Virtual pet can only be fed through walking

From China, Wokamon is a virtual pet app that requires kids to walk and exercise in order to keep their creature alive.

Getting children to exercise instead of sitting inside with computer games is becoming an ever more difficult task. We’ve already seen Loop, the outdoor game where young players use tracking sensors to score points and compete with friends. Now Wokamon is a virtual pet app from China that requires kids to walk and exercise in order to keep their creature alive.

Users first choose their pet — one of a race of aliens whose happiness depends on the energy of others. If users keep walking their creature will survive and grow, but the more they stay still the more sad their pet becomes. The app uses smartphones’ accelerometer to track steps taken, time spent walking, distance traveled and calories burned. Wokamon is compatible with wearable devices such as Fitbit, Moves and LedongLi, helping users to get a more accurate reading of their activity. Each metric goes towards leveling up the pet in different ways. When they’re not exercising, kids can also play with their pet and gain crystals, which can be used to unlock new characters. Users can also walk with friends and see how they’re faring in their group leaderboard.

Watch the video below to learn more about Wokamon:

Wokamon is available for free on the App Store. Are there other ways to combine digital games with keeping fit to make exercise more enjoyable?