Wii Fit?

[breakinglight11]

I've started noticing advertisements for a new Nintendo product known as the Wii Fit. Apparently, through use of a peripheral called the Wii Balance Board, the game is intended to get people to exercise through yoga, muscle workouts, aerobics, and "balance games" that simulate real-life physical activities just as skiing, in addition to things like gauging weight and BMI. 

I have kind of mixed feelings about such a product. On one hand, I'm glad of anything that actually gets people exercising and taking care of themselves. On the other, I'm kind of disappointed that people would rather do a virtual version of a sport than actually playing that sport, and that they need constant stimulation to get them to take care of themselves. Yeah, exercise isn't fun, but it's worth it and frankly necessary for the benefits to your health. I'm not a big sports fan either, I've always hated video games that are about stuff like football and basketball-- at least this simulates the sports with similar physical actions, as opposed to button-pressing. There's also the expense of this; the game and its peripheral must certainly not be cheap. As captainecchi has rightly said, it's very easy for people to make lots of money off of people desperate for some magic bullet to get them in shape. And more than likely there will be a significant number of people who buy this thing and then let it gather dust.

Of course... thinking about it more... if it really does improve the health and fitness of the people who buy it, then maybe it is worth it. If it does get you exercising when it didn't before, and that ultimately improvees your health, can you really put a price on your health? I work out every day, and let me tell you, it isn't because I find it fun. In fact, I kind of hate it. My desire to be strong, healthy, and, above all else if truth be told, thin is all that keeps me doing it.  In my basement at home is a treadmill, a Bowflex, and a Nautilus. It's incredibly convenient to have these things right at hand because I use them every day-- and they sure as hell cost a lot more than the Wii Fit.  Exercise does kind of suck, and though I do believe you should find some way to do it anyway just 'cause you've only got one body, if the Wii Fit provides a fun way to get people actually taking care of themselves, maybe it's worth its own silliness.

 

Comments

[charoolz.livejournal.com]

I heard about it a long time ago from a Wii home brew site that I go to every once in a while since they had released them in Japan with no plans at that point in time to bring them to the US, so people were importing them. They the Wii Balance Board support another 50 to 100 pounds before releasing it in the US. Sure goes to show what the world thinks of us, huh? Unfortunately, they're probably right.

I want one though. Not because I like to stay in shape, but because I'm interested in what such a thing will do to my enjoyment of a video game. As someone who wants to eventually get into the business, I have always supported Nintendo in their corporate philosophy of taking old technology and doing something innovative with it to make it fun and affordable for their customers.

[morethings5.livejournal.com]

I agree with you that people shouldn't need a video game to make exercise worthwhile or enjoyable, but as someone who tried desperately to find the motivation to get in shape for years before finally stumbling upon DDR and losing about 20 pounds, I would say some (most?) people really just need something entertaining to get them off their asses. I would rather judge a product for what it does for humanity than what it says about humanity.

[charoolz.livejournal.com]

Actually, I used to use DDR to lose weight for wrestling in high school, since you will not lose weight running outside in upstate New York in the winter because it is too cold to do so. I also tend to not like treadmills, since running in place bores me. DDR has a lot to offer as far as entertainment goes that treadmills don't. Maybe Wii Fit has something to offer that DDR doesn't?

[breakinglight11.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Ultimately, I think you're right. If it helps that much, then it doesn't matter what it is.