Gone are the days when games consoles were purely the domain of the geeky teenager, shut away in the bedroom. Ever since the popular Wii Fit game was released, a whole new audience has discovered a new side of gaming that is fun, sociable, popular and beneficial to health. There are now a huge variety of fitness games for the Wii console, each with a unique style of gameplay, which means that those wishing to get in shape need never feel uncomfortable at a public fitness class ever again.
The big advantage that these games present is that they make fitness accessible to all, even those too self conscious to exercise in public. Another huge benefit is that the games are much cheaper long term than attending a weekly fitness class or gym, and can be played at any time suitable to the user. The following games all have very different playing styles, but offer a thorough workout and great results:
My Fitness Coach
This game is basically an interactive exercise video, with no two routines repeated. No remote is required, the player simply follows the movements of the on screen instructor. The game can be fully personalised, as a fitness evaluation is taken at the beginning which determines the best focus area to work on, and subsequent workout routines are based around this focus area. The player can choose the music and background, as well as the type of routine they would like to do, from yoga to high intensity aerobics. The game also allows you to incorporate your own equipment, such as hand weights and exercise balls into the routine.
The game offers a great workout. The only drawback is that there is no way for the console to know whether you are doing the exercises correctly.
My Fitness Coach Dance Workout
Although the dance workout game is made by the same company as the previous game, it is completely different in terms of gameplay. The game features two main types of exercise, Latin dance and Boxercise. The routines are very physical and set to both Contemporary music, such as Lady Gaga, and more traditional Latin Music.
The style of play is unique as you are able to strap a Wii remote to each wrist to enable the game to monitor your hand movements during each routine. This provides good feedback as to whether you are following the on screen instructor properly. The lively music and fun dance moves are an irresistible combination that make this a game that will be played over and over again.
The game also features a calorie counter which gives the player an indication as to how many calories they have burned off during a routine with a picture of food with the equivalent calorie content. Will you burn off a strawberry or a spaghetti bolognaise?
Zumba Fitness for Wii
Zumba is high intensity aerobics exercise based on various forms of dance, including calypso, reggaeton and salsa, to name a few. Again, you follow the moves and instructions of an on screen instructor. With this game, accuracy is measured by means of a belt which is worn around the waist, containing the Wii remote. The game can then gauge whether the player is keeping time with the music and the instructor on screen.
The game is great for beginners because it breaks down the dance moves into very basic steps and then makes sure that the player has mastered each step before moving on to more complex routines. The game gives a thorough workout, particularly to the lower body and really gets the heart racing.
The games console as a fitness tool
Fitness games are becoming a really popular way to get fit, and the big games companies are coming out with many more innovative games to continue to keep people hooked. With the other main console brands also releasing fitness games. It seems that the current craze shows no sign of abating, and after so many years of video games receiving bad publicity, it is welcome to see a positive application of games technology gaining so much popularity.
Louise Jones - I have always enjoyed writing as a hobby, but started writing reviews online in February 2010 for Dooyoo, and later Ciao. In the beginning ...
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