Reviews// Wii Fit

4:00pm: I’m shattered and not prepared to overdo it on the weekend (or ever, for that matter), but the wife is able to show off her athletic prowess by working through a series of muscle training activities without even breaking sweat.

These exercises are all about balance and timing, rather than exertion. But when I dare to suggest that, "I could do that squatting exercise quite easily" she cedes her position on the Balance Board, and I suffer further humiliation by almost falling off to join the lawsuit-filers-in-waiting. Leave it there for today, shall we?


Sunday December 2nd

1:00pm: Sunday morning jog? You must be joking. No, our Wii Fit programme resumes at the civilised hour of One in the afternoon - and it’s still gruelling.

First things first: it’s time again to be weighed, assessed, and scolded. The ‘Now scanning…’ screen lasts only three seconds, but it seems longer. My survey says 'You are now 86.7kgs, with a BMI of 26.6.' Great. I put that down to having just eaten a lunch of steak and vegetables, though (I lie to to myself about the effect of Saturday evening’s beers).

I try some breathing exercises (grouped in the yoga section) to regain my calm after envisaging the Balance Board animation character on the end of a good kicking.

It seems to work and all I have to do is follow the breathing pattern of my personal trainer (who looks like she could have cameoed in SEGA’s Cosmic Smash tennis funnery). This is infinitely preferable to running or twisting or stretching. I plan to revisit this side of Wii Fit, at least for its power to relax.

Meanwhile, my better half (and that’s no platitude – according to Wii Fit, she is certifiably better than me) is telling me to give up and make way. She wants to do the hula-hoop dancing again, elegantly shaking and twisting to reinforce her physical superiority to me.

Obviously the body is crucial to enjoyment of Wii Fit, but I also conclude that Wii Fit is more dependent on the psychology of the user than virtually any other game/non-game.

If, like me you don’t like to try but still have self-belief to the point whereby you instinctively doubt the worth of any criticism or advice received, Wii Fit could force you into action. It doesn’t offer criticism or advice so much as it paints in pixels the truth about your body. Seeing the depressing reality can be hugely motivational.

This may sound like an equally depressing advert for WeightWatchers, but: "It’s working for me and Wii Fit could work for you!" Or something. Anyway, I plan to stick with it for the next two months until my BMI hits 25.


SPOnG Score: N/A
^{SPOnG Score for ‘People Who Have to Have Scores’ even if we’re not really reviewing a game: 85%}

Conclusion
Apart from its entertaining balance games (comprising just a quarter of the package), which are accurately responsive and limited-but-fun, rating Wii Fit would be like rating the act of physical exercise itself. But as non-games go, this one is well constructed – and the Balance Board is a solid piece of kit. More important, though, it’s a motivational system for the good of your body. Just don’t forget to close the blinds.