Wii Fit
"My body is ready."—Reggie Fils-Aime, during Wii Fit demonstration at Nintendo's E3 2007 press conference
Remember how your parents told you playing video games would make you gain a bunch of weight, lead to bad posture, etc, etc? This game aims to prove them wrong.
Wii Fit, part of the Wii Series (which includes Wii Sports and Wii Play), is an interactive series of exercises, mainly using the Wii Balance Board. These exercises include yoga, strength exercises, aerobics, and fun little balance games. The game also keeps track of players' body mass index and weight.
Aside from the fact that it's a huge seller, and the balance board it comes with is already being used as a peripheral for other Wii games.
There's a joke that it was invented to trick the Yanks into moving.
As with any gym or exercise regime you'll get out what you put in. Many of the toughest exercises are also the ones most easy to do even without the game (eg. running, press-ups or jackknifes) and the rest could easily be provided by some yoga and aerobic exercise videos. What Wii Fit provides that videos and willpower don't is a regular schedule and encouragement to keep on going along with the ability to match your progress against earlier efforts.
Of course, there is some debate as to how effective it actually is as a weight loss tool (and some research show that Wii Sports is more effective in that respect). So be aware that Your Mileage May Vary.
There is a sequel entitled Wii Fit Plus, which makes the original game pretty much obsolete as it contains everything the original does and more. A second sequel, Wii Fit U, has been announced for the Wii U. Is your body ready?
- Embedded Precursor: Wii Fit Plus does everything Wii Fit did, and it adds a bunch more content besides. If you have Plus but not the original, don't bother hunting down a copy.
- Exergaming: Perhaps not the first, perhaps not even the Trope Codifier, but it was the first to prove these games can be Cash Cow Franchises.
- Follow the Leader: EA Sports Active, The Biggest Loser game, and even We Cheer has an exercise mode.
- Guide Dang It: If you don't know which muscles are your "core muscles", don't expect the game to stop and explain it to you.
- Lotus Position: One of the training games. If you sit still enough long enough during this game, your on-screen character starts levitating.
- Mission Pack Sequel: Wii Fit Plus has all of the training games on Wii Fit, including some Training Plus exclusives and allows you to keep track of your pets' weights. At least the sequel carries over your save data.
- Mondegreen: One move in Rhythm Kung Fu sounds like everyone is yelling "CAP-COM!"
- Nintendo Hard: Some of the balance games (and the Training Plus in Wii Fit Plus)
- Scenery Porn:
- The special effects in the background of Tilt City are gorgeous.
- Wuhu Island, especially during the running and chicken flapping exercises in Training Plus.
- Shows Damage: The punching bag in Rhythm Boxing emits smoke after enough landed punches. More punches mean more smoke.
- Stop Helping Me!: When the Yoga/Strength trainers repeat themselves over and over. Try to work toward exhaling through your nose. Let's do some deep breathing together. Inhale as the blue circle shrinks.
- Updated Rerelease: Wii Fit Plus.