Nintendo Wii Fit and Balance Board May Revolutionize How People Exercise
It’s crazy late and it’s been a crazy of crazy weeks (but maybe that’s when things are just right, to paraphrase Killing Zoe, no?) but I just had to mention the Nintendo Wii’s newest product offering, a Balance Board that has, according to Engadget, ” dual sensors that can detect your weight and balance on each side as you exercise to the various on-screen Wii activities in Wii Fit.” Wii Fit being an early game title that utilizes the Balance Board.
Todd Bishop’s Microsoft Blog reports that Nintendo of America’s president asserted at the E3 convention that the Wii is poised to become the number one gaming console of its generation.
I don’t doubt it. The most skeptical of non-gamers is hard pressed to not be impressed by the simple pleasure of swinging the Wii controller like a tennis racket and watching a character on screen hit the ball over the net. The Balance Board and Wii Fit may create an entirely new consumer group that buys the Wii with the primary goal of getting in shape.
This is something that I’ve wanted to see my entire life: an exercise game where you jog or bicycle through a forest or dungeon (or something cool) and partake of some kind of adventure along the way. How great would it be to defeat some great beastly beast while getting your workout on?
ars technia writes: “Nintendo used the E3 platform to tout its strategy of broadening the market instead of fighting over the ‘hardcore gamer.’”
Maybe it’s just because I’m part of the non-hardcore gamer population, but I think that’s super smart. I haven’t owned a game console since I was a kid, and now I’m really starting to want one.
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July 13th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Definitely agree - the exercise potential was one of the first things I thought of when I tried a Wii. I’m also thinking there’s a parallel in how many iPods were sold to people who wanted to listen to music while exercising - lots of exercise nuts out there.
July 13th, 2007 at 12:10 pm
Yeah, that was definitely a draw for me in purchasing an iPod, though I’m more of the “always trying to get in shape” rather than “exercise nut” set. iPods are also great for long walks — if you’ve never wandered around downtown Manhattan for a few hours on a sunny day with music piping into your ears, it’s something to be experienced!
July 14th, 2007 at 10:44 pm
I really think that this aritcle is dead on, as far as interactive exercise, however, I don’t think that the Wii
will really be able to prescribe or diagnose individual exercise needs.The exercise this may give, may not be the specific exercise an individual “needs” But I think it could be a precourser to larger cpu’s which connect monitor and analyze your exercise in your living room.
Now as far, as being able to hook up your exercise bike
to your hd tv, and mountain bike lake tahoe, now there is something.
Also you are right a lot of non-gaming people
are thinking the wii would be a lot of fun to do with friends. Not unlike cocaine. Just kidding
Travis
July 15th, 2007 at 12:14 pm
Travis, very interesting, I did not even consider the potential for interactivity to take the form of monitoring human reaction, such as when a treadmill measures heart rate during a workout. I’m assuming this is the kind of thing you mean?
And love the idea of connecting an exercise bike with a DVD (or something)! For this non-hardcore gamer/semi-serious exercise enthusiast, there’s something about that that’s very appealing.
July 15th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
yeah exactly, add the audio visual element to what some exercise machines already
provide. I just think for something to really hit it big fitness wise it has to really have a benefit or health experts won’t recommend it. I really don’t think think too many health experts would recommend a video game even though it could really be beneficial.I have a million ideas that could make money, but I never make any money doing anything!
July 15th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
Hmm… I can see the wii being one of those massively popularized exercise crazes that aren’t necessarily promoted by health experts (though I have hard time believing that competent health experts have a problem with any form of exercise, if it’s not harmful to the participant!), but we shall see!
And you’re not alone in coming up with money-making ideas Travis… if only there were more hours in the day
July 16th, 2007 at 12:57 am
DDR stands for Dance Dance revolution, popularized in arcades then on video games, its a very good way to burn some calories.
google dance dance revolution
trav
May 8th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Games For Gamecube…
I found your site on technorati and read a few of your other posts. Keep up the good work. I just added your RSS feed to my Google News Reader. Looking forward to reading more from you….
May 9th, 2008 at 9:21 am
THanks very much !