Following the casual success of WiiSports, Nintendo believes another way to keep the Wii a favorite living room item it to make it fun and useful for the whole family. One way they plan to do this is through health software.
WiiFit was shown by Nintendo at their E3 press conference today. The game uses a new, bundled peripheral called the “Wii Balance Board” that is essentially a pressure sensitive platform. You stand on the platform, and the pad can detect not only where both your feet are, but how much pressure you are applying with both feet on every point of board.
Because pressure can be detected, the WiiFit game can calculate your exact balance point (whether your weight is shifted left, right, or even slightly left and forward, or far back and to the right). Using this function, the game displays the data on screen to tell you if you are physically doing the exercises shown on screen correctly.
Several exercise programs were demonstrated, from leg lifts, to push ups, to body twists, to step aerobics, to hula hoops, to dancing games, and even blocking soccer balls, all played by simply shifting the players weight accordingly.
The game relies heavily on the Wii Balance Board’s ability to measure data. In addition to balance points, the board can also weigh you. However, the game doesn’t show your exact weight on the television screen, as that can be embarassing. Instead, the game tells you your body mass index. Your BMI is a better standard to measure your health by, as your weight should be proportional to your height. Apparently, a healthy body mass index should be around 22. Reggie’s in 27.51.
The game can be played by the whole family (and then some), and you can chart everyone’s progress side by side to see who’s becoming the most fit in the shortest time.
The full fact sheet and several screenshots of the game and a pic of the Balance Board can be seen after the break.
KEY INFORMATION
The hit combination of Wii Sports™ and the Wii Remote™ brought golf swings and tennis serves into people’s homes. Now Nintendo turns the living room into a fitness center for the whole family with Wii Fit and the Wii Balance Board. Family members will have fun getting a “core” workout, and talking about and comparing their results and progress on a new channel on the Wii Menu.
- Lean to block soccer balls, swivel hips to power hoop twirls or balance to hold the perfect yoga pose. As users stand on the Wii Balance Board, included with Wii Fit, their body’s overall balance is tied to the game in a way they’ve never experienced before.
- Wii Fit also uses the Wii Balance Board for daily tests. These evaluate two key measures that a household can track via progress charts:
- Body Mass Index (BMI): A weight evaluation based on a ratio of weight to height.
- Wii Fit Age: The Wii Fit Age is measured by factoring the user’s BMI reading, testing the user’s center of gravity and conducting quick balance tests.
- Wii Fit includes more than 40 types of training activities designed to appeal to all members of a household. Training falls into four fitness categories:
- Aerobic Exercise: 10-minute exercises that are designed to get the heart pumping.
- Muscle Conditioning: Controlled motions using arms, legs and other body parts.
- Yoga Poses: Classic poses that focus on balance and stretching.
- Balance Games: Fun activities, such as ski jumping and heading soccer balls, that challenge the player’s overall body balance.
