Review: Wii Fit (Wii)

Over the years Gamestyle has spent considerable sums on releases such lavish examples such as Samba De Amigo, Steel Battalion and Sega Bass Fishing. Each whilst proving enjoyable failed to offer a long-term experience, although we suspect someone out there is still trying to master Steel Battalion and its sequel. Wii Fit is a different proposition altogether as it not only promises a tangible gaming experience but also a health benefit. An additional attraction is that the technology is already being adapted due to its formidable success, with Namco’s Family Ski the first to support the Wii board.

Firstly the board itself is a thoroughly solid piece of kit, which brings back memories of Sega’s arcade controller for the Dreamcast. Certainly that peripheral could survive sustained bomb damage and arguably the Wii board is in the same category. Considering the supposed price of Wii Fit at a high street retailer it does seem value for money even before you’ve inserted the game disk itself and put the board into action.

When you enter the world of Wii Fit for the first time it is certainly a familiar one, following tried and trusted Nintendo principles as seen in Brain Training. Icons and Mii characters are integrated into the presentation and initial examples allowing you to easily pick up the activities at hand. As with Dr Kawashima your age plays a large part in proceedings, with your performance over certain tasks being used to calculate your Wii Fit age. How this is possible is beyond Gamestyle, while it does improve as your performance increases, ultimately feels like an added gimmick to boost replay value. Any dietician worth his or her salt will advise that the most successful weight loss is that achieved over a prolonged period of time. This desired slow and sustained weight loss does not go hand in hand with video games or the quick results demanded by today’s society.

The activities themselves are divided into four categories with the balance games providing an ideal introduction to the new control system offered by the board. These initially take the form of simple tasks such as heading footballs or enjoying ski jumping or snowboarding. Every category features a leaderboard where the top ten times or scores are kept. As Wii Fit demands that you return on a consistent basis to work out, the leaderboards themselves soon become meaningless. This is especially true of the yoga workouts where the concept of scoring seems dubious and almost based on luck.

Normally good performance in games would unlock further options, whereas here in Wii Fit simply turning up and engaging seems enough to open up new forms of exercise and entertainment. So without too much effort you can have the full selection at your disposal. Using the board as a controller and your body mass as the lever actually works and Nintendo has displayed a wonderful imagination in creating varied opportunities to exploit this dynamic. Even the slightest motion or change in pressure is captured on screen. The only disappointment comes when you put aside the board and rely on the Wii Remote in activities such as jogging. It is easy to cheat on such tasks if you wish, and frankly this isn’t why you’ve paid that extra premium over what a normal Wii release costs.

The games are well pitched with a difficult curve evident as you move through each category. The balance games soon demand pinpoint accuracy as you progress, while the yoga exercises become more taxing and elaborate as you gain in confidence and flexibility. Even when you have the full set of tasks you can extend the time or number of stretches to increase the difficulty level. This is especially beneficial with the stringent muscule exercises where you soon find holding a position for thirty seconds straightforward as your strength increases. So Wii Fit allows that option to push yourself further and double the time or required number.

At the end of each workout you have the option to weight yourself and confirm if your BMI is obese, underweight or spot on. The temptation is to do this daily, but as your body weight fluxuates throughout the day by a few pounds, the results can be unreliable. The most beneficial option is to just weight yourself weekly and see the real results of your work.

As a game Wii Fit is very limited and that certainly applies to the graphics. However used correctly it can be an aid for exercise, co-ordination, weight loss and improving your flexibilty. It is a unique experience that can engage families and friends who may seem entrenched on the sofa. For that alone it is recommended but it is not a sure fire solution, only one part of a lifestyle change that you must undergo.

Rating: 8 / 10

Words by Jason Julier