What if there was a way to make exercise a little more fun ­– like video-game fun –without having to buy a game console? That’s what Goji Play is aiming to do, and its products are ones you can use at your gym, right at your favorite cardio machines.

The co-founders behind the infamous Guitar Hero series have launched products that work with your mobile devices and your workout machine of choice to turn your calorie-burning sessions into all-out games. Goji Play uses wireless controllers and an activity sensor with its library of games and apps, all of which are compatible with iPad, iPhone (News - Alert), and iPod touch.

“Going back to our founding of Guitar Hero, we’ve witnessed how the fun of games can inspire the masses to be more active and social,” said Kai Huang, Blue Goji co-founder and CEO. “Goji Play is the culmination of our dream to encourage people to get fit by fusing games and cardio equipment.”

The idea of gamifying something that might seem less-than-desirable is not a new concept. As kids, we create games to make the most mundane tasks seem exciting.  The basic psychological principle behind gamification is positive reinforcement. We are an incentive driven world, in that we rarely do anything without expecting some sort of pay off. Gamification helps to either provide an incentive where one was lacking or to increase an existing incentive. This results in an elated feeling whenever we receive a new badge or trophy.

Gamification, when used and designed properly, can prove enormously beneficial for just about anyone.

With exercise, gamification can bring you the motivation you need to keep up with your workout day after day. If you are already consistent, then it can bring your workout to a whole new level and allow you to see gains in areas you had given up o, keeping you engaged and tracking your progress.