VG Review: 'Wii Fit'

“WII FIT”
Nintendo, for the Wii, rated E for Everyone (comic mischief), $89.99.

Video game companies have made a few attempts at creating games that would encourage cardiovascular exercise, but none have been as successful as Nintendo’s new “Wii Fit” game.

The title has been a surprise hit, selling out almost immediately in its first week. It remains a hard-to-find item online, selling upward of $155.

What’s all the fuss about? I spent a week with the game to see if it was worth the purchase (and would perhaps even help shed some of my unwanted pounds). Here’s a day-by-day account of my travails with the machine.

Sunday

"Wii Fit” comes with an 8-pound “balance board” — a wireless, pressure-sensitive peripheral you stand on while playing. After installing the (provided) batteries and taking a moment to sync the board up with the Wii console, I’m off and running (well, not quite yet).

As the game starts, a little virtual version of the board waves one of its corners at me, stresses the importance of proper balance and asks if I want to determine my “Wii Fit Age.” Sure, why not?

After choosing a virtual character or “Mii” to represent myself, I add in my height and other data. The game then measures my weight and BMI (Body Mass Index), and asks me to perform a series of tricky balancing exercises.

It turns out that not only am I overweight (though thankfully only borderline), my Wii Fit Age is an embarrassing 50 (I’m actually 37).

Nintendo has clearly taken several pages out of its “Brain Age” series for the portable DS system for “Wii Fit,” as the structure is very similar, right down to putting colorful stamps on your calendar each time you take the body test.

A few yoga and stretching exercises confirm that I am indeed the clumsy oaf I always suspected I was. The “tree” pose in particular seems designed to ensure I look as foolish as possible. Thankfully everyone in my house was asleep at the time.

Monday

Much better. My Wii Fit Age is down to a more manageable 40.

The game is divided into four sections: “Yoga,” “Strength Exercises,” “Aerobics” and “Balance Games.” There are only a few selections available as you begin, but the more time you spend, the more games and exercises you unlock.

The yoga and strength exercises are dominated by bland trainers, who, like Thomas the Tank Engine, have the creepy ability to talk without moving their lips.

It’s important to note that the emphasis here is on toning your muscles and improving your overall posture and balance. This isn’t a game that will turn you into Charles Atlas, let alone Jack LaLanne.

Tuesday

I’m surprised to discover that the Hula-Hoop game, wherein I swing my hips vigorously, Elvis-style, gives you quite the workout. I’m actually sweating here.

In general I find I prefer the aerobic and balance games to the trainer-based exercises. The latter do, however, provide a decent warm-up to the former, so I keep at them, though success on some of the trickier exercises remains elusive.

Oh yeah, my Wii Fit Age is now 31. Boo-ya!

Wednesday

An unforeseen consequence of the game is that I’m thinking more often about how I treat my body. I’m more aware of my calorie intake and over all fitness levels than I was before.

Of course, that didn’t stop me from snacking on Pop-Tarts at work today. The result: My weight shot up and my age is now 37. Oh well. Time for some push-ups!

Thursday

My wife has become intrigued by the game as well. Though, like me, she’s a bit unsteady on her feet in some games, she is impressed with its overall setup and design.

“You’ve brought home other exercise video games,” she says, “but this is the first one that actually makes me want to use it regularly.”

Friday

Now my kids have joined the “Wii Fit” craze. My son loves the marble tilt game (move left and right to send the marbles down the hole) while my daughter seems to take a perverse interest in jogging (running in place while holding the Wii controller). Both love the ski jump game (stand up from a crouch at the precise moment to execute a winning jump — no real jumping please).

I, meanwhile, have unlocked a rather addictive boxing game. I’m also intrigued by a balance game where I glide down a treacherous river in a bubble. One false move toward the walls and it’s over.

Saturday

I still have a number of games and exercises to unlock, but I think it’s safe to call “Wii Fit” a success. Though my weight hasn’t decreased significantly, my posture and sense of balance have noticeably improved.

I doubt I’ll be training every day, but I do plan to keep “Wii Fit” around the house. If I didn’t, my family would never let me hear the end of it.


THE PROS
Easy to set up and use; balance board is well-designed and neat way to train; exercises are fun. 

THE CONS
Trainers lack personality; you can’t string together workouts to create a routine; some games get repetitious. 

BOTTOM LINE
“Wii Fit” won’t turn you into a bodybuilder, but it’s a great, family-friendly way to get off the couch and start working off that flab. 

Copyright The Patriot-News, 2008

VG REVIEW: Super Mario Galaxy

"SUPER MARIO GALAXY"
Nintendo, for the Wii, rated E for Everyone (mild cartoon violence), $49.99.

Though it's easily one of the more popular consoles out there today, the Wii hasn't exactly garnered a thunderous herd of stellar games. There have been a few strong titles but nothing that screams must-own or really builds strongly upon the premise of the Wii's motion controls.

All that changes with the release of "Mario Galaxy." The first major Mario title for the console (assuming you don't count "Super Paper Mario" and "Mario Party 8"), "Galaxy" is a fun, addictive platform game that thrills and surprises at every turn.

The plot isn't significant, but for the sake of recapping, it can be summed up thusly: The evil dinosaur-turtle (or whatever he is), Bowser, has kidnapped the princess (again) and stolen a bunch of magical stars. It's your job as Mario to get them all back and set everything right (again).

To do this you wander the spaceways, either hopping or jetting across various tiny planetoids, some barely larger than Mario himself, solving puzzles and dispatching enemies along the way.

As you might expect, you'll do the usual bit of item collecting (a mainstay in any platform game these days), but for once the coins, gems and other doodads prove to be valuable, as they can unlock other areas or improve your health.

Taking a page from "Super Mario World 3," in "Galaxy" Mario can try on several costumes, each with its own special abilities. The bee outfit, for example, allows him to fly for short periods of time (though you have to avoid water). The "Boo" costume lets you become a ghost and pass through walls.

But it's not just the level design and add-ons that make "Galaxy" such a joy to play. The game's use of motion controls is intuitive, fluid and graceful enough to make you wonder why you ever bothered using a traditional D-pad. Shaking the controller, for example, allows Mario to do a spin attack, stunning his enemies. Other, more unique levels require you to do things such as holding the controller vertically to balance Mario on top of a rolling ball.

The game also boasts a co-op mode, where your friend can collect the little star bits that dot the landscape while you operate Mario. As multiplayer schemes go, this seems to be terribly unbalanced and is probably the weakest part of the game.

As the official poster boy for Nintendo, Mario gets his mug plastered onto a lot of games that barely rank above mediocre. Not so with Mario Galaxy." Like the best "Mario" games before it, it builds firmly upon platforming traditions to offer something original and inventive. You won't find a better game on the Wii console right now.


Copyright The Patriot-News, 2007

VG Review: Mario Party 8

"MARIO PARTY 8"
Nintendo, for the Wii
rated E for Everyone (mild cartoon violence), $49.99.

Yes, believe it or not, there have been eight "Mario Party" games in almost as many years, though this is the first one made for Nintendo Wii.

Those hoping that a switch to the new console would result in a shakeup in game play will be disappointed. This latest iteration is more or less identical to past "Mario Party" games, with only minor variations to differentiate it from past titles.

As before, "Mario Party 8" is a video board game of sorts, with up to four players roaming across a multicolored landscape, smashing dice instead of rolling them.

The object in each game is to collect as many stars as possible, and there are a variety of ways to do so. Each board has different rules and strategies. One, for example, nets you stars by investing the money you collect in hotels. Another takes place on a train where a movie star demands 50 coins in exchange for a star.

At the end of each turn, the players all take part in a minigame of some sort, which can net players more coins. The minigames range from stellar to lackluster, with players doing such odd tasks as measuring out sand, shaking cans of soda, waving down passing ships or roping barrels.

Despite the delightful lunacy of these concepts, there's a good deal of randomness to the game that can get frustrating. You could easily, and despite your best efforts, find yourself in fourth place at the end as, say, stars are awarded for whoever landed on the most green squares.

For the most part the game makes good use of the Wii's motion sensor abilities. There were a few instances in which the Wiimote seemed unresponsive or jittery, but that might be due to my inability to keep a steady hand.

"Mario Party 8" offers a number of modes beyond the basic four-player free-for-all. You can team up in a "tag battle," go it alone in a story-based "star battle" or just try the various minigames without any of the board-game nonsense.

There's even a healthy selection of alternative minigames using the Mii -- the little virtual person you can create on the Wii console.

"Mario Party 8" doesn't offer any "next-generation gaming," it's just a fun party game. If you tend to play alone or are bereft of friends, it might not offer much for you. If you've got a large group of friends, however, it's a good investment.

Copyright The Patriot-News, 2007

Resistance, Wii Sports and more

Of course, a console is no good without some games to play. So, as promised, here's my look at some of the launch titles for the PS3 and Wii.


“Resistance: Fall of Man” (Sony, rated M, $59.99). Anointed the “must-have launch game” because of a lack of competition, “Resistance” is an entertaining, well-made, first-person WWII shooter that pits you against marauding aliens instead of the Axis powers. It’s nothing you haven’t seen in a million other fps games, though the ability to go online in 40-player death matches is a nice feature. Grade: B+

“NBA 07” (Sony, rated E, $59.99). This is probably the title I enjoyed the most, and I’m not even a big basketball fan. Making full use of the console’s high-def abilities, “NBA” looks great and makes good use of the Sixaxis controller, turning it clockwise for example, to have a player spin. Grade: A-

“Tiger Woods PGA Tour 07” (Electronic Arts, rated E, $59.99). The PS3 version of the popular golf franchise is full-featured and fun, but it’s also a bit too similar to the Xbox 360 version. Grade: B

“Need for Speed Carbon” (Electronic Arts, rated E 10+, $59.99). A by-the-numbers street racer that nonetheless manages to offer up its share of thrills. Grade: B

“Madden 07” (Electronic Arts, rated E, $59.99). Sure, the game looks fantastic, but the controls feel wonky, with some noticeable lag time. Wait for next year’s edition. Grade: B-

“Untold Legends: Dark Kingdoms” (Sony, rated T, $59.99). A disappointing and repetitive fantasy role-playing game that encourages mindless button mashing and little else. Grade: C+


“Genji: Days of the Blade” (Sony, rated T, $59.99). This is next-gen gaming? Dull hack and slashing combined with a horribly placed camera that constantly gets in your way? Not to mention assorted bugs. Pass, thanks. Grade: C-

Wii Games


“Wii Sports” (Nintendo, rated E). Packaged with the console, “Wii Sports” does an excellent job of showcasing the Wii’s features. Whether swinging your arm like a golf club, tennis racket or baseball bat, the controls are intuitive and a lot of fun. It’s a perfect party game. Grade: A

“The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess” (Nintendo, rated T, $49.99). Our hero, Link, goes werewolf in this epic, well-designed fantasy game. Players swing, stab and aim their controllers like a sword or bow to dispatch various villains. “Princess” is similar in structure to past Zelda games, but for fans that’s far from a bad thing. Grade: A-

“Excite Truck” (Nintendo, rated E, $49.99). This is a fast-paced, fun racing game that makes good use of the Wii controller (which you hold sideways and tilt left and right to steer). Lack of strong multiplayer features means there isn’t much replay value, but it’s a great pick-up-and-play title nevertheless. Grade: B+

“Super Monkey Ball Banana Blitz” (Sega, rated E, $49.99). As before, you guide a small monkey trapped in a clear ball through a hazardous maze. Using the Wii controller, however, makes the experience a lot more intuitive and fun. Too bad the mini-games are so disappointing, though. Grade: B

“Tony Hawk’s Downhill Jam” (Activision, rated E 10+, $49.99). This spin-off turns the popular skateboarding franchise into a downhill racing game packed with insufferable cartoon characters. The basic design is decent enough, but the game play is too simplistic and watered down. Grade: C+


Copyright The Patriot-News, 2006

PS3 vs. the Wii

Better late than never I always say. Here's my breakdown of the two new consoles, Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii. The story originally ran in last Sunday's paper, along with some quicky reviews of various launch titles. I'll post the reviews tomorrow.

Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendos Wii might be video-game consoles, but theyre aiming for much different markets and have completely different viewpoints toward what video games should be. Comparing them is really rather unfair.

But then who ever said we were fair? Heres a look at the two competing consoles and how they measure up:

THE PLAYSTATION 3

THE BREAKDOWN
$600 gets you one PlayStation 3 complete with a 60GB hard drive, Blu-ray DVD player, Ethernet and USB ports, one wireless controller, built-in Wi-Fi and a Blu-ray copy of Talladega Nights. For $500 you get the same items except that its a 20GB hard drive and theres no Wi-Fi.

WHAT IT DOES BESIDES GAMES
The PS3 can play Blu-ray and regular DVDs, display digital photos, copy music (though you cant incorporate the music into your games the way you can on the Xbox 360) and play old PlayStation 2 games. It should be noted, however, that some folks have had trouble with some PS2 titles.

THE CONSOLE
Sleek, black, beveled and large. Stylish, but also rather heavy. It doesnt, however, make an ungodly whirring noise like the Xbox 360.

THE SETUP
Much more complicated than it ought to be. The PS3 is supposed to take full advantage of your average HDTV, but it doesnt come with the proper cables. As soon as you pop in the first game expect to go through a 10-minute (or longer) update installation. Plus, you have to plug in your controller in order for the console to recognize it. Bah.

THE INTERFACE
Anyone who owns a PlayStation Portable will recognize the PS3s menu system. The vertical menu lets you switch from games to music and movies pretty easily.

THE CONTROLLER
The Sixaxis controller (as its being called) is extremely lightweight and fits in the hands rather well. It boasts motion-sensitive capabilities somewhat similar to the Wii, though it doesnt seem as intuitive. Sadly, one thing it doesnt have is rumble vibration, which is sorely missed.

THE GRAPHICS
This is where the console shines. Just about every game played on the PS3 looks phenomenal, featuring stunning detail and texture, though a few are only appreciably different from what you see on the Xbox 360.

ONLINE
Presently, Sonys online area is pretty anemic, but then so was the Xbox Live at first. The Sony store offers some game demos, trailers and one or two arcade-style games, but not much else. The store is easy to navigate, but unlike the 360, you cant download while doing something else, so expect to see lots of progress bars.

You can surf the Internet via the built-in Web browser, though typing in addresses is a hassle. You also can make a friends list, but only for each individual game; theres no real integration between games.

OTHER STUFF YOULL HAVE TO BUY
If you have an HDTV (and why did you even try to get a PS3 unless you did?) youll need an HDMI (a good ones about $100) or component cable. An extra controller will set you back $50. A USB keyboard ($14 and up) is essential if youre planning on spending a lot of time online. Sonys maddening key pad system was obviously not designed with real people in mind.

THE BOTTOM LINE
Unless youre hankering for a Blu-ray player, the PlayStation 3 is about as far from an essential purchase as you can get right now. With its high-grade tech specs but low-interest launch library, the PS3 is little more than a tease. It would be foolish to count the console out at this early date, but those who missed out on the initial launch should sit on their hands and wait until some really noteworthy games come out. The PS3 suggests incredible potential. But right now thats all it is.


THE WII

THE BREAKDOWN
For $250 you get the Wii console, a “Wii-mote” controller and “nunchuck” attachment, cables, a sensor bar, Wi-Fi Internet access and a copy of the game “Wii Sports.”

WHAT IT DOES BESIDES GAMES
Not much. You can display and manipulate digital pictures by inserting your camera’s memory card into the console (which enables you to then send photos to friends and family). That’s about it. No DVD or CD features to speak of.

THE CONSOLE
Small enough to be unobtrusive, the Wii resembles more of a peripheral PC hard drive than it does a video-game console. Considering how big and clunky the 360 and PS3 are, that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

THE SETUP
Thankfully easy. Just put the sensor bar on top of your TV, plug in the appropriate cables and voila. Getting the controller to recognize the console took a bit of effort on my part, but that’s what manuals are for.

THE INTERFACE
The Wii screen displays an array of different “channels” — one for playing games, a “news channel,” a “weather channel,” etc. The most interesting one is the “Mii Channel,” where you can create amusing little avatars to stand in for you and your friends, which can then show up in games like “Wii Sports” or be sent over to other consoles.

THE CONTROLLER
Here’s where the magic happens. The “Wii-mote” is a wireless, motion-sensitive controller that resembles a TV remote. Operating the device is remarkably easy and fun. Playing a tennis game? Just swing the controller like a racket. Is your game character holding a sword? Swing the controller to have him vanquish his enemies.

There’s even a small speaker in the controller so you can hear the crack of the bat. Plus, it vibrates!

For games that require a bit more button-pressing, like the new “Legend of Zelda” game, just plug in the “nunchuk” attachment.

Overall the controls offer a new way of playing games, one where standing and moving about is required, though your arms do get tired rather quickly.

THE GRAPHICS
Passable. Wii games look about as good as your average GameCube title. Not bad by any means, but nowhere near the kind of crisp definition that the 360 and PS3 offer.

ONLINE
It’s still being tweaked, but the online Wii store offers a variety of classic games like “Donkey Kong,” “Sonic the Hedgehog” and “Super Mario 64” to download and play. You buy the games with Wii points, which you purchase via credit card (1,000 Wii points equals $10; most games run about $5 and up).

You can also download alternate channels, like the aforementioned news and weather channels, though they’re not available yet. A Web browser is also in the works.

OTHER STUFF YOU’LL HAVE TO BUY
If you don’t have a strong wireless signal in your house you’ll need some sort of attachment to directly connect to the Internet (an official Wi-Fi USB adapter is $40). If you have an HDTV and want to take advantage of the nice picture, you’ll have to buy the appropriate cables. Another “Wii-mote” will set you back $60. To play the downloaded games, you’ll need a “Classic Controller” ($60).

THE BOTTOM LINE
By eschewing the shiny graphics arms race and instead attempting to attract the casual gamer with innovative game play, Nintendo has come up with a winner. The Wii is an impressive and, more importantly, fun piece of machinery. Games like “Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess,” “ExciteTruck” and “Wii Sports” give you some A-list titles right out of the gate, too. At long last, here’s a console the whole family will want to play.


Copyright The Patriot-News, 2006