Wii Fit

"Don't Stop Running -- Ever."

Isn't it a bit unhealthy to spend all day inside playing video games? I suppose it's not unhealthy if you're playing Wii Fit. In this game, you use the Wii Balance Board to exercise and move your character in different games and exercises. You even use the Wii Remote in conjunction with the Wii Balance Board in some games and without the Balance Board in other games. Some exercises don't use either. In most activities, you will be given a score based on performance, whether it is based on your stability, speed, or accuracy. Some of the exercises are silly games while others are genuine workouts. Either way, you're almost guaranteed to break a sweat and enjoy the game.

--Gameplay--
Most of the yoga poses and strength exercises are excellent workouts. While trying to achieve a high score on these workouts can be frustrating, doing them will make you feel great, and it is sometimes fun to complete them. Yoga poses such as the Bridge and the Spinal Twist are incredibly revitalizing. If you're not much into yoga or strength training, you may want to try the aerobic exercises. While you are running, stepping, boxing, or Hula-Hooping, you may begin to forget that you're exercising. The fun sounds and backgrounds make you think that it is just a game and that you're simply pressing buttons on a controller. The balance games are even more fun. There's a large variety of games you can play to improve your balance and footing. The Table Tilt, Snowboard Slalom, and Penguin Slide are some of the most fun. No matter what you're interested in, this game probably has something that will appeal to you.

10/10

--Graphics/Sounds--
The graphics are a bit cartoon-like, but most of the textures are adequate at the very least. It's not like this game needs advanced graphics anyway. If it did, the graphics would probably be largely ignored.

The sounds help distract from any of the strenuous exercises. They aren't anything that you would buy on iTunes, but they're certainly not awful.

7/10

--Play Time/Replayability--
If you play this game frequently, it shouldn't take long for you to unlock all of the activities. If you get truly motivated (which isn't very difficult to do), it should last you a while. It's very possible that you could use this game to enhance or even replace your old workout regimen. This game shouldn't end up behind the TV, as it's not a game to be ignored.

9/10

Final Recommendation: If you don't buy this game, you probably just don't want to exercise. It's a great game, and I've recommended it to several people who just wanted a fun game for their Wii. All of them returned to me with positive feedback.

Overall: 9/10

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 09/02/08

Game Release: Wii Fit (US, 05/19/08)