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Through the Wii console Nintendo has created a range of interactive games that have got gamers off their butts and onto their feet. The stereotypical image of a slack-jawed teen embedded in the couch is changing, as people of all ages take up the fun and involving features of the Wii and its ever-expanding range of games. No more is this the case than with WiiFit; Nintendo’s attempt to produce a comprehensive exercise program that you can do in the comfort of your living room. In creating WiiFit, Nintendo had the challenge of blending traditional exercises and video game elements in order to appeal to both exercisers and game players. The distinct features of the game are not only enticing to those wanting to play an active part in their game playing, but also show the designers’ creativity in accomplishing what is generally being lauded as one of the best Wii games for 2008. |
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One of those appealing features, and one that keeps participants coming back for more, is the ability to set goals for losing weight through your profile. The system keeps track of your progress in relation to what goals you set, which can then be changed at any time. This gives the player/exerciser not only something to aim for but allows them to ‘compete’ against themselves in an attempt to beat their previous best. For those who want to keep their information private there is a password feature available for each profile created. There is also a section to add daily activity you do outside of the game, which helps the game keep track of your exercise even if it doesn’t occur using WiiFit!
When you first start the game, you create a profile by entering your height and birth date. This profile helps to personalize the exercise experience. Once your profile is created, you complete a body test to provide a foundation of information. The game assigns your “Fit Age” based on the information entered and your skill at the body test. You can then set a goal for gaining or losing weight over a set period of time, and the game will keep track of your progress as you work toward that goal.
The game encourages you to exercise every day, even if all you have time to accomplish is the body test. Each body test is logged into the memory of the game and on your calendar, and the information is entered into a chart tracking your progress toward your goal.
The flexibility-training and strength-training are probably the most familiar “exercises” in the WiiFit arsenal. The flexibility exercises are yoga poses that not only increase flexibility, but improve body control and balance. The strength exercises include things like lunges and push-ups. The stamina and balance exercises are disguised as games, such as tightrope walking and ski jumping, that get you working up a sweat without even realizing it (and really, if you’re looking to exercise in your own home that’s really what it’s all about!) Most of the stamina and balance games focus more on those gaming elements, offering a nice break from traditional exercises seen in the flexibility and strength categories, while still offering activity that, when taken seriously, can really get the heart rate going.
Unlike traditional games that center around a controller, the WiiFit exercises center on the game’s Balance Board, a unique addition to the system that allows the game to be more interactive than other games available for the Nintendo Wii. Instead of just using the Wii remote and nunchuck for upper body exercises, the Balance Board make use of the lower body characteristics, making it the first game that requires players to get up off the couch to play.
The WiiFit Balance Board senses your position on it, and uses that information to determine your balance, posture, and movements. So when you play a balance game, the game can accurately determine where your balance is as you play. The Balance Board also senses your foot placement, so when you do the step aerobics in WiiFit, the game can tell if you’re keeping in time with the beat and placing your feet properly. Even when an exercise is loading, the Balance Board is assessing your weight and balance.
WiiFit might not convert the die-hard Gym enthusiast to give up lifting free weights and checking his/her biceps in the mirrored walls, but it will appeal to those of us who either don’t have a Gymnasium near our homes, have young children that require supervision and therefore a trip to the Gym is out of the question without a complicated strategy, or are simply uncomfortable with the idea of exercising in the company of people they don’t know (who always seem to be in so much better shape than us!) In saying that, though, WiiFit also makes an excellent bridge for those who do like attending the Gym but also want to be able to keep track of their exercise regime to some extent when they are at home.
WiiFit is unlike any other game available. It takes the physical activity used in other Nintendo Wii games and turns it into productive exercising to lose weight, build muscle, and improve balance and posture. The Nintendo Wii has broken the stereotype of the image of gamers, and WiiFit fits the new mold well, allowing gamers to blend exercise with fun, video game elements for which Nintendo has become famous.
WiiFit is unlike any other game available - and while it may not be the most engaging Wii game out there it is certainly the most energizing. It takes the physical activity used in other Nintendo Wii games and turns it into productive exercising to lose weight, build muscle and improve balance and posture.