Wii Fit For Wii Home Console

With all the talk of video games corrupting the minds and bodies of youngsters it's

nice to see Nintendo taking a completely different direction to video gaming in the form of their 'Wii' console which I previewed last year just before it was released in the UK. The unique selling point behind this console is that rather than relying on the conventional video games controller, the Wii interacts through various movements that the user makes in real life.

The basic package comes with a 'Wii remote' and 'nunchuck' - these are held in either hand then your hand movements get translated in to on screen actions. In the mini games supplied with the console these actions are used to simulate playing a game of tennis, ten pin bowling, golf or cricket.

The mixture of movement based controls and cartoony characters, gives the experience that is both friendly and physical a combination rarely seen in gaming. I am far from the kind of person who puts the blame for our social problems on video games and movies, but it is a breath of fresh air to see a good amount of titles for a console are physical and non violent that promote social gaming.

Just recently whilst shopping we decided to treat ourselves to a new game called 'Wii Fit' which through the use of a supplied 'balance board' adds a whole new twist to the way that you use your console. Although not cheap at 69.99, the board allows the game to detect your actual weight along with monitoring how you are standing or moving at any given point in time. By using these readings along with some user supplied information such as height it is able to determine your BMI (Body Mass Index) and put you though your paces with various training exercises. Your performance and weight will be monitored as you use the board so that over time you can work on improving your BMI and Wii Fitness Age.

The activities that Wii Fit will have you performing fall in to four categories; Aerobic Exercise, Muscle Conditioning, Yoga Poses and Balance Games. The activities within these categories include but are not limited to the following - Snowboarding, Step Aerobics, Tightrope Walking, Push Ups, Boxing, Jogging, Ski Jumping, Lunges and soccer headers. The difficulty of these activities increase as and when the game feels you are ready.

In the gym themed exercises a virtual personal trainer talks you through the exercise and comments on your performance; for example, when performing a yoga pose due to the way the balance board works they will be able to tell if you are shaky or shifting your balance incorrectly. Rather embarrassingly I am yet to come anywhere close to beating my trainer at the push-up challenge he presented to me at the beginning of the week.

The Wii Fit board could never a substitute to some real exercise at the gym and to pitch a video game as the best way to a healthier life would be ruthlessly misleading. Please bear in mind that there is no way you could use 'Wii fit' to do any form of resistance training as you would doing weightlifting or spending time on a rowing machine. Wii Fit in my eyes however is perfect for encouraging a healthy lifestyle especially I would hope in the younger generation.

by: Chris Holgate

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