Nintendo Wii Fit
The Wii Fit moves the home exercising genre from the cheesy eighties into the sleek 21st century, move over Jane Fonda, here comes the Nintendo exercise board! As I am more accustomed to pounding pavements, I was a bit hesitant in reviewing this product at first. It looked to me as a never too far from the couch concept.
There were a couple of questions running through my mind. Would it give me a workout? Would I break a sweat? All was not lost, I did break a sweat and there were some minor aches and pains the next day. There were moments where I was a bit frustrated in using the product due to my lack of familiarity in using the console and the controllers. But I would highly recommend it as it is a fun way to exercise for family and friends. There are some minor negatives with the programs but this will be fixed by the upcoming release of the Wii Fit Plus in fall of 2009.
Positives:
The console utilizes a simplified, blunt approach to fitness assessment and tracking. Its controller design offers over forty motion-sensitive exercise options (from yoga to strength training, aerobics and balance games).
1) Yoga starts off with deep-breathing exercises and offers 15 poses to choose from (tree pose, half moon, warrior, downward facing dog, sun salutation, etc.)
2) Strength training has 15 options to choose from which includes lunges, push-ups, side planks, leg extensions, torso twists and much more.
3) Aerobics have 9 activities to choose from, including jogging, basic and advanced steps and even hula hoping!
4) Balance games offers 9 options. Even though they are not strenuous, they are extremely entertaining (Skiing a slalom course, Soccer heading or even Table tilt with multi-colored balls).
The Wii Fit provides incentive to stick to a routine by providing easy to use body tests and training routine. It gives rewards tokens, which can be used to unlock newer exercises. It also promotes physical activity for the entire household. Up to eight profiles can be created and linked to our Mii avatars. The Wii Fit can also be password protected if you do not want to share your BMI information…
Hardware:
The console comes with a built-in Wi-Fi that offers free online services and games. It is also compatible with all GameCube games and controllers. And it has a built-in SD slot for storage and photos viewing.
Negatives:
The game’s structure is one of its weakest points, as at first you may take the same amount of time maneuvering through the menu choices as you would exercise. The console is sometimes limiting as it does not allow you to create customized strength training or yoga workouts. The downside to this is that you do not get a chance to increase your heart rate, thus you do not get the full benefits of an aerobic regime.
The game is also brutally honest in its initial assessment of an individual. If you are sensitive to critique you may have an issue of being told that you are overweight or obese. And the BMI assessment is not always very reliable. The console has miscalculated my index when I first started using it. After entering my age and height (40, 5ft), my BMI was far higher than the reality and after two days of use, the unit gave me an “Wii Fit age assessment” of 25. A far cry from 40!
Hardware:
As a first time ‘single’ user, you will have to invest in a Wii console and all the accessories and it may look expansive. But if you compare to a gym membership and clothing options, it is a far cheaper option. The controllers are not rechargeable and tend to consume a tremendous amount of batteries. It takes a bit of time to get familiar with both the program and the controllers. The graphics and sounds are not as advanced as some others game consoles (e.g. Xbox 360 and the PS3). You are limited on the location and use as the wired console needs to be placed near the TV to interface with wireless controllers.
Final assessment:
The bottom line is that even though it may lack sleek graphical prowess and media features as other games, the Wii Fit is stylish and offers fun for the whole family and friends. Moreover, it may motivate you to change your eating and exercise habits.
Software and Hardware Updates:
After its initial release in May 2008 in the US, Nintendo is planning to release its Wii Fit Plus (fall of 2009). The Wii Fit Plus which addressed the problems of creating customized workouts, etc., and provides more flexibility for first time users to mix various levels of workout. It also allows you to set personal goals, focus on certain targets areas, specialized routines. There are an additional 15 new balance games and six new strength training and yoga activities (Skateboarding and Rhythm Kung Fu).
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