Some of the exercises are simple whilst others are extremely challenging. It all depends where your strengths and weaknesses lie; if you have trouble walking a straight line – even when sober – you will struggle with the balance exercises. Likewise, if your upper body strength is pathetic you will have problems with press ups.
The good news is that you can – and will – improve over time. You are encouraged to regularly test your balance and BMI, and as well as earning a performance based score on completion of each exercise, you also receive a ‘FitCash’ deposit in your exercise ‘piggy bank’, which unlocks new activities whenever you have accumulated sufficient points for a reward. Of course, there are stats galore to chart your progress, plus a calendar to track your workouts. Miss a few days and you will certainly be reminded of the fact, the next time you sign in.
Wii Fit’s star attractions would have to be the Balance Games and Aerobic Exercises, which include activities such as hula hooping, jogging around a predetermined scenic course, skiing and heading soccer balls. These bridge the gap between the more serious yoga and muscle workout sections, and straight-up gaming. The best – and sneakiest – feature of these games is that, just like Wii Sport, you’ll have so much fun playing them it’s only afterwards that you realise you’ve actually been working out as well. Not all of the activities use the balance board. For example, jogging requires you to carry the Wii remote or put it in a pocket, whilst either running in place or around the room. If you have a second remote another person can join you on your run; however their data is not saved, which in our book means it’s not true multiplayer.
Wii Fit is not a total fitness package – nor is it intended to be. If you’re a runner, cyclist, gym bunny or yoga devotee you certainly won’t find it a substitute for the real thing… but you will find it adds balance and variety to your normal fitness regime.
On the other hand, if you are an affirmed couch potato seeking to improve your general fitness and have fun doing so, Wii Fit is the perfect starting point. With just the right amount of challenge, instruction and incentive to keep going, it’s really up to you as to how far you let it take you.
There are already a number of third party accessories for the balance board and Wii controllers, so we thought we’d take the opportunity to multitask and test drive a couple of them during the review period. The first of these, Futuretronics Silicone Sleeve, is a cinch to attach; simply stretch it over the Wii Fit board as you would a fitted sheet over a mattress, and secure it by pushing the little ‘nipply things’ into their corresponding holes.
It takes a bit of getting used to the feel of the silicone, but because it’s smooth, soft and has a little give it’s easier on the hands and feet. It definitely has more grip than the naked board, and is therefore safer. It is also easy to clean… a big plus when yours are not the only sweaty feet using the board (and chances are they won’t be). Due to its stretchy nature the Silicone Sleeve does move a bit when uneven force is applied, such as doing lunges with one foot at a time. This can be a little disconcerting the first few times, but the sleeve is firmly attached and will not actually come off.
We also tried Futuretronics's Wireless Nunchuk Adaptor. It was slightly fiddlier to set up, since you have to carefully tuck the wire into a compartment in the handle. It also requires two AAA batteries to run; however we believe this is a small price to pay for the convenience of being able to use the Nunchuk without its umbilical attachment to the Wii remote. Its curved shape sits comfortably in the average adult male’s paw, but those with smaller hands may find it a strain on the fingers and forearm muscles after only a few minutes. A handy low power alert on the adaptor and the corresponding dongle which attaches to the Wii remote warns you when it’s time to pop in some more batteries.
The Nunchuk adaptor ships with a silicone glove for your Wii remote, which follows a similar principle to the silicone sleeve for the board… but without the handy nipply things to help secure it. This was actually quite a struggle to get onto the remote, since it’s a very snug fit… just imagine trying to squeeze into skinny jeans that are two sizes too small. The silicone does feel good in the hand – especially a sweaty one, but the hassle of having to remove it each battery change or charge diminishes our enthusiasm for this particular accessory.
Are the accessories truly necessary? Maybe not, but they certainly enhance the Wii Fit experience, and are reasonably priced as well. From a comfort and hygiene point of view they are a good choice if there are several of you using the same board.
