every game from your fifth game on is at a colossal discount.

And if you act quickly, there was a posting on Slickdeals which provided a promotion code where you can get your first year for free (!). Here's a quote from that site:

Entertainment Consumers Association is offering a free 1-year membership with coupon GIMAG. One of the many membership benefits is 10% off on all video games on Amazon.com (full membership benefits).

• Click here .and register an account
• Check your email for confirmation link, and click on it
• Check out, enter coupon code GIMAG

Note, a valid credit card is required to register the account, and it will be charged a then-current membership fee after 1 year passes, unless cancelled.

Wii Price Drop 2009 + Free Amazon $25 Gift Card

Amazon has an incredible deal to celebrate the price drop of the Wii from $249 to $199 which happened midnight September 29, 2009.


From September 27 to October 3, when you Buy a Wii, you'll get it at the new low price of $199, PLUS you'll receive an Amazon.com $25 gift card in the mail within 10 days of your purchase.


Another great deal they have for September 27 only is that you can buy the Wii Fit with Balance Board for only $79.98.

Of course, those who read this site's list of upcoming Wii fitness games know that there's an updated version of the Wii Fit called Wii Fit Plus which is coming out next week. So here's how you can get the deal of a lifetime:

• Buy a Wii at $199. And get a $25 Amazon Gift Card
• Buy Wii Fit at $79.98. This gets you the current version of Wii Fit, plus the Balance Board. 
• After you get your Amazon Gift Card, use it to get Wii Fit Plus (Game Only). This way you'll have both the current version and the new version with additional, improved games. Since the game alone costs $19.49, you'll get it for NOTHING (and have $5 to spare)

If you've been on the fence, there's no better time to jump. But hurry!

Wii price drop - If you're thinking of getting a Wii...wait until Sunday

Today, the president of Nintendo announced that Nintendo would be dropping its price from $249.99 to $199.99. There's no worse time to get a Wii than between today and 12:00 AM Pacific Time Sunday. But there's no better time than 12:01 AM :)

Be sure to visit Amazonor your favorite retailer to get the reduced pricing.

Also, visit the list of upcoming Wii fitness games to read about some of the great fitness games coming out very soon, starting with Wii Fit Plus on October 4.

EA Sports Active is Today's Amazon Video Game Deal of the Deal (9/22/09)

EA Sports Active is the #1 ranked exercise game on my list of best Wii Fitness Games.

For today and today only (while supplies last), Amazon is featuring EA Sports Active as their Video Game Deal of the Day for $43.98. This is by far the lowest price I've seen on EA Sports Active, and chances are we won't see this price level again for a long, long time. If you've been on the fence, I'd jump now (and squat, and run, and lunge ;)

Wii Games that use the DDR Dance Pad / Dance Mat Controller

In many ways, the company that brought "exergaming" into the mainstream has been Konami. In 1998, they introduced a new arcade game called "Dance Dance Revolution". It was one of the first mainstream games that involved not just exercise of the thumbs, hands, and wrists but the whole body. It was such a simple concept--move your feet to match on-screen arrows moving to the pace of pop music--but it was as addictive as a video game as as effective as the best aerobic workout in the gym.

Fast forward to 2006. Nintendo introduced the Wii which also ended up reversing a trend of video games turning kids and grown-ups into flabby couch potatoes. Suddenly, every video game company started producing games that focused not just on fun but on getting exercise.

Konami ported DDR to the Wii, but was a little late to the game as far as producing fitness games. But in the coming months, they'll be making up for lost time in a big way by introducing a number of new titles which make use of the good old DDR dance pad.

Here are the upcoming games which will use the Dance Pad with their release dates. Click on any link to see the product on Amazon.Com.

Walk It Out (October 20, 2009). This game will be an exercise title which focuses on walking or step exercising using your DDR Dance Mat controller. It'll feature a huge "virtual" world that you can walk through and a rich music soundtrack.

Dance Dance Revolution Hottest Party 3 Bundle (October 27, 2009). This game will be the sequel to Dance Dance Revolution. The biggest improvements will be a much improved music soundtrack and optional support for the Wii Balance Board.

Ultimate Party Challenge (November 3, 2009). This game will be a set of over 40 minigames, many of which use the DDR Dance Mat controller. From early screens, it looks like this will in part be a response to Namco Bandai's Active Life series of games, which itself introduced its own mat controller. Here's hoping this competition is a good thing, and Konami will step up to the challenge of making high quality mini-games.

Many of these games will support multiple players, so if you already have DDR, you can either get the game alone or find the game bundled with a dance mat so you can play together with friends and family.

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