Nintendo got the couch potatoes up and moving with their Nintendo Wii – a gaming device that actually makes you move your whole body rather than just your fingers. Now they have introduced a new game that may start all of those ex-couch potatoes on their way to physical fitness.

Bare feet only on the Wii Fit!!

The Wii Fit is a package that works with the Nintendo Wii and a television. The main component of the WII Fit is the Wii Balance Board, a sturdy platform that senses weight as well movements and shifts in balance. It connects wirelessly to the Wii, so there are no wires to trip on.

Before you begin you must synchronize the balance board with the Wii gaming console. The instruction booklet gives step-by-step instructions. Although it is not difficult, you must follow the instructions completely. If you miss one of the steps, as I did the first time around, you will be performing the synch again from the beginning.

Once you finish the synch, take your shoes and socks off, because the Balance Board works best with bare feet. Then follow the screen instructions. Working with the Wii wireless remote, you will answer on-screen questions and get ready for your first encounter with the Wii Fit program.

Wii Fit assesses your physical fitness by your BMI (Body Mass Index. It then gives you the results. If you are overweight, or obese it will gently prompts you to tell it how much weight you plan to lose and how long you want to take to lose it. As you work, the Wii Fit program tracks your progress and encourages you to get you motivated. The more you exercise, the more points you earn. You can use those points to unlock new games so you won’t get bored with the process.

There are 40 different activities in areas like yoga, aerobics, strength training and balance. I found them to be more entertaining than I thought they would be. Watching yourself jog on the screen as you jog in place is more fun than it sounds. You can also twirl hula hoops, go snowboarding, and work out with the helpful virtual trainers.

I found the Wii Fit program to sometimes be amazing. One example of this was in the first balance exercise that I tried, Upon completion, the program gave me my score and said, “I see you are having a little trouble with your sense of balance. Do you trip a lot when you walk?” This is actually uncannily accurate. My husband always teases me about how often I trip when walking!

The Wii Fit is well-thought out. It’s not too high, so you don’t worry about “falling” off. It’s wireless, so you can place it wherever you like in the room. Several different people can use it and it will track the progress of each. You can even password protect your profile so you can keep your weight and goals private.

The Wii Fit puts a little fun into exercising. Only time will tell if it can really be considered a good fitness tool. I’ll keep you posted and in the mean time, my Wii and I wii’ll keep on moving!!

See more games reviews and more fun articles in the Compu-KISS Game area.