My review of the Nintendo Wii Fit Plus Software.
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Introduction to weight reduction
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Wii Fit for anyone who doesn't know - is the latest exercise craze sweeping the world; it's a software program (that could just about be considered a game -though it really is mostly about getting and keeping you fit). Many people who wouldn't normally have even considered buying a games console -namely a Nintendo Wii - are cuing up to buy them in droves, in their quest to lose weight and get in shape.

Being a bit lazy of late, and since I've just started helping out at a dog charity -walking all the rescue dogs, I've bought myself a Wii Console and Wii Fit Plus software -in the hope of being able to get in shape.


How much did it cost, for the weight to be lost?
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The Wii Fit Plus software costs just under £20, but unless you already have a Nintendo Balance Board -you'll need to buy one of those too (current prices are around £87 for the Wii Fit Plus software and Balance Board).

To use Wii Fit Plus software and Balance Board you need also need a Wii Game Console. I didn't own any of the above so I bought the complete pack of console; software and Balance Board online for £129 (please see my other reviews on the Wii console and Wii Balance Board for more info).

Prior to buying my Wii Console I'd never owned a games console in my life, so I'm far from expert in using one -hence I hope my review of Wii Fit Plus will be useful to the many people who're considering buying one...


It's a DVD just for my Wii; what else can I say but simply, yippee!!
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The Wii Fit Plus software comes in a smart plastic case, along with a small booklet of instructions (and lots of annoying leaflets telling me about other Nintendo games -that I quickly binned). The actual software is on a DVD type disk which will only work with the Wii Console.

You simply insert the DVD into the Wii console, click the on screen cursor on the first 'channel' (please see my Wii console review for an explanation of the channels) which says 'Wii Fit Plus' and the software will load.


The very first time; put your fat on the line!
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As soon as the Wii Fit Plus software loads you have the option of doing a body test; you step on the Balance Board, tell the Wii your, age, approx. weight of the clothes you're wearing, and your height - then it works out your BMI (body mass index), tells you your weight (ooh nasty!!) and lets you know in whether you're fit or fat -lol!

It also gets you to do some balance tests, and then tells you how evenly your weight is distributed (to help avoid bad posture and back problems etc).

Then you get given a Wii fit age; that you can reduce with further exercise/balance practice. You often get a fitness or diet tip too - and lots of friendly encouraging comments.

Once you've taken the long body test (there's an option to take a shorter test -which I prefer as it less hassle) you get a stamp (literally a foot shaped stamp on a calendar date-lol) and your weight etc are recorded on a graph.


Home goal - it's good as a whole!!
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Another nice feature of the Wii Fit Plus software is that it gives you the option to set goals - I set one up to lose about a stone in weight over 3 months. As soon as you set up a goal; Wii Fit Plus software keeps track of your progress towards that goal, and gives you good or bad news as to how you're doing...


You've done the weigh; now it's time to play
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Once you've sorted out your body test (and maybe set a fitness goal) you can move on to the actual bones of the Wii Fit Plus software; the exercises themselves.

The exercises are split into a few different categories; Yoga, Muscle exercises, Aerobic (calorie burning) exercises, Balance exercises and a special section called Training Plus that contains some additional exercises.

The Yoga and Muscle exercises are not games - they're more like going to a local gym. You have an instructor (you can pick male or female -I picked the girl cuz she was pretty hot looking; but please don't tell my girlfriend -lol!) who demonstrates each move, and then does the moves as you copy.

I enjoyed some of the Yoga poses/exercises (I used to do a lot of Tai Chi so my balance is pretty good anyway) I haven't tried them all yet - I just pick out the ones that look like I could actually do them -lol!

Likewise - I pick some of the Muscle exercises (but avoid others like the plague as I'm just not fit enough at the moment!!) to do, but only the ones that help me with the specific things I want to do (each muscle exercise is explained in terms of what it's for/ how it helps you - so it's easy to build up a routine of useful exercises).

The most fun part of Wii Fit Plus software, and where I've ended up spending most of my time on it - are the fitness games. The balance game's are great and all involve using your body weight (while standing on the balance board) to head footballs, balance on tightropes or guide skis, skateboards, bubbles and balls etc... but they won't really help you lose weight as they're not strenuous enough (they're really enjoyable though).


I mostly use the Aerobics exercise games most frequently, as they burn calories - and are by far the most fun. I love the hoola hoop game - where you spin your hips to make your on screen character (called a Mii) spin their hoops. Meanwhile two other characters toss other hoola hoops at you from either left or right - and you need to lean (while still rotating your hips) to catch the new hoola hoop.

After a while your online character has a load of hoops spinning at the same time - you score higher the more spins you do and the more hoops you catch within the allotted time.

Hoola Hoop is a really fun game, and it's quite easy to spend half an hour playing it for fun before you realise how much exercise you've done!

Other of my fave games include;

Rhythm Kung fu - follow some hilarious kung fu moves on line and in time with everyone else onscreen (get it wrong a big vase breaks on your head), Rhythm boxing - which starts easily, but builds up to some very silly combinations that will have you stepping all over the place -lol!

Stepping in time to the music - again this is hilariously good fun. It's surprisingly difficult to step in time with the onscreen characters - and when they start stepping to the side and changing feet you'll feel like you're doing your own version of Riverdance on the Balance Board.

There are loads more great games to keep fit to - about the only aerobic exercise game I loathed was jogging (I hate jogging anyway so I'm biased). I only tried it a couple of times till I got to the level where you jog all round the virtual island that all the Wii Fit Plus games are set on... it took me 19 minutes; and 19 minutes jogging aimlessly round a cartoon island looking at cartoon buildings and people is more than I can take -lol!


Other stuff when you're out of puff!
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Though the exercises are the main aspect of the Wii Fit Plus software, there are a few other useful things going on... for instance each time you complete an exercise or exercise game; you get a read out of the estimated number calories you've burned.

Each exercise you do also earns you some pennies in a virtual Wii Fit Plus piggy bank. The more pennies you earn through exercising - the more new games/exercises/levels get unlocked... so it's a good incentive to keep exercising.

I also like the way the Wii Fit Plus software tells you off if you haven't used it for a few days -lol!! A program making you feel guilty about not exercising - it's crazy!! If you start gaining weight it'll ask you why, and what you've been eating -and even offer tips to help; it's very idiosyncratic software...

Sometimes I pick up a heavy catalogue before weighing myself just to mess with the program -lol!!

There are also some built in exercise routines that combine a selection of different exercises and games -depending on what you want to achieve. So if you want to concentrate on your tummy for example -you can just let the Wii guide you through a few different games that will help firm/reduce your tummy.


If I diet the most is it still ok to toast?
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On the down side -I think there's a possibility that some people may expect more from the Wii Fit Plus software than it can deliver -it can't get you thin or make you fit overnight -it would take months and months.

Also there's a lot of time wasted between exercises while your score or the 'pennies' you've earned are added up -and you can't just press a button to speed this process up. So for every hour you exercise, you've probably spent nearer 2 hours in front of the Wii console.

Having said that; overall I liked Wii Fit Plus and feel it was money well spent - after about 5 days using it I noticed I'd lost a little weight and my muscles had firmed up a bit (yes fitness fans I've got my physique back up onto it's knees -lol!!).

I don't use it everyday - but certainly most days. It's no substitute for walking etc, but if like me you've laid of the old exercise a bit of late, the Wii Fit Plus software could be just the ticket get you back on the fit bus...

... and there's no getting round the fact that the female Yoga instructor on Wii Fit Plus is quite a babe -lol!!


Thank you so much for reading my review and I hope you found it interesting!!!

Best wishes,
Caveat-Emptor