Matt Cabral reports:
''Sharpening your mind with Nintendo's casual gaming hit Brain Age was just the beginning. Now the wizards behind the Wii want to whip your whole body into shape with their latest "not quite a game" effort Wii Fit. Bundled with the bathroom scale-like balance board, the title gets gamers off the couch and on their feet with a variety of fitness-focused minigames. But, to be honest, Wii Fit is far less a game than an actual weight-watching, exercise-encouraging tool; unlike the Brain Age series-which are still games at their core, despite the mind-improving marketing behind them-Wii Fit takes a more serious approach to self improvement. Don't let Nintendo's previous non-traditional games fool you: Wii Fit is definitely more exercise than entertainment.
Now, that's by no means a bad thing if you're aiming to break a sweat and drop some pounds--this package will help you do both. Granted, you'll only get out of it what you put into it, but stick with it, and the results may surprise you. Many of the title's exercises and routines are the real deal, complete with next-day sore muscles and a satisfying feeling of accomplishment. The strength training and yoga exercises can be particularly taxing, running you through the paces with various balance, stretching and muscle-resistance tasks. This isn't surprising, as these two fitness categories remain true to what you might perform at a gym or in a yoga class. A push-up is pretty much a push-up whether you're doing it on a gym mat or on Nintendo's balance board. Again, this isn't a flaw-remember, it's exercise, after all-just know Nintendo hasn't prettied-up or toned down these activities with any silliness or casual user accessibility; don't expect to see a cute pancake flipping minigame to act as bicep training, or a dog-petting sim to replace true abdominal exercises.''
