As of April 25, 2008, WiiFit is also available in Germany. Something funny on the side: the console had to this date yet to be available in the US, because it was first designed for a maximum weight of 300 pounds. This could be a bit of a problem for some Americans. But the Wii Fit must be robust, as it was designed for exercise.
First I thought who needs a Wii Fit anyway. What are you going to do? But then I saw videos from Japan and then from Germany, I thought, well, hmm, maybe. My friend was excited about it, but also very insecure. So we didn’t pre-order. But then curiosity prevailed and we got a package for sale. As soon as we got home, it was unwrapped and tested.
Wii Fit was designed to have fun while moving and exercising. You improve your body mass index, your balance and body height and all this while having fun! There is even talk of installing Wii Fit in gyms. But I don’t even like to go to the gyms to exercise, because of the number of people there are, the transmutation and the monthly fee they charge. All of this supports the idea of using Wii Fit to exercise at home. You can exercise whenever you want and there is no one watching you. And you still have your own personal trainer and you are still being challenged.
Packaging and content
The Balance Board is well covered and protected. The software CD is well packaged and therefore there is a nice detailed manual. You will also find four batteries, which is very useful. The box is lightweight and even has a plastic handle.
The balance board
The Balance Board is quite large and a bit heavy, which is fine, it has to support some weight, right? You will know immediately that it belongs to the Wii. The surface is white and has the Wii logo. There are two pads where you will have to place your feet. These pads are covered with non-slip so that it does not fall off too easily.
The board leaves a very elegant and yet robust impression. It can carry people with up to 300 pounds. When we stepped on it, it didn’t budge in the least. We are not the heaviest, but neither are we the lightest. The installation and configuration of the board is a no-brainer. Press the sync buttons on the Wii and on the dash (in the battery compartment). It doesn’t even have to be at the same time, around the same time it’s good enough. This registers the board as a remote control for the Wii, just like the Wiimote, because from now on you control half the game with the balance board. Don’t forget to turn on the dash too! The power button is on the front of the Wii Fit Balance Board. It’s amazing how responsive the board is, it registers even small nudges and steps very easily.
The body and scale test
Before you begin, you will have to go through a body test and a weight. Oh my god, weight …? Yes, the Balance Board is scalable and even quite accurate as well. You can even tell the talking board how heavy you think your clothes are and choose from a menu. I have to be honest, he thought.
After feeding the machine with all the useful data, (the Wii can’t guess how tall you are …) calculate your BMI (body mass index). The Wii needs your height and weight for this. This shows if you have an ideal weight or not. But that’s what Wii Fit is for, right?
The Wii even asks you how much weight you want to lose and in what period of time. It automatically finds out if this is feasible or not. After the body test, you will need to mark the actual date with a foot stamp. Later, when you’ve been exercising for a few days, you’ll need to re-stamp another date. You will get instant results directly from the menu, showing you in real time whether your exercise has been successful or not, because you will see your weight loss.
The software
Naturally, not only does the Balance Board belong to Wii Fit, but also a game. It is used like any other game that comes with the Wii. You insert the disc, click the channel of the disc, and start.
However, before you start, you must create your own profile. This is simple, like any other game and is self explanatory. You choose a Mii that you like and enter your age and height. Then your weight is taken. Now you will have to do the body test. After testing, the Wii determines your age, which can be a bit embarrassing. I know of a 23 year old friend of mine, the Wii assumed she was 34 years old …
If you resume a game after logging out, you will be taken to the home page. Here you can see the buttons and the settings menu, if a new user wants to register. Other buttons show how long you’ve exercised all together and settings like height and password. Click on your own Mii and “Training” and you will get to the game or part of the game that you have left.
The Wii Fit game is really a collection of about 40 exercises and minigames. Some of these are only available after you have gone through a series of serious workouts, successful workouts, and exercises. So, you have to go through fairly simple games to be eligible to play the hardest and longest. The games are divided into four categories: Yoga, Muscle Strength, Aerobics, and Balance.
Stay tuned for my next article on Wii Fit games
