Nintendo's "Wii Fit" software gives Wii owners the ability to get off the couch and improve fitness while enjoying the interactivity of a video game. Although the "Wii Fit" Balance Board has a maximum weight limit, many of the activities promote weight loss, giving users an enjoyable way to get in shape.
Design
The design of the "Wii Fit" Balance Board was originally similar to that of an ordinary bathroom scale. As the project developed, the designers decided to focus more on measuring balance than weight. The completed board contains four pressure sensors that accurately measure weight and distribution of balance. Additionally, the board is wider than a typical bathroom scale, allowing users to perform a more diverse set of activities on it, such as push-ups and yoga.
Software
The original idea behind "Wii Fit" was to create software that would measure users' weight and track it over time. The project evolved to include a wide array of exercise activities that promote weight loss and improve overall fitness. The completed version measures a user's body mass index, or BMI, instead of just weight, and tracks it over time. This enables users to keep an interactive log of their progress as they participate in the activities.
Weight Limit
The "Wii Fit" Balance Board can accurately measure weight up to 330 lbs. The documentation with the Japanese version of the board lists 300 lbs. as its limit, but this is due to a difference in Japanese product regulations, not in design. The physical structure of the Balance Board can withstand force up to 620 pounds, since many of the "Wii Fit" activities include jumping on the board.
Weight Loss
The "Wii Fit" software contains fitness activities divided into four categories: strength training, yoga, balance games and aerobics. Users who want to lose weight should focus on aerobics and strength-training activities. These activities are an effective source of light- to moderate-intensity exercise that can burn calories, increase muscular strength, improve cardiovascular health and increase physical endurance. Additionally, the software provides feedback to users during the activities, helping them to improve their form over time.
Professional Opinion
The video gaming press has given "Wii Fit" mostly positive reviews, with GamePro's Tae Kim giving the game a 4.5 out of 5 rating, stating, "It basically turns your entire body into a video game controller and casual gamers who've bought into the Wii's user friendly vibe will no doubt find things to like about it." "Esquire" magazine's James Mitchell criticized the software's use of BMI as a measure of fitness, but stated that, "The aerobics stuff is fantastic...What's great is that it's exactly the kind of thing you should be doing at home and it's not massively technical - nobody needs to be there to check you're doing it right."
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