Saturday March 20, 2010 5:12 PM AEST
Skip Navigation Links Atomic MPC  > News  > Game  > Console Games  > Wii Fit

Wii Fit

  • Email a Friend
  • Print Page
Wii Fit
By David Field
Mar 12, 2008
Tags: wii | fit | australia | launch | nintendo

Out with the jive. In with the love. David Field gets fit Wii-style.

Out with the jive. In with the love. David Field gets fit Wii-style.

Last night I got to play with the Wii Fit. And it’s a lot more fun than I assumed it would be.

For a decent understanding of the game, you should think of Wii Sports-style mini-games played by standing on a set of tilt sensitive scales. This is called a balance board -- it’s wider than you’d expect, and has large rectangular indentations where your feet should be. Apparently it works by using cogs in each corner to measure the distribution of force across the board.

While using the word may very carefully, Nintendo executives described how bad body balance may lead to bad posture, and how core balance and your centre of gravity may be enhanced by the Wii Fit.

Then a gorgeous young dancer demonstrated the workout features of Wii Fit. While she was doing yoga exercises, the Wii played back a pre-recorded “While you are exercising, imagine your ideal body!” sound byte. Her body mass index (BMI) was then calculated, and she was just kissing the line of normal, but still slightly underweight.

click to view full size image
Shii's Fit


She finished by playing a hula-hoop game.

Shortly after the demonstration, there was a hands-on session. To deepen the irony, I had a cigarette first, and then walked inside to have a go on the Wii Fit. And I actually enjoyed it a whole lot.

One game gets you to lean from side to side, controlling a goalie. Get in the way of the soccer balls to score points, get in the way of flying boots to lose them. You’ll lose points if you’re in the way of the occasional flying Panda head, too. Yep: flying Panda head. I didn’t find out if there’s a virtual whaling mini game.

You remember those labyrinth games where you’d use two knobs on the side of a wooden box to guide a marble through a maze of holes? There’s a similar mini-game on Wii Fit where you have to toggle a platform back and forth and sink a marble into a hole. As levels advance, you get more balls to sink and more complex shapes to navigate.

Each Wii had both a Wiimote and balance board connected, and both of the controllers had their first blue LED lit. Although there were no techies on site to ask, it implies that the Wiimote and balance board are linked to a single controller input. This opens up possibilities for other games that could use the balance board. A few off the top of my head:

-> First Person Shoters where you play the game with the Wiimote and Nunchuck, and lean from side to side to lean around corners

-> Snowboarding and skateboarding

-> DDR

Although I didn’t get any video of me doubtlessly looking monumentally stupid, the guys from Cybershack did. If Lee puts the video up on Youtube, I’ll update this story so you can all have a laugh at my expense and see the thing in action.

Wii Fit will be available on the 8th of May for $149.

 
 
Want to check out the first Australian review of Final Fantasy XIII? We got in this month's Atomic!

Plus HD projectors, Napoleon: Total War, Intel's new six-core processor, PC upgrading guide, and a whole lot more.

ON SALE NOW!
Comments

Be the first to comment on this article.
Thoughts on this article? Add a comment below.
Login or register to submit a comment.
 
 
Atomic Magazine

Issue: 111 | April, 2010

Atomic is a magazine aimed squarely at computer enthusiasts, gamers, and serious PC upgraders.

Every month we bring you the latest reviews of new technology and PC components, in depth features on everything from overclocking to console hacking, and gaming previews and interviews.
 
Latest Comments
"Send your good taste to celebration by delivering our mouthwatering cakes to Dehradun and exotic ..."
by rony24 | Mar 20, 2010 4:56 PM
 
"So. Much. Awesome."
by The Manta | Mar 20, 2010 4:23 PM
 
"@sirtrancealot, BF started on the PC and BC1 only on Consoles was a kick to the PC gamers ..."
by NRUFrost | Mar 20, 2010 8:14 AM
 
"RAGE!!!"
by Hawkeye | Mar 20, 2010 1:24 AM
 
"alex - bugger all. 78mg of caffeine. About the same as a cup of instant coffee. Taurine, Gurana ..."
by tantryl | Mar 20, 2010 12:51 AM
 
1) Sony Ericsson Aino6 plans 17%
2) Nokia E7147 plans 17%
3) Apple iPhone 3GS 32GB36 plans 17%
4) Apple iPhone 8GB43 plans 1%
5) HTC Magic5 plans 17%
1) Optus41 plans 11%
2) Vodafone7 plans 7%
3) Telstra BigPond30 plans 3%
4) iiNet32 plans 8%
5) Dodo34 plans 1%

Mobiles | Broadband | Credit Cards

Haymarket - Atomic MPC
Latest User Reviews
Logitech MX518 Gaming-Grade Optical Mouse
90%
Good shape, design and Ergonomics
 
Coolermaster HAF 922
100%
A case to make a statment and give your pc the Heavy Hardcore Grunt it needs.
 
Coolermaster Excalibur
50%
Atomic is under attack
 
XFX 9300 Motherboard
40%
HUGE letdown
 
CM Storm Sentinel gaming mouse
90%
Sexy and instant geek respect.