If like me you have been badgered all week by your girlfriend or wife to buy a Wii Fit, you will have found out how difficult it can be to try to purchase one. Nintendo has definitely struck gold with this latest fitness gadget as they are simply flying off the UK shelves. It's a miracle if you can find a store with one in stock.
So what is everyone getting excited about? Well, you may think that Nintendo is aiming this gadget at the junior market but it appears grown-ups are snapping up this new fitness console as an alternative to the gym.
The Wii Fit is a fitness board slightly larger than your average bathroom scales. There are no wires involved as the fitness board connects wirelessly to your Wii console. Once connected to your console, simply step on the board and the game tells you your weight, your body mass index and, after a couple of balance tests, (which is great fun as we don't always stand as straight as we think) your Wii Fit will tell you your age. So hope nobody's been telling white lies about their age.
The next step is when the fun really starts. Players then have a choice of games to play, such as cardio, muscle, yoga and balance events. If you can, think of lunges, warrior poses and press ups. Everything is made welcoming as you have an on-screen instructor who helps out at different stages. The game ski jump is quite amusing - bend knees, lift heels a little - imprecise but still amusing enough. Hula hoop is great fun for parties and is easy to play. There is also one called the jogging game which takes place off the board; for this game you have to put your Wiimote in your pocket.
The activities are surprisingly challenging but players will experience a lot of fun whilst doing yoga, balance orientated games, aerobics and muscle stretches. What is so popular about the Wii Fitness board is the fun approach to fitness. My girlfriend and her friends were in hysterics as they watched each other try the various games. And it is this kind of approach to fitness will keep players hooked for years to come.
It is possible to follow your daily progress with easy to understand graphs and charts to follow. By setting up your own personal profile, you can set yourself goals and after time, you can check your body mass index (BMI) to check your results and see how many fit credits you've earned. The Wii Fit console allows up to eight family members to create their own profiles. So not only can you manage your own fitness but you can also add a degree of competitiveness to your family life.
Something to think about for all the Wii enthusiasts is that, apparently, the US manufacturer Peekaboo, who already sells a pole dancing kit endorsed by Carmen Electra, have been talking of how to teach millions of gamers how to pole dance. Nothing has been finalised yet but a version could be available for the Wii that could include an extendable pole with a video game to teach gamers how to pole dance.
Perhaps this as yet untitled game is similar to Guitar Hero which lets gamers rock out to their favorite rock and roll bands with a guitar style accessory. Whatever the outcome, I am sure it will be great fun.
