Video game players are constantly getting a bad reputation for lacking healthy bodies and immune systems. But video game players have one up on the rest with Wii Fit- a new game for the Wii console that seeks to reinvent the video game and how they are played in effect.
Just like a gym membership will give consumers access to several types of body building, Wii Fit allows for four different types of training for video game players. Yoga, balance, strength, and aerobics can be trained in to better increase one’s stamina, balance, and overall ability to withstand greater forces of nature. All of this is made available without the monthly fee a gym membership requires.
The bulk of the games and activities within Wii Fit will make creative use of the Wii Balance Board, which is a peripheral used in playing the game. The Balance Board can measure one’s weight, body mass, measure one’s sense of gravity, and even be used to help teach yoga and other types of exercise techniques.
The response to Wii Fit so far has been vastly overwhelming. The response can be compared to Wii Sports, which had a similar following but wasn’t in lack of demand since it ships with most Wii consoles. Wii Sports quickly became the most popular Wii game, although Wii Fit might be changing that in due time. Wii Fit is sometimes regarded as an extension if Wii Sports, although it has much more functionality and substance.
Already, there have been vast reports of video gamers finally getting off the couch and losing the weight they always wanted to, but just couldn’t find a good enough video game to inspire them. Since only being released at the beginning of May in 2008 in parts not including Japan, this is quite a feat indeed. Clearly, the Wii console has become much more than a way to end boredom- it is now a way to lose weight in the comfort of one’s own home.
There lies but one problem in the entire equation: Wii Fit is quite hard to find. It has had such a demand for it even after a couple of months of initial release that consumers will be hard pressed to find it in local stores. The best bet as of now is going through online retailers, although it never hurts to try out local retailers to see if demand has let up any. (But don’t be surprised if it hasn’t!)
Final Thoughts
It’ll be interesting to see where the Wii will go from here in terms of fitness and in health. Safe to say, the result is likely to please parents and health fanatics who would like to a larger niche industry geared towards improving the overall health of consumers around the world. Either way, consult online retailers and local shops for more information on when the Wii Fit game will become available for sale.