I'm not speaking to Wii Fit today, as it told me I gained two pounds over the course of 24 hours. But Wii Fit has done so much for me, I can't stay mad at it forever.
(Don't tell Wii Fit I said that. I want it to learn a lesson.)
Of all the games I've played this year, I have to say that Wii Fit has captured most of my time. You might say, “Well, that's because it's a fitness game and you want to get fit, stupid.” So true, but think about it. Why do people turn their exercise bikes into towel racks by week three? Because there's little motivation to hop on the contraption. You can't feel your ass grow, so you don't have too many reasons to go through the tedium of a daily “ride.”
Wii Fit combines three factors that keeps its faithful coming back for more: motivation (through a graph that traces your weight loss, or in my case, gain), variety and timed exercises. It's satisfying to see the minutes you spend on yoga, aerobics and muscle toning get added up in your little piggybank. After thirty minutes have been stored up, the little piggybank does a dance, signifying that you have exercised an adequate amount for the day and may reward yourself by stuffing a cheeseburger in your face.
Thing is, if you limit yourself to a sensible thirty minutes of Wii Fit in a day, chances are good that you're not going to get bored nearly as quickly as you would by sitting on your rowing machine's face day after day. The yoga and muscle toning exercises alone can combine into several dozen beneficial work outs.
I know people who have been with with Wii Fit over the course of a year, and they're still very happy together. I'm sure I'll be happy with my own copy again, once we have some cleansing words with one another.
Related Links:
Two Years In: The Wii's Feats of Strength and Disappointments
Wii Do Not Fit Into One Category
Whatcha Playing: Wii Fit