![Wii Fit [Wii]](http://media1.lunch.com/d/d2/261677.jpg?2 "Wii Fit [Wii]")
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The Nintendo Wii is one of a kind. Developed in an industry that is normally dominated by intense graphics and violent game play, the Wii Fit is a bit of an anomaly. The Wii brings family fun and physical interactivity to the gaming world. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the classic style of game-play too – I've been playing games like Halo and Final Fantasy for years – but there's just something astounding about how simple yet effective the core components of Nintendo's new system are. Not since Nintendo innovated the video game industry for the first time in the early 80's has a system been so revolutionary with such basic features. It's not the graphics or hype that pulls you in, it's how you play the games, and how you operate the system that keeps you coming back for more.
+4
It's the basic movement controls and group play that sucks you in to this incredible system. The Nintendo Wii makes it so easy to do things that you'd never have thought of before – stuff like getting off the couch and actually swinging a fantasy sword or boxing with your spouse without a visit from the police. Thanks to this wonderful system, children are becoming more active, enjoying physical activity again, people are losing weight by playing a video game, and the elderly are even finding a source of strength rehabilitation with sports like bowling or tennis.
Now, the real part of the Wii Experience is through how it’s controlled – with the Wii Remote (or Wiimote). This is the the motion sensitive remote control shaped controller that allows you to interact with the content in a game through motion, buttons, and triggers. The key to the Wiimote is that it is an interactive game controller, which works best while standing up off of the couch. Some games work well while sitting, however you even notice yourself that once you swing the Wiimote, you’ll want to be standing. Games like Wii Sports use sweeping motions and rapid movements to perform on screen actions. These games require that you have room to move around, you just can't pull it off while lounging on your sofa. Trust me, I tried – but I found that after a few minutes, you will find yourself up on your feet if you are really into the games.
There is another addition to the Wiimote that attches with a wire at the bottom called the Nunchuck. This addition to the controller is used in many games that utilize both hands. The Nunchuck is a very simple add-on to the remote that allows you to control items with an analog stick, similar to how a normal controller would operate. Additionally, it operates with motion control – allowing players to do things that require the movement of two different hands – in this case things like boxing, as I mentioned earlier. Also, the fact that the Nunchuck creates a familiar video-game like two-handed controller make it so interesting. We have all found oruselves playing video games with a normal controller, but realizing that we're so into the game that we're moving the controller left and right as we steer our car, or lifting the controller rapidly as we try and make our character jump. It's these natural reactions that make the Wii so comfortable and natural to play, since it's these motions that actually control the game.
There are a ton more add-ons to the Wii that make it so fun, but none as innovative as the Balance Board. The Wii Balance Board comes with games such as Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus. However, it's also used in a growing number of additional Wii Games that use footing and balance as the primary game control. The Wii Balance Board is is a flat board that can measure your weight and determine its distribution. The feature that makes it such a innovative piece of equipment is that it can check that weight distribution in real time, allowing it to maintain a gauge on your balance. This gague is what becomes the primary control in many games and exercises used with the Nintendo Wii.
As you can see, the Wii is a very versatile gaming system that can be used in many ways. With my experience over the last several years playing the Wii, I’ve learned that it has so many different facets of entertainment and fun that help create this unique gaming experience. Here are just some of the other great features of the Nintendo Wii:
Game Tracking – The Wii keeps a calendar of your habits and what games you’ve played. It records what games were played and for how long each day. This is an excellent way to see each day how much time you are exercising with the Wii Fit or for parents to track how much their kids are playing.
Mii – On the Wii, you can create your own avatar using the the Mii channel. This avatar, or Mii, will be a representation of you as a character in a number of games, including the Wii Fit. Creating Miis can be fun in its own way. When I first got the Wii, my friends and I spend hours just creating our Miis.
Classic Game Downloads – On the Wii, you can access the Wii Shop channel to download classic Nintendo, Super Nindendo, even Turbo Grafix and Sega games. This can be whole ton of fun in itself if you are a fan of classic games like I am. Some of the games you can download really bring you back to the good-old days of classic Nintendo such as Mike Tyson’s Punch Out, Excitebike, and the Super Mario Bros. series.
Parties – Not only is the Wii one of the best video game systems for group or party play, but it’s also one of the best forms of party entertainment. There are so many games for the Wii designed just for parties and involving friends.
Family Games – Believe it or not, you will it’s difficult to find a family member who would not like the Wii. Everyone in my family loves playing the Wii, even my parents. These days, it’s hard to get the family together, but with the Nintendo Wii, you will find more and more opportunities to bring the whole family together for some fun. Nintendo has developed so many games that are suitable and fun for all ages.
Overall, the Nintendo Wii has definetely made a huge impact in the video game industry, and the proof is obvious. The Wii has been the best selling video game console in the world since it has been released, and it's still selling incredibly well. I highly recommend that if you are a big fan of video games, espeicially games with friends, you should pick up a Nintendo Wii. You will not be dissapointed.
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devora
March 09, 2010
Just spotted this in this week's notable weekly! Physical gaming has been getting so cool in recent years. Have you seen Project Natal? It looks rad. Great review of the Wii, Paul. Looking forward to your other Wii reviews, too! :)
Squintz
March 09, 2010
Thanks! I did read something about this not long ago. I think it was featured on the Jimmy Fallon show too.
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More Nintendo Wii reviews
First of all, I'd like to say that before I review why I'm not fond of the Wii, keep in mind that this is entirely subjective, and if you personally enjoy it, then more power to you. I remember the Wii coming out back in November of 2006 and like the PS3, I thought to myself “Like I'm gonna buy that thing, that thing is a joke.” However, unlike the PS3, to this day, I still see no desire to buy one. The Wii has beaten the PS3 and the Xbox 360 in sales, mainly … more
Comments (8)
Compliments (36)
Nintendo's new golden child system has that ease and comfort we've come to expect from Nintendo as well as a large and exclusive library of games.
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Quick Tip by tyrannynomore.
August 12, 2010
Excellent gaming system for young children, or for us big kids. This system has wonderful graphics, and is easy to use. A must for those who love gaming, and can afford the price-tag.
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Quick Tip by cityeyes.
June 04, 2010
Decent console, but overrated. Great games are few and far between and those that are actually great are completely ignored by the general public, inviting developers to give up on trying to make stuff of absolute substance and concentrate on crap. Online multiplayer and friend system is terrible in order to "protect the children." Still, when I DO find good games for the Wii (Zack and Wiki, No More Heroes, etc), I do get a lot of enjoyment out of them.
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Compliments (3)
Fun games for all
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Quick Tip by stacie12.
June 08, 2010
I only gave it a 3 because I don't approve of kids gaming too much, my family only got a WII when I was 18 (because my 12 yr old sister won it somewhere) and I enjoy it now and we play with it in moderation.
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The Nintendo Wii is quite revolution in its own right. With all the things it can do, it's hard to say it won't be competition for the market this year. What it boils down to is what you like. If you want a console for some gaming fun, then the Wii is definitely for you, in more ways than one. However, an increasing problem the Wii is suffering from more and more is the lack of quality games. It wouldn't surprise me if many gamers let their Wii sit collecting dust just because good, … more
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Compliments (41)
review by CuteChihuahua.
February 12, 2010
The Nintendo Wii is a fantastic game system for kids especially but I think most adults will love it just as much. The Wii doesn't have nearly as good of graphics as the Playstation 3 or Xbox 360 but the game selection is so much better for young kids. Many of the games on these other systems have a lot of foul language and so far I am not seeing that at all with Wii games. In addition there is a huge selection of games that kids will love. Most of the games fully utilize the motion sensing technology … more
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review by comdet.
January 21, 2010
I'm not much of a game fan - don't have an Xbox nor do I game using a PC. But this is fun! I use it mainly with the Wii Fit balance board attachment for exercise, and it provides a nice variation from the usual cardio machines or strength routines. Easy to set up and use. The graphics are not what you'd call top-notch, but are usable. All in all, I'm very pleased with it - never would have thought I'd own a game deck, but the Wii changed that!
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review by FreeDom4.
October 26, 2009
Wii is awesome. I love the interactive aspect. The sports games are great, allowing you to actually take swings with the Wii controller to play the games. This is leap years above the competition.
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About the reviewer
Paul Giordano (Squintz)
Ranked #12
Ranked #12
I'm a web and graphic designer living in Long Island, NY. I'm a big car fan, and love football and hockey. I'm also the founder of Wii Fitness community, http://www.WiiFitRoutine.com
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About this video game console
The Wii is a home video game console released by Nintendo. As a seventh-generation console, the Wii primarily competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's PlayStation 3. Nintendo states that its console targets a broader demographic than that of both. The Financial Times reported that as of September 12, 2007, the Wii is the sales leader of its generation, based on sales figures from Enterbrain, NPD Group, and GfK.
A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and detect movement in three dimensions. Another distinctive feature of the console is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.
The Wii is Nintendo's fifth home console, the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube, and able to play all official GameCube games. Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets.
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A distinguishing feature of the console is its wireless controller, the Wii Remote, which can be used as a handheld pointing device and detect movement in three dimensions. Another distinctive feature of the console is WiiConnect24, which enables it to receive messages and updates over the Internet while in standby mode.
The Wii is Nintendo's fifth home console, the direct successor to the Nintendo GameCube, and able to play all official GameCube games. Nintendo first spoke of the console at the 2004 E3 press conference and later unveiled the system at the 2005 E3. Satoru Iwata revealed a prototype of the controller at the September 2005 Tokyo Game Show. At E3 2006, the console won the first of several awards. By December 8, 2006, it had completed its launch in four key markets.
Brand:
Nintendo
Category:
Video Game Consoles
Developer:
Nintendo
Console Type:
Console
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