Wii Fit – The First 30 mins.

It’s finally arrived! Wii Fit is here and here to stay. I’ve delved in with my first 30 minute workout and am so far enjoying it.

It started out with a jump (not a real jump, the game discourages it) onto the WiiBB to measure my weight and balance. Apparently my balance is ever so slightly to the left (which is a miracle since I can’t even stand up most days) and my weight is… well its quite discouraging to see the game make your Mii chubbier and chubbier.

After this it was time for some balance practice. This involved distributing my weight so your distribution falls within a certain percentage boundary for 3 seconds. It starts off simple, but with only 30 seconds to do five, and the boundaries getting smaller and smaller, it becomes a bit more difficult.

Finally, it was time to dive into the main area of Wii Fit, the games. First up was deep breathing exercises, instructed by a friendly trainer. This was, as it sounds, mainly breathing, but a nice and easy way to get into the game. Next up was the football. This consists of heading balls while avoiding obstacles.  This was pretty fun once I moved far enough away from the wall to lean right. Next up was a ball maze, where you need to tilt a board in order to roll balls into the holes. This is hard (and I mean HARD), as the WiiBB is so sensitive to your movements and its not long before your balls are crashing off the board.

After a few fun and games it was time to look at the real exercise. I tried a yoga pose called The Warrior, which consists of stretching your thigh muscles, and the other involved leaning from side to side. I was meant to hold my arms above my head to do this, but unfortunately due to my height, this wasn’t as easy as it sounded. Afterwards was time for some real workouts. This consisted of push ups and twists, which definitely worked up a sweat.  The personal trainers always friendly and takes you through the exercises step by step so it never feels like too much of a blagh experience.

Next up was the aerobics section. First up was the step exercises, which basically consists of stepping on and off the WiiBB. As simple as it sounds, its actually quite fun and relaxing. Also in the aerobics section was jogging, which is basically… jogging. You run up and down on the spot as your Mii jogs around the beautiful Wiffity Isle. The scenery’s relaxing, but the exercise isn’t. I could really feel it in my legs.

Finally, I finished off with a few more balance games. Ski Slalom saw me shifting my balance to Ski down the mountain through the check points. This works pretty well and i’m looking forward to Family Ski’s expansion on the area. I also played a quick game of Tight Rope. This sees you putting one foot in front of the other to walk across a roe without falling. This was very hard as I always kept on wobbling from side to side. Still, it was pretty fun.

30 minutes passed and i’m exhausted. The games fun so far and i’m sure i’ll be playing for days more to come. I will be doing another impressions post in a month or so to see if my impressions have changed.

Is Wii Fit Expensive?

Wii Fit arrives in Europe on the 25th April offering the user the ability to use their centre of balance, and to that effect their whole body, to play. Perhaps one of the most talked about issues within the gaming community though is its £69.99 price tag. Many people who I have spoken too are claiming that its just too expensive to be worth their time and money, but is Wii Fit really too expensive?

Yes: With the average Wii game costing £30-40 pounds, Wii Fit is charging you almost double that.

No: Games with necessary accessories normally cost more. Guitar Hero III sold at £69.99 with its guitar controller and still managed to become a smash hit.

Yes: You could but Mario Galaxy and Twilight Princess for that and still have £10 left, thats got to be more fun.

No: Wii Fit offers a different kind of entertainment not found in traditional games. However much you pay, if you enjoy he game sufficiently then its worth the money.

Yes: Why do I need a game to make me exercise? It costs me nothing to go for a jog in the park.

No: Because while people say its easier, many people do not want to put in the effort to buy a jogging outfit and run around for a few hours. Wii Fit offers a greater and broader package from the comfort of your own home.

Yes: Casual Gamers don’t want to spend all their money on a game.

No: The last big causal game package would be the Wii with Wii Play, thats £210. Wii Fit is only a third of that price and as games are brought less frequently they are more likely to spend more per game.

Yes: Why pay so much when there are hardly any games that use the Wii Balance board?

No: Apart From Wii Fit, both We Ski and All Star cheer Squad are confirmed to use the Balance Board. Nintendo have also stated they have at least 10 Balance Board compatible games in development.

Yes: Because this game (if you can call it that) looks rubbish.

No: Because there are plenty of people out there who will like this kind of thing and will happily buy it.

Yes: Wii Play, Link’s crossbow Training and Mario Kart Wii all have accessories and are all under £40

No: The Wii Zapper and Wii Wheel provided in the above examples are only plastic shells and don’t actually give you a new input. As for Wii Play that was just miraculously cheep.

Yes: £70 for a controller and game is more than I would normally pay.
No: A Wiimote, Nun Chuck, Classic controller with Wii fit cost £70. The Wii Balance Board and game cost £70 so its pretty even

Yes: Miyamoto himself said that Wii Fit isn’t intended to make you loose weight so it renders exercise substitute arguments useless.

No: While it may not have been designed for that purpose, they are certainly implying it with their advertising and even the name Wii Fit. On top of that, Wii Fit “experiments” have been partaken throughout the gaming community and have shown that it is indeed beneficial to your health.

Yes: While it may be cheaper than a Gym Membership, you don’t get the same benefits.

No: A one off payment suits people better than a monthly/annual membership fee and there’s no hassle, unlike going to a gym. Also your in a much more comfortable environment playing Wii fit, drawing in people who may be intimidated by the likes of a gym.

This is only a small selection of points i’ve heard, but hopefully at least one of these points will be relevant to you and that it might even change your opinion slightly, whichever side your on.

A big thanks to Mani, Tom and the WiiDs community for offering their opinions