Nintendo Wii Balance Board gets you stepping in upcoming Wii Fit title

Nintendo's Wii Zapper and Wii Wheel are great and all, but what's really going to get those casual gamers flocking is this here Wii Fit game and its accompanying controller. A sort of Wii counterpart to Nintendo's brain-sharpening DS thrust, the Wii Balance Board is a Reebok Step look-alike, with 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. The board is wireless, and holds the potential of full-body games involving the Wiimote and the Wii Balance Board simultaneously. If you've had enough gaming, you can also have the Balance Board diagnose your body mass index. Or not. No word on when these two will launch, or for how much. Plenty of action shots after the break.

[Britboyj27 @ Jul 11th 2007 1:16PM]

Playing to the obvious demographic and confirming their own stereotype, yes.

But balance and weight AND Wii-mote? AMERICAN GLADIATORS: THE GAME!!!

[Zarniwoop @ Jul 11th 2007 2:07PM]

WiiFit? Maybe it should be called WiiFat !

[MrGam3r @ Jul 11th 2007 5:43PM]

you know actually when Reggie stepped on this thing, it said he was overweight. But he reminded everyone that muscle weighs more than fat and that he had his wallet on him.

[Me @ Jul 17th 2007 6:43PM]

Why cant they make it as simple as some ankle straps or a simple little treadmill, so you can walk/run through a game. They could add all this balancing stuff to that.

http://www.petitiononline.com/wiiwalk/

[Brian @ Jul 11th 2007 1:28PM]

Does the warranty cover me being too fat and breaking it by just stepping on it?

[James @ Jul 11th 2007 1:41PM]

Dude, that was the first place my mind when when I saw this -- it looks like it's the same white plastic they made the Wiimote out of. I'm not so tubby, but if I were to step on my Wiimote, I'd be a) very sad, and b) out 40 bucks. I'm sure this thing will be reinforced somewhat, but if I'm energetically doing step aerobics/jumping on it... well, it looks like that would be worrisome.

Besides which, when I play video games the last thing I want to do is be reminded how much I need to get out more ;-)

[mjp @ Jul 11th 2007 1:52PM]

I think this will be a great way to get my wife involved with gaming... and it probably wouldn't hurt for me to lose a few pounds as well.

Funny, if it knows your body mass index, it would be neat if it would base your Mii's size/shape on that number and your Mii could change size/shape as you do.

[CapWKidd @ Jul 11th 2007 4:03PM]

That's genius! I think this would be a great product, watching someone do exercises on TV, then you follow along, that does not seem like it would work out so well, but this looks like it would work out well, would be very motivating... eh?

[Big @ Jul 11th 2007 1:54PM]

Yo mama is so fat ...when she stepped on the scale it said
TO BE CONTINUED...

[Big @ Jul 11th 2007 1:57PM]

Yo Mama is so fat, when she steps on a scale it yells
OH NO NOT AGAIN

[Steven Neupert @ Jul 22nd 2007 3:58PM]

Your momma is so fat, when she stepped on the scales it said:

"ONE PERSON AT A TIME PLEASE"

[Big @ Jul 11th 2007 2:06PM]

I think Wii fit is a good idea since it seems senior citizens and casual women gamers are appreciating the WII, but then again, you'd probably get more excersize from a PS2 and DANCE DANCE REVOLUTION.

The only problem with these programs is getting new content so it doesn't get boring.

New Songs and dance routines downloadable at will.

[Mojo_Yugen @ Jul 11th 2007 2:58PM]

I think DDR is going to have to seriously change it's music to appeal to the senior citizen crowd.

[Don @ Jul 11th 2007 3:40PM]

I bought a DDR pad because I thought it would be fun. Apparently, I am as dance-challenged as the rest of the adult male population, since I can only get through a song on "Easy". Anything else and I just make too many mis-steps.

I'd welcome anything that makes aerobics more fun.

[minnmars @ Jul 11th 2007 2:20PM]

Geez Nintendo - way to steal an MST3K invention.
Go Square Master!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdsU8PCmCN8

[flerchjj @ Jul 11th 2007 2:31PM]

I see lot's of potential for this board. Imaging snowboarding, first person shooters where you stand on the board to stand up, skiing, fighting games where shifting weight changes stance, and so on...

[mjp @ Jul 11th 2007 4:29PM]

even cool little touches built into games would make this a great accessory. Baseball- step into the batter's box/onto the pitcher's mound (pressure sensitive pick off moves!!!), Golf- practice swing off of the board but step on, and you address your shot. Even as an extra button/toggle switch it would be great for sitting on the couch playing driving games (half of the board is accelerator, half is brake)or cycling weapons in a FPS. How about Guitar Hero? Can anyone say FX pedal?

So many ideas... segway shooter?

No one is going to take the risk of making games that HAVE to make use of this accessory, but I hope that many will build in the option to use it.

[Ian @ Jul 12th 2007 5:14PM]

Can you imagine the possiblities if everyone with a wii gets this thing? snowboarding is no longer a stick game but an actual snowboarding game. then with FPS games.. wow the possiblities hopfuly designers will realise the potential of this and make it an option like mjp said.

also i love the idea as using it for the gas and break :)

makes me almost want to go out and buy one if it does more then exercise

[DJBro @ Jul 11th 2007 2:37PM]

haha, I forsee a whole new line of class action lawsuits... wii related muscle injuries, claiming that their kids got athletes foot from other kids sharing their wii balance board, someone falls off the board and breaks the screen on their plasma tv...

[flerchjj @ Jul 12th 2007 1:02AM]

That's the biggest thing i dislike about America, too many lawyers and a sue happy populace. Back in my day only dorks wore bicycle helmets and if you tripped over something it was your own fault for being a klutz and not watching where you're going.

[Josh @ Jul 11th 2007 2:47PM]

This looks kinda cool. NOW WHERE'S MY WII DDR?

[Laura @ Jul 20th 2007 8:38AM]

DDR for wii is coming out, check nintendo.com

[Bill Bradford @ Jul 11th 2007 3:02PM]

The early 80s and the Amiga Joyboard would like to have a word with you.

http://www.atariage.com/controller_page.html?SystemID=2600&ControllerID=11

[bpc @ Jul 11th 2007 3:49PM]

Power. Pad. Sweet.

[Jon @ Jul 11th 2007 4:59PM]

http://automobiles.honda.com/fit/

Are Nintendo and Honda in bed together with this Fit logo thing? I thought I'd seen that somewhere before... The Wii is go!

[GenoBaby @ Jul 11th 2007 5:45PM]

Nintendo is going to make a fortune with this. Since their new demographic is the soccer moms and non-gamers and that same demographic buy up the ab-rollers and thigh masters, which is a billion dollar industry, I can see the infomercial now.

[KO'M @ Jul 11th 2007 6:22PM]

I'll take 3.

[delvach @ Jul 11th 2007 7:10PM]

"Warning! One person at a time!"

And it would die.

[joe_bruin @ Jul 11th 2007 7:15PM]

Holy crap. Snowboarding, surfing, skating, skiing, this is going to be awesome. When there's a good snowboarding game out for the Wii, I'm buying the console plus this thing. Combine it with the gun, and I think you've got the ultimate game.

[z @ Jul 11th 2007 7:36PM]

Here is the video on their web
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RlOG3PM_xHA

[CapWKidd @ Jul 11th 2007 8:06PM]

Woah! Who is that guy? Is that an early MST3K? Where is the other guy??

[CapWKidd @ Jul 11th 2007 8:07PM]

Woah! Who is that guy? Is that an early MST3K? Where is the other guy??

[locknroll @ Jul 11th 2007 9:45PM]

Just saw the youtube vid

OMG


IT PRINTS MONEY!!!

[PiranaS @ Jul 12th 2007 9:40AM]

A more in-depth analysis about Wii Fit can be found here:
http://www.standandcount.com/index.php/a-year-later-are-wii-ready-for-more-16

[Magallanes @ Jul 12th 2007 9:47AM]

Fine fine but looks useless for DDR, Pump it UP and such.

[Bill @ Jul 12th 2007 10:51AM]

Hmmm... let's see... balancing on a board... using the Wiimote for a gun... What does this sound like?

Skeet Surfin'!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-jqEj1Hvnc

[Jimrave @ Jul 12th 2007 3:55PM]

This thing looks awesome and all the other ideas just spark the imagination farther and farther i just hope that the designers read these idea here and adjust there product because the wii it self blows all the other consoles out of the water and they had the right course to help the chubby gamers get some excersize. I can see the next generation having goggles or at least an eye piece to coincide with the wii blaster and a DDR game pad. It would be Lawnmower Man - the killing Hee hee

[Snively @ Jul 12th 2007 11:00PM]

It'll just be a matter of time before they make an ankle strap for it since they keep smashing into TVs

[diane @ Jul 15th 2007 11:53PM]

Wii DDR can be preordered on Amazon right now. It'll be released 9/25/07 for $69.99. It's called "DDR Hottest Party Bundle." I can't wait!

[djkon @ Jul 17th 2007 10:55AM]

THE POWER PAD LIVES!!

[Richard @ Jul 18th 2007 4:07PM]

Combine it with the Wii Zapper and you have the ultimate Time Crisis home version!

[Chris @ Jul 23rd 2007 10:53AM]

when is the wii board coming out

[Slvrgun @ Aug 27th 2007 2:06PM]

HEy

[jessica @ Sep 16th 2007 4:40PM]

Could this work for the track meet game? It looks like it might work only just for one person though.