This one's for the Nintendo Wii and it's called Wii Fit and currently it is the number two selling video game in Japan (it's not available in North America yet). For those of you who don't know, the Nintendo Wii is a video game console whose controllers have motion sensors and so games on the Wii are played more actively.
With Wii Fit we see the addition of a balance board sensor.
While I can certainly envision its use in areas like stroke rehabilitation, Wii Fit just doesn't do it for me. I'm a gamer (at least I used to be before having children) and these really don't look like games to me.
My advice? If you want exercise, go outside and play. If you want to play video games, play video games. Please don't waste your money on a product that will do little for you in the way of exercise and as far as fun quotient goes....well, I don't want be seen as a stick in the mud, so here is Sarcastic Gamer's overdubbed parody of the original Wii Fit trailer.
Go outside!
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Great post, and that video is totally hilarious! But I have to step in and say that I like the Wii. (And I used to pooh-pooh video games.)
ReplyDeleteI don't think that people should view this video game as a replacement for exercise - far from it - but I do think that as far as family games go, this one is pretty good.
You wrote: "If you want exercise, go outside and play. If you want to play video games, play video games."
My daughters (they're 6 and 8) get plenty of outdoor exercise all year round, so I'm not worried about that. I see the Wii as something akin to the board game, except this one involves movement. What's great about the Wii (and the same does not hold true for a traditional video consule game) is that this one is actually fun to watch while other people are playing it. With the Wii, the video game has become more of a family activity rather than a solitary pursuit.
If you've ever Wii golfed, bowled, (or boxed!) you'd know that it does get your heart rate up. Watching my husband's 80-year old uncle box against his 70-year old father is priceless.
Dance Dance Revolution is under our tree this year too.
andrea
http://www.quietfish.com/notebook
Have you seen the Fisher Prices Smart Cycle?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.fisher-price.com/fp.aspx?st=10&e=smartcyclelanding
Why would we take your advice on this when...
ReplyDelete1. You condemn a product without trying it. (One that doesn't put you at risk to try.) Sounds like you need to get away from your computer and go outside, too.
2. You condemn a product that's not for sale in North America. Why not condemn products for sale on Mars while you're at?
Seriously, what's the point of this post? Why aren't you writing it when this product comes out in Canada and you've actually tried it? Do you review restaurants before they open? Do you review a movie before you've watched it? Oh, but it's okay to review this?
Jack have you ever seen a movie trailer and told someone it didn't look good?
ReplyDeleteJack do you know how to read?
Did you notice that the doc is not saying Wiis are bad or that videogames are bad but rather that Wii Fit from the trailer that Nintendo put out doesn't look like exercise and doesn't look like fun?
Get a life Jack
I agree with Andrea, I dont think that the Wii should be a replacement of you kids getting outside and getting their excersize. I will say that I like seeing them up and moving no matter what, they are active when they are on the Wii and at least they are not sitting on there butts.
ReplyDeleteI live in the midwest and this winter has been hard, I am awfully glad that they have had something to do inside that is fun and keeps them active at the same time.