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Japanese Wii Fit trailers show snowboarding, jogging, more
GameTrailers has uncovered a whole buttload of Japanese videos for Wii Fit that show off some previously unknown game modes. A snowboarding game, shown above, has the player turn the board perpendicular to the screen and lean left and right to navigate a simple slalom course. For those less inclined to "X-TREME" sports, the jogging mini-game simulates the, er, thrilling world of jogging, complete with fellow joggers to keep pace with. Interestingly, the beginning of the jogging video shows a Wii remote being placed in a pocket, possibly to detect vertical movement (and setting up a surprising answer to the old query, "Is that a Wii remote in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?")An extended Japanese trailer for the game shows more scenes from the above game modes, as well as some short snippets of a previously unknown tightrope-walking game and some sort of boxing trainer. Check it out after the break..
Nintendo's Wii Fit December 1st for $75 (in Japan)
Wii Fit, out in December. Great news huh? Thing is, the ¥8,800 (about $75) Wii Fit is only announced for Japan so far. The kit features the Wii Balance Board which enables gamers to interactively head soccer balls and ski jump while partaking in other activities like yoga and aerobics typically thought to be cigarette-free. But you're at home moms, so feel free to sneak a few while pulling into a Downward-Facing Dog, we won't tell.[Via Joystiq]
Wii Warm Up: Zapper, board, or wheel?
We don't much discuss the Zapper, balance board, and steering wheel accessories coming down the pipe by themselves -- usually, we discuss them in relation to various games. However, considering them on their own, how do you feel about these accessories? Is there one you find yourself more interested in than the others? Personally, we like the balance board, despite the hefty price tag (in comparison), and think it seems to have interesting potential. But we're only one voice. How do you feel?
Revolutionary: Progress Wiiport, Part 2
Every Tuesday, Mike Sylvester brings you REVOLUTIONARY, a look at the wide world of Wii possibilities. When I first tested my balance board, I was in a bit of a hurry to find a suitable game with which to demonstrate it. I found a demo for a snowboarding game called Stoked Rider, but in my haste, I failed to realize that this was the long-outdated original version, and there had since been a sequel entitled Stoked Rider: Alaska Alien. Sporting far better graphics, and a more advanced gameplay engine which encorporates detailed physics, it seemed like it could give me reason enough to dust off the balance board and see what more could be done with it.
Wii Warm Up: How long before someone cheats at exercise?
Not even one whole day of Power Pad ownership had passed before we were on the floor, drumming on the pad with our fists, flagrantly breaking the implicit rules of World Class Track Meet. Our other favorite move? Extending our long jump by simply stepping off of the pad. Yes, we are overweight now.There's a new Power Pad in town, although it has fewer buttons and a more solid-looking construction. And it's meant more as an exercise tool than a game controller, really. But we're gamers, and we can't help the way we are. Some of us are going to cheat. Do you think you have what it takes to play it straight, or will you take the hands-on approach to Balance Boarding?
Wii Balance Board hands-on, er, feet-on
We got to get on a little, um, feet-on time with Nintendo's new Wii Balance Board. Besides the humbling experience of feeling like an uncoordinated, chubby remnant of your former self, we were surprised with the accuracy by which the device was able to detect even subtle muscle movements that affect balance and position. It definitely felt heavy and sturdy for a pre-production device. Oh, and the weight / balance sensors aren't just left / right, either, some games require you to stand in the middle on one foot. Check out the gallery, it's time to get physical like ONJ. (If you're still left wanting more, hit up Joystiq.)%Gallery-4833%
E307: Get body conscious like the Cho Aniki dudes with Wii Fit
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo_wii/Wii_Fit_an_in_depth_look_and_why_gamers_should_care'; Or maybe not. We're not insinuating anything here, because we love you no matter what. You know what else we love? That's right: Wii Fit. While it's funny to quip that this is a perfect game for moms across America, we recommend that everyone take a closer look at the versatility of Wii Fit. How many of you own a treadmill or other exercise machine? Those things take up space. Maybe you'd like to own something like that, but you live in an apartment, like many Americans, particularly those under thirty who maybe haven't bought a house yet. Then space becomes a real issue, as this blogger well knows from years of apartment-living. But with Wii Fit and the balance board peripheral, suddenly working out with gear can take a lot less space -- and you get the added benefit of monitored results, which we always thought was an excellent feature.Working out with the Wii has already become a popular hobby for many gamers -- the addition of this software just makes it that much easier. Maybe some gamers would have liked to have seen less focus on the title during Nintendo's keynote, but this kind of thing is rapidly becoming a cornerstone of Nintendo's winning strategy, and we all better get used to it. The Wii is to Americans what the DS is to the Japanese, it seems; it's an all-in-one device that can fit anyone's needs, and Wii Fit is a strong part of that.%Gallery-4745%
