Like any other Wii game, a major problem with Wii fit will most likely be its ability to be manipulated. I remember watching an extremely athletic friend of mine, who had about a year of college boxing under his belt, square up with his girlfriend on Wii's Championship Boxing.

He got his ass kicked (and embarrassed) like some Kimbo YouTube highlight.

Why is that? Because while my buddy stayed true to his boxing form; taking full swings and tiring himself out in the process, his girlfriend sat there playing the controller like a xylophone solo.

As you can imagine, he quickly changed his Wii fighting style. This is true in many other games i.e. Tiger Woods - I see more people eschewing a normal swing for an awkward motion that gives a much straighter swing (it looks like someone having a body tic while painting up a wall).

My long winded point being- if you become competitive or actively engaged with Wii fit (which is what the designers hope), you will quickly learn the motion sensor shortcuts. And consciously or not, having that ability to sidestep that extra exertion is trouble for anyone trying to get in shape.

I think Wii should go back to the drawing board and rethink this. They would be much more successful if they found a way to take their top selling games and make them more physically engaging. The entertainment-as-distraction is a surfire way for someone to expend more energy and forget that they're "exercising."

Agreed. The whole concept of getting people off the couch and incorporating exercise into gaming is great, but as it is the Wii is mostly a serious workout for your wrists.

my friend has a wii and after playing tennis, golf, and bowling, all I could think was "why not just go play tennis, golf, or bowling?" Ok, on a saturday night maybe only the last is possible, but still you get the point. And yes, I'm a good tennis player but I couldn't play the wii game at all.

it's the same with Guitar Hero, which I own and do like playing. but the thing is, it actually takes practice to get good at the game, so I can't help but thinking "couldn't I spend this time learning to actually play guitar?"

And I know really good guitar players who suck at Guitar Hero.

I wouldn't say I'm a good guitar player but I'm not shabby either. I can assure you, after visiting friends who's son had guitar hero that actual playing ability does not translate very well into playing the game. If you have to practice to become proficient at either the game or the real thing; learn the real thing. After all vt groupies are no where near as enjoyable as the real women hanging out by the stage even if you're just in a decent local bar band.

Aaaarrrghhh Slate ate my long reply!! >:-(

In very short, Buggie & Damon2: hobbies where people work at something for a long time to gain proficiency are in a totally different category of R&R from the intense joy of the moment that comes from playing. (Video games, regardless of what the topic matter, is, automatically fall into the second group. Don't let the topic itself mislead you.) It isn't "why do #1 instead of #2" -- it's that people do both at different times, depending on what is most appropriate for the day, time, how they feel physically/emotionally, etc.

My meaning might be more clear if you consider whether you'd ask a kid playing tag why they're wasting time on that when they could be practicing for a marathon -- or if you'd ask somebody reading a fantasy novel why they aren't off taking fencing lessons. If you did, the kid might answer that tag is one of the many things they do because it's fun, but the thing they like to work at is writing stories; the novel-reader might tell you that they love relaxing with all kinds of media, and have programming computers for their long-range-effort hobby.

I hope that makes sense.

look, if i wanted to burn fat, i would've sat my ass on a grill and waited till lard dripped on the front lawn. as it is, all i want to do with my life is be a bum and get fat. that's why i'm playing videogames instead of going out there and hustling it out. no sane gamer in his right mind would prefer a game that forces you to perform strenuous physical activity before you can reap the rewards over a game that only asks you to sit back, and bash that damn control.

the only strenuous activity we gamers would seriously move our butts to consider is SEX. so if Wii wants this idea to work, i suggest developing a game with sex in mind. i have a few imaginative ideas about how this could work.

I haven't tried the Wii Fit yet but it seems to me that elevating the "board" by putting it on a platform of some sort would add effort to the "step" exercises and make them more challenging and strenuous.

PK

I agree that Wii Fit is for the most part not a great substitute for things it simulates, but if it gets otherwise sedentary people to get their heart rate up on a regular basis, it's a good thing. Maybe some of them will even develop the will and the minimum strength/stamina to go for real exercise.

The thing that Wii Fit gets right, though, is feedback. As the author mentioned, the drive to get better numbers - losing more weight, getting a better high score - is a great motivator, especially for video gamers who are used to thinking in those terms. Having a simulated trainer show you the exercises and comment on your performance also helps. Not as much as a real trainer, but better than nothing.

It's a lot easier to get into healthy habits, or do other productive things, when you have feedback. Having a personal trainer to encourage you through a workout and track your progress really helps you get into exercise and stick with it.

The Wii is fun, and while I can certainly understand manipulating certain game controls in order to 'beat' them or reach some goals, it's this type of mentality that some of us need to let go of - myself included. As video games get more sophisticated, responsive, advanced, etc. I find that less of the enjoyment comes from the end result and more of it comes from actual game play. For example, The Legend of Zelda is an all-time classic, but if anyone told you they beat it without hints or cheats they're either lying or they're Fred Savage's mute brother. Maybe Zelda isn't a good example, but Wii bowling is much more fun if you go through your entire bowling motion rather than sitting down and flicking your wrist. Plus, if the physical aspects of particular games allow me to justify the system as a main part of my family's home entertainment system then I can also slip in a few of the other games as well. Finally, as an older sportsman I play real golf, real tennis, and on occasion real bowling (albeit all three poorly), and the Wii is perfect for rainy days, cabin fever, late evenings, avoidance of driving, and so on. I never thought I'd get the love of my life to play any video game with me other than Pac-Man, but the Wii has been a fun addition to our life.