ExRx.net

I just wanted to see if anyone has tried everyones favourite personal trainer and gym rolled into one console - The Nintendo Wii. More specifically, Wii Fit.

I can't wait to try one, but I ain't buying one

All the out of shape people I know are obsessed with it.. "do the Wii" is a phrase that's now replaced "going to the gym". Personally I think it's great to get people moving around more and as I keep reading, 'a good introduction to exercise'. Common sense will tell you that's as far as it goes...

But now i'm getting hit by peoples new found Wii confidence. "I have excellent balance, stability and posture", says Quasimodo plus 60lbs of fat. People that i've never heard use any of those words (stability, balance, posture) now claiming to be the picture of health...

Me: "ok.. who told you that"

Quasimodo plus 60lbs: "the Wii"

Me: "cool" (then proceed to go outside, find nearest wall and bang my head off it a few times)

I guess my tone probably implies that this should be in the pet peeves thread, but I do like the Wii. I'm not a console guy, but I found the Wii to be fun. I've not used Wii Fit, yet. When I heard of it's launch I thought it was a great idea, but now i'm seeing lot's of people who are under the false belief that they are healthy. There's always going to be a negative.

Just thought I would 'throw this one out there'.

KPj

p.s apologies if th Wii has been discussed already, I missed it if it has.

I don't think it has but I do believe this is something better to do than the average couch potato gamer. They also have came up with something called WII elbow... lmao also known as tennis elbow.

I have never played the game console I'm a 360 player myself but the idea of someone getting off their butt and actually moving around is a great idea. The wii saved nintendo's butt and may actually move them to the forefront of gaming consoles. I know sales wise the wii kicked every consoles but hands down.

LOL, Wii Elbow.

"Corrective Exercise Professional. Specialise in Wii injuries"

Yeah - The Wii definitely shook the market. Not that I know much about the market, I just know from the news.

I wonder if it's popularity will remain or if it's just a novelty.

I borrowed one from my friends mum. It had the game 'Wii Sports'. It got boring quickly, but you can see the potential. I think sports is just a sample game.

Great laugh when you have friends round and a few beers.

Wii Fit is a different thing though, you do balance drills, jogging (on the stop), push ups (STRENGTH TESTS) and loads of other stuff on some board. Apparently it coaches you and tells you how your posture and things are. Sounds like great fun, for at least 30 minutes anyway....

This article is great, lol, I'll quote the first paragraph. I just about spat out my coffee when I read this. Hilarious (or maybe I have a sick sense of humour).

http://us.i1.yimg.com/videogames.yahoo. ... t-/1213585




HAHA. Great. can't believe they put BMI in there. Ah well.. People will learn soon enough, or not.

KPj

Lmao hahaha I'm pretty sure both her and her father knew that she was fat and most likely were hoping that the console wasn't as good as it was. It's a slap in the face when reality is a video game telling you it's time to put down the doughnuts! hahahaha

Hilarious.

haha that article about the girl was hilarious. I can see one good thing coming from that and that is that i bet she'll never be fat now.

I've always had a problem with the Wii though. My brother has one and has a ton of games for it but all can be played sitting in a chair even the sports. It was made to get people up and moving but didn't really. After looking at the Wii Fit though it seems like they've fixed the problem and this is how it should've been done originally.

I don't really like it that peolpe will have the idea that they're in shape from this while really not cause they don't change there diet or whatever and will be avoiding gyms but hey i guess its better then them doing nothing.

The Wii only took the market because of it’s price. It came in as a Next-Gen console priced below $300. The other 2 next-gens (360 and PS3) were $600 or more. Sadly, the Wii isn’t even Next-Gen. It’s using this genration's hardware, with graphics only slightly improved from the GameCube. The Wii controls is what kept everyone from realizing they were simply getting a rev-ed up GameCube with a new control scheme.

At least Nintendo finally got their heads on straight and used a standard media (DVD) instead of running with proprietary optical disc. This means cheaper media, but Nintendo still didn’t include the option to actually play DVD titles! While the machine does accept DVD/CD size discs, it won’t play them. There are plans to include DVD playback in the future….we’ll see.

With so many titles going multi-platform these days, and so few titles being exclusive, the 360 is the best bet for a next-gen console. Not only does it have true next-gen power, but it has a substantial library (due to an earlier launch than the PS3) of exclusives (in-house and 3rd party) as well as all the multi-platform titles being produced now. Don’t get me wrong, I used to be a Sony fanboy, but pushing the PS3 for $700 or more with no major exclusives is insane.

Anyway, the Wii Fit is a weird one. It may help some that are really sedentary, and perhaps even inspire some to do more? Look at all the really obese people that simply start walking more and end up losing weight and then move on to tougher exercise programs. Maybe the Wii will have the same effect?

I haven’t use the Wii Fit, so I wonder exactly how it judges your posture? Sure, it can tell if the board is level on the ground, but you could be as crooked as a pretzel while keeping the board level. Interesting.

Actually the price isn't the only thing. It is aimed at a wider audience. It is not hardcore gamer console. That's like eating an apple and saying, "this orange tastes funny." It's cheaper BECAUSE it is less advanced. It is not made for increasingly better graphics and more detailed games. Many people enjoy games that are less complex. Sometimes it is fun to play something that isn't so complicated. Plus graphics are already so good, that graphics really aren't everything anymore.

I don't see much point to the other systems. if I want to play a high end game, I have my computer. You can get the parts to put a really sweet system together for just a little more money then a PSP or Xbox. Maybe they have titles you can't get for PC though. I don't know. I don't play a lot of games.


As for the wii fit, I like it. It has some fun games. Some of the "strength training" is pretty good for burning off some calories for doing a cut. It is some bodyweight exercises that can be done for a crossfit type workout. You have to play through it a bit to unlock the harder stuff, and get it to give you more rep options. Then you do some of the easier balance games to recover. The BMI thing and weight tracking is dumb, but that's just a small part of it. It makes cardio type training more fun. So it's not perfect but it's pretty good. It is a nice supplement to your weight routine. It's good for getting lazy people off the couch too.

Actually, price is everything. Back when the PS3 was getting ready for launch, the 360 was already out, and the Wii was on its way. As the Holidays approached and the PS3 was $699 compared to the 360 at $599, and the Wii at $250, everyone saw the sales of the Wii go through the roof even though it had a very limited launch library (only 23 games). In every consumer poll, the price was the #1 selling point among the 3 consoles during the launch wars.

Graphics equal realism. You need strong hardware to get better graphics. The 360 and PS3 can support HD in 1080p, while the Wii only offers SD in 480p, has very little memory, no hard drive, and no DVD playback.

Console games are designed to be dropped into your existing entertainment system where you can display the game in 42” HD with 5.1 surround. PC games strap you to your computer desk with your hands spread across a keyboard and mouse as you stare at a 19” or 22” screen. Not to mention that 95% or more of console games don’t go to the PC.

Nothing against the Wii though. I love Nintendo, and always have. I plan to get a Wii one day. I’ve owned the other 4 Nintendo systems, and still have the N64 and GameCube. Not to mention I have several NES and SNES roms that I still play on my PS2.

The point is, why did Wii dominate in sales? It wasn’t because it was a true Next-gen power house. It was/is because of the price. And it wasn’t by accident. Nintendo had fallen from superiority to a dismal 3rd. And ironically it was their own fault. Had they not betrayed Sony, the Playstation wouldn’t even exist.

Years ago (1988), Nintendo had Sony design a CD drive for use on the SNES, but during the premiere, they pulled out because the contract had given Sony complete control over all games published on CD. During the actual premiere (1991), and unbeknownst to Sony, Nintendo announced at the show that they would be using Philips instead of Sony…..and Sony was there at the show displaying the CD drive! So, Sony took their drive and made the Playstation.

With Nintendo in 3rd place, but still profitable, they knew they had a chance at taking a larger percentage of the console market by setting a low launch price. They knew the 360 was selling at a loss, and the PS3, even though outrageously priced, was also going to sell at a loss. Nintendo decided to run with the Wii-mote control system and designed in low end hardware. They counted on the control gimmick, low price point, and Nintendo loyalty to launch them to the front, and it worked. With cheaper, albeit inferior hardware, they were able to sell the console cheaply and still make a profit on it. So not only did they sell more, they also made money on each sale unlike the other 2 consoles. In fact, they sold so many at launch that production couldn’t keep up and there was a shortage.

You can get bigger screens and game controller, or connect it to an HDTV with a DVI to HDMI cable, and a digital audio cable. I think the advantage to PS and Xbox is they are easier to set up and they may have titles not available on PC.

True. Easy setup means no fiddling with an OS and peripheral hardware. Simple plug and play. Plus a plethora of titles you can't get on PC. Not to mention, back in the day, it was cheaper to buy a console like the NES for games than it was to buy a PC.

But technically, the Xbox is just a stripped down PC anyway. Heck, the PS3 is well, and its Cell processor is being used in high end servers. You can even run Linux on the PS3 and Xbox.

Supposedly Sony has moded PS3's in racks in a datacenter with Linux on it that they use as little mini servers. I don't know if it's true, but I could see them doing it since the cost would be so low. I heard they host the online games.

I hadn't heard that, but you're right!

http://www.engadget.com/2007/08/11/sony ... wk-mayhem/

I can vouch for the wider audience thing. I don't own any console and wouldn't normally buy one. The only one I would buy is the Wii, and the only reason I haven't is because I just borrow my friends. But he doesn't have Wii fit.

The Wii really is for all the family. I can hardly wait to get a shot of this Wii Fit. People in my work are actually getting up earlier in the morning so they can 'do the Wii' before work, and then again when they get back. These are people who sit down all day then get home and sit down all night, so the Wii is great for them.

There's talk of someone bringing it into work to mess around with at lunch time. Now I'm weary of coming in on that day with my muscles aching from training as I'll be expected to do well on it, but after some sessions i'm good for nothing except eating and sleeping!

KPj

The original name for the Wii was Revolution, who would have guessed it was a fitness revolution for couch potatoes.

Revolution.... to wii..... american.... to french... damn it. lol