Usually, the creator takes an old idea and adds a new twist. That is exactly how the new XaviX games came into existence.

XaviX has created several play-on-your-television games that include a truly interactive experience. The games respond to your physical movements so when playing you will stand up, move around, and get a little exercise rather than just moving your thumbs.

I tried out the XaviX baseball and tennis games. A bowling game is also available and golf and bass fishing will be coming out soon.

But right now, let’s talk baseball. Setup is easy. Attach the small XaviXPORT to the television with the included cables which attach to standard audio/video ports. The user’s guide includes diagrams and clear instructions.

Insert the XaviX game cartridge into the XaviXPORT. Choose the type of game and you’re ready to play ball.

I started with the training games. To pitch you stand in front of the television. The Xavix ball feels and looks like a real ball. You go through the motions of pitching without actually releasing the ball. (A wrist strap prevents accidental release).

The embedded infrared sensor in the wireless ball senses your movement and relays it to the XaviX processor chip. The mechanism calculates the velocity and angle of your pitch. What you see on the screen is your pitch put in play.

Running and catching are done on screen by animated players. You hear the crack of the bat and other realistic ballpark sounds like the crowds and the music.

You determine the type of pitch you will throw by pressing certain combinations of the four buttons on the ball. This lets you choose to throw one of nine different pitches including fastball, knuckleball, and changeup.

On-screen prompts show you what buttons to press for the type of pitch you want, so there are no button combinations to memorize. The bat works in the same manner. Just stand in front of the television and swing. Then you see the ball put into play.

The pitching and batting options are numerous. You can choose to bat left-handed and can even bunt. Both batting and pitching feel very realistic.

Practice makes perfect. At first a sense of frustration can set in as you try to figure out how the sensors actually work and how you should control your pitching and batting. But once you get “used to the game,” it turns into great fun.

After you use the training mode to acquire your timing and accuracy, you can play a game. You get to choose from three stadiums, to pick your team, team name, and team colors.

Be challenged by the computer-generated team or play by yourself or with a friend. There are plenty of options. You can go on to league play or fun games like a home-run derby. Playing is both fun and addictive.

The tennis game was equally enticing. Most of my friends and relatives who tried both games liked the tennis even better than the baseball.

The game comes with two wireless rackets. The rackets are pink and blue and the prompts on the screen are also color-coded so you always know whose serve it is.

You can move up and down the court to rush the net, lob the ball or smash your serve. You can select your favorite player, play against 20 different opponents or play against a friend in the two-player mode.

Choose from four different venues and choose from grass, clay or hard courts. You serve the ball, then swing, move, and respond to balls coming at you from across the court. The next day, I could actually feel the muscles that I had used just as if I had played a real game of tennis.

The XaviXPORT, the small box that controls the games, is sold separately, retailing for $79.99. Each cartridge costs $59.99.

Although the PORT is needed to play the games, the multiprocessor chip is located in the cartridge. This means that when new games come out you will get the latest technology with those games without upgrading your XaviXPORT. When you purchase a game you get the bat and ball, or racquets and the game cartridge to insert into the Port.

Make sure you have some free space in front of the television as you will need to move around.

Although the game can be played by 4- to 8-year olds, they will need some adult supervision to make sure that the wrist straps are in place and they don’t actually throw the ball at the TV.

The older children and adults that tried the XaviX games at my house all loved them. My husband and I enjoyed playing as much as the children and grandchildren. These virtual sports are fun no matter your age.