balance board
Latest
Fight that WoW pudge with the Wii Fit board
When you watch the video embedded above, you may think it's just another weird hack by people with too much time on their hands. But right about the 00:44 mark, suddenly you see the potential: working off that World of Warcraft bulge!Yes, these enterprising souls have managed to turn the Wii Fit balance board into an alternative method for traversing the Azerothian landscape. Of course, the health benefits are mitigated by the fact that there's no way you'll be able to balance on the board while trying to manipulate a keyboard at the same time, even if you are a macros master. But if you're desperate for some sort of exercise and can't abide the thought of actually going outside, this might be the device for you.
Wii Move uses Balance Board to confuse the hell out of us
Wii Move, developed by a team containing former EA and Rockstar North staffers, is the first announced WiiWare game to make use of the Balance Board. It's also ... a game of some kind? Probably? All we know is that it has at least one character model, a woman who is featureless and plainly rendered aside from breast physics. She runs, and then walks, among a crowd of her own clones.We suspect that the reason PheroseSoft made such a cryptic teaser video for this game was because it's an exercise game, and that may not be as exciting to everyone as some mysterious WiiWare project.
Rev your engines with WRX
Not to be confused with rally-bred Subarus, WRX is a new project kicking off in next week's edition of Revolutionary. Tune in on June 18th to get the full scoop, but for now get a taste with this teaser video.
Loser leader stepping up to the Balance Board
The losers who didn't make the cut for The Biggest Loser needn't bat an eyelid. Everyone's favorite motivational trainer from the hit TV show is boxercizing her way to the Wii in Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009. The only downside is actually paying her to bark orders a you, rather than competing to win a hefty sum of cash.So what's the ultimatum? Get fit or be forced to eat a dozen Mega Macs? That's a punishment worse than playing Chicken Shoot. If you need a good reason to play, Fitness Ultimatum will utilize the Balance Board for its exercises, which hopefully means your multi-use Wii Fit peripheral might get some future exergaming use.You'll be seeing Jillian on the Wii in Q4 2008, so feel free to sneak some yum-yums in (we will) before her brutal training regime crushes your spirit.[Via GoNintendo]
Majesco and Jillian Michaels to issue 'Fitness Ultimatum' for Wii
All right, this is the last straw. We in the greater video game industry have watched silently while you claimed you just "didn't have the rhythm" for Dance Dance Revolution. We bit our tongues when you said that Wii Fit was "just a fad." Well, say goodbye to Mr. Nice Industry. We're tired of tip-toeing around your feelings. You have to get fit, and we're issuing a fitness ultimatum to make sure that you do! Jillian Michaels' Fitness Ultimatum 2009, to be exact.We're sorry it's come to this ... we really are ... but if a Majesco-published game featuring fitness celebrity Jillian Michaels and Wii Balance Board support is what it takes to break you out of your cycle of unfit living, then damn it, we're willing to release that game in time for the upcoming holiday season. Let's be perfectly clear though ... this 'ultimatum' truly is our last warning that you need to get fit using a video game. If you let this opportunity pass you by, that's it, we're done, you're on your own. Good luck getting fit without the video game industry's help if you drop the ball this time!Aw, who are we kidding? When you get tired of this game we'll try again with another gimmicky fitness simulator. Who could say no to that precious disposable income? Here, have another Halo 3 Mountain Dew.
Tim Schafer's baby and a Balance Board: a perfect Wii Fit
Normally, we take exception to the idea that Nintendo games are for babies, but when the baby in question is the newborn baby of adventure game legend Tim Schafer, we take it as a compliment. Look how well the Balance Board works as a display stand for gaming celebrity infants!But that's not all! Realizing how awesome it is to measure things other than ambulatory humans in Wii Fit, Schafer had the game calculate his young daughter's balance and Wii Fit Age. The poor kid is eight (in Wii Fit years) and underweight (in Wii Fit BMI). We wonder how a copy of Full Throttle would fare! Actually, we don't, because even a boxed copy of the game with the manual and jewel case would be much too light for Wii Fit to even register, but go with us here.%Gallery-4745%
Wii Fit for expensing as fitness equipment
The blogger of the enthusiastically-named "Wii Fit is It" blog (is Coke not it anymore? Wasn't Coke it?) apparently works for a very progressive company. His workplace provides each employee a $150 allowance for exercise equipment or services. Instead of getting a gym membership or a Gazelle Edge (sorry, BallyTotalFitnessFanboy.com and TonyLittleFanboy.com), he got a copy of Wii Fit.Apparently, the person in charge of approving the claims knew all about Wii Fit (possibly from having the television on or any magazine open at some point within the last few months) and was looking for a copy himself. It's nice to see Wii Fit treated like an actual exercise tool in some official capacity!%Gallery-4745%[Via Kotaku]
Can't find Wii Fit? Here are some alternatives!
We here at Wii Fanboy are always looking out for you, fine reader. And, with Wii Fit being the incredibly popular package that it is, we know some of you haven't been able to get your hands on it. Well, what are you to do? We've got a few ideas, some silly and some not-so. Some of the solutions are viable financial alternatives, providing you a similar experience for similar cost. Other ideas are a bit more ... off. You know how we like to do it!So, without further ado, head on in (via the graphic on the bottom-right) and see some of the alternatives to Wii Fit available.
Revolutionary: Balance and Options
Unlike most people, when I brought Wii Fit home for the first time, I didn't head straight to my Wii and slide the disc in to play. Instead, I tore apart the packaging to get at the Balance Board, which I then attempted to "hook up" to my computer. It took a while and a change in my method of operating, but I eventually got the thing connected and working in GlovePIE. It was at that point I started realizing what the Balance Board was really capable of, and this week I'll be sharing with you a few things I've learned about this new peripheral, so that you can start scripting for it and letting your imagination run wild.
Balance Board video and more on Nintendo Channel
When a video detailing the technology inside the Balance Board hit the Japanese Nintendo Channel early this year, we envied the ability to see original behind-the-scenes content on the Wii. Now, a mere five months later, the video is available on the North American channel, dubbed into English. It's also available right here, in this very post!Other new videos include trailers for this week's WiiWare releases, video of Super Swing Golf Season 2 and SNK Arcade Classics, and a lot of DS content -- more "I Play for Me" videos featuring America Ferrera, and the excellent English Bangai-O Spirits trailer. Watch it if you haven't yet! The full list of videos follows the break.
Nintendo snubs gamers over 330 lbs.
People all over the world know that many Americans suffer from obesity issues, some more than others. Quite a few folks are even too heavy to play Wii Fit, as the weight limit for the game is 330 pounds (150 kg). Since we don't have any medical experience, we're not sure if Wii Fit would even be the best way for people in that weight class to ease into an exercise regimen (maybe it is, maybe it isn't). But either way, Nintendo doesn't seem to care.For people who bought the game only to find that they're too fat for it, Jill Callahan of NoA recently said, "If this is a product that can not currently be used in your home, you may wish to investigate a possible return of the product to the retailer where you purchased it. Or perhaps you would like to give it as a gift to someone you know who would enjoy it. I hope you find these suggestions helpful." Yikes, can you imagine the humiliation of returning Wii Fit because you're too fat? And the only other alternative Nintendo has to offer is giving someone a $90 gift? Gee, we're sure that helpful advice is really appreciated. We're not blaming Nintendo for their inability to have the Balance Board support over 330 lbs., and labeling the box to say so makes it the consumer's own fault for buying it. But Callahan's response? That's just cold, especially in light of the philosophy behind Wii Fit. Instead, why not tell these gamers to use Wii Fit's weight limit as motivation to reach the game's supported weight level? Anything's better than the "tough luck, we don't care" line.[Via GoNintendo]
Wii Fanboy hands-on: Nyko Energy Pack for Wii Fit
When I first looked at the Nyko Energy Pack, a rechargeable battery pack designed for the Balance Board, I was dubious. I had no problem believing that the thing could function (as in be charged and make the balance board work), but I thought the form factor indicated a hack job. As it turns out, that was dumb and wrong of me. Though it may look unmistakably kludgey (involving a battery pack to which a cord is attached, which is then attached to another cord, which then goes to the wall), the Energy Pack is smartly designed, unobtrusive, and easy to use.%Gallery-22504%
Wii Fit fit for two year olds, and other revelations
Perhaps avoiding the humiliation of getting back on the board himself, JC Fletcher over at Wii Fanboy has been throwing all sorts of crazy stuff on the Balance Board, and seeing how inanimate objects, and also a kitty, measure up.What has he learned? For one, the latest year of birth possible in Wii Fit is 2006, and the shortest height is an astounding one foot, eight inches. This means that a two-year-old can actually play Wii Fit which is, if nothing else, creepy.Also, Fletcher's bagless vacuum cleaner is sadly underweight, with a body mass index of 7.11. His cat, on the other hand, could stand to lose a few pounds (BMI of 21.5!), and has very poor balance. Check out the post for a few more fun experiments, such as how Wii Fit performs on Wii Fit. The mind boggles.
Balance Board makes Google Earth really exciting
It had to happen sometime! Researchers from the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence have developed a PC interface for the Balance Board controller, opening up infinite possibilities for stuff that can be controlled by directed standing.Their proof-of-concept? Google Earth, followed by Microsoft Virtual Earth and Second Life. Using this interface, the virtual globe becomes a Silver Surfer simulator, allowing users to tour the (fake) Earth from the (fake) skies. In Second Life, the board becomes a virtual Segway, maneuvering your character from place to place by leaning. If you happen to have a totally sweet projector setup like these guys do (it's important for science), so much the better. But we suspect that the experience of flying around the world on the Balance Board would still be damned cool on any size monitor. Now if they'd only release their application, so we can send it to Mike ....[Via Hacked Gadgets]
Ubisoft hits the slopes with the Balance Board
Slowly but surely, more Balance Board-compatible games are appearing, justifying your purchase of Nintendo's newest peripheral in the process; by our calculations, Ubisoft's Shaun White Snowboarding is the eighth title to make use of the Board (after Wii Fit, Rayman Raving Rabbids TV Party, We Ski, Boogie Superstar, Don King Presents: Prizefighter, All Star Cheer Squad, and Skate It).IGN has the first details and screens on the game, which has the advantage of full Balance Board integration, two- to four-player multiplayer support, and the "full involvement of Shaun White" (apparently he's A Big Deal in the world of snowboarding). It also has the disadvantage (for this blogger, at least) of not being 1080° Snowboarding.Shaun White Snowboarding is due for release during the coming holiday season, and you can catch some major air more screens and art after the break.
A pictorial history of Nintendo's peripherals
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Peripherals_that_paved_the_way_for_the_Wii_Fit_Balance_Board'; Nintendo has had its fare share of first-party peripherals. Does anyone remember – or still own, perchance – the Game Boy printer? The Nintendo 64 Pikachu microphone? Our friends and archivists at Nintendo Wii Fanboy have composed a pictorial history of Nintendo's tendency to avoid the standard controller. From the Power Pad to the Balance Board, click here to see it all.
Raving Rabbids TV Party, for use with balance board, coming this winter
Click to embiggen ... Daaaah! var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/nintendo/Raving_Rabbids_TV_Party_announced_uses_Wii_balance_board'; Those wascally wabbits are back. Ubisoft has announced Raving Rabbids TV Party, due out this holiday season for the Nintendo Wii and DS. Said the press release, "The Rabbids plan to invade televisions worldwide, providing players with a variety of games and comedic exploits spoofing TV shows, pop culture and even advertisements."As was hinted in a recent video (embedded after the break), TV Party will make use of the Wii balance board. Early screenshots indicate the balance board is not required for every game, but will involve sitting on the board and shaking your butt. Said CEO Yves Guillemot, "The inclusion of the Wii Balance Board into the game was a huge source of inspiration for our development team and I guarantee you will see the Wii Balance Board used in ways that will be surprisingly unexpected!" More details are to come at this year's E3.%Gallery-23881%
Raving Rabbids balancing out their wacky life [update 2]
[Update: Screens available in our gallery!]After solving a moon mystery, the more astute Fanboy readers noticed the inclusion of a rather understated header on the latest cover of Nintendo Power. The game formerly known as Raving Rabbids 3 will henceforth be known as Raving Rabbids TV Party, as if we needed a reminder to plug our Wii into the TV instead of some shrubbery out the back. Despite the Rabbids showing us how the Balance Board ought to be used, we couldn't confirm that the next addition to the series would go nuts with the whole leaning and weight-shifting thing. However, the teaser wasn't teasing and among TV Party's 65 mini-games, many (maybe even most) will use the Balance Board. If using Wii Fit was enough to make your friends laugh stupidly (they are right to do so), then getting down with these crazy critters is enough for them to consider finding new people to hang out with. %Gallery-23883%[Thanks, RingmasterJ5!]
Wii Fit: You decide!
Click for larger image There's every chance you'll already have made your mind up on Wii Fit, but hopefully one of our perspectives will have influenced those of you who are undecided. So what's it going to be, folks? You decide!%Poll-14730% Lovin' Wii Fit Back placeholdertextthisis
Counterpoint: Wii Fit rocks
Wii Fit is dumb? Puh-lease. If anything, Wii Fit and the Balance Board easily rank amongst Nintendo's smartest creations yet.For a start, it's simply a breath of fresh air, a title that genuinely alters the way we play videogames. If that sounds a little too close to PR speak for comfort, consider this: whereas once we would operate games through marginal twitches of our thumbs, Wii Fit demands that we use our whole bodies. It's a wildly original concept. Despite their undoubted quality, the steady stream of Mario and Zelda titles from Kyoto actually attracts criticism from some fans, who carp about Nintendo's lack of innovation. Will those same individuals moan about the introduction of Wii Fit to the marketplace? If so, they're hypocrites.Obviously, originality means little if an idea isn't executed well, yet Wii Fit (typically for a Nintendo game) possesses a fine sheen from top to bottom. The Balance Board is a commendably sturdy and stylish piece of kit (unlike another first-party peripheral I could mention), while the in-game presentation is superb, from the implementation of Miis to the more serious visual styles used in the yoga and aerobics sections.It's certainly not bad for you, either. The actual health benefits of Wii Fit have already been debated over a tiresome number of column inches, and although it's probably not as beneficial as regular gym sessions, the fact that this debate even exists is a good thing. Miyamoto has said that he'd like Wii Fit to make people "aware of their bodies," and his creation has achieved precisely that -- some people are finally leaving the couch. Or, to put it another way: some exercise, or no exercise? Which is dumber?Heck, it even works well as a game. Tried Table Tilt yet? Hella fun. Watching someone else play the Hula Hoop game is frequently hilarious (rubbishing claims that Wii Fit is only worthwhile as a solo experience), while some of the other balance-based games -- Ski jumping and Balance Bubble come to mind -- are excellent distractions in their own right. And then there's the cost. Judging by the sales figures, I wasn't alone in thinking that $90 is an irresistible price point for a game and an accessory as downright sophisticated as the Balance Board (and it won't be suffering from a shortage of software, either).So that's Wii Fit: innovative, clever, involving, and brilliantly executed, all of which are quite the opposite of "dumb." It's set to make Nintendo an absolute stack of cash, and in my opinion it's thoroughly well-deserved. Roll on Wii Fit 2. Wii Fit is dumb Your turn to weigh in %Gallery-23454%
