Nintendo Fitness.

Nintendo unveiled an upgrade to it's WiiFit product, which was put on the market just a short year and a half ago. Rather than being a lone incident, I would say that the prevalence of similar games show that actual physical fitness is something doomed to be further integrated in video game culture. Video Games originated with black and white pixels that came with explanations. That triangle, well that's a space ship; those blocky things? Those are asteroids. It's since progressed into an enveloping 3D immersion of simulated life and stories. Realistic graphics and physics marketed to sell do nothing but invite players with a breif glimpse a better life. Sandbox RPGs especially, with stunning graphics and customizable human characters as the perfection of humanity are the crux of the industry rising to meet consumer's demands of personal perfection. It only makes sense that the next step players finding themselves wondering is how to translate this utter bliss into their real life. Visiting the zoo and looking at happiness though shatter proof glass just isn't enough anymore.

Nintendo in particular has begun to answer this call. The WiiFit was advertised to be an entertainment game that would direct physical fitness novices toward a healthier and assumeidly more fulfilling lifestyle. I say 'advertise' because much like all other forms of exercise equipment, the Wiifit more often than not fails in itself to make any real changes in the lives of it's buyers. Once the novelty wears off, it lays dusted over and forgotten tucked under the TV. In spite of this failure the market still exists and Nintendo keeps trying to reach out and satisfy the desires of a video crowd no longer content to play in a virtual world at the expense of their physical real world existence.

Wiifit, My Weight Loss Coach, and My Fitness Coach are only early iterations of what could be a passing trend, but I what I think is more likely the next evolution of video games. The Wiifit is getting a new iteration, the Wiifit Plus and even the upcoming Pokmeon games age getting in on the act; HeartGold and SoulSilver, which will come with a separate pedometer into which a single Pocket Monster can be loaded into and trained by the steps you take outside in the real world. I have to say that I approve of this shift. The video game market presents the unique opportunity to allow much of the hardware necessary for light exercise and information to be largely available; the software can be easily distributed. Perhaps most importantly the market is already willing to try out such trends so long as they promise an enjoyable experience. Playing with a balance board or 'walking' Pokemon peripherals aren't going to single handily end the obesity epidemic, but I see nothing but positive outcomes for expanding and developing this market.

After spending nearly a year with the first WiiFit, I can see a future iteration of the Wiifit being successful as a fun and interactive daily guide towards more physical fitness in the lives of Americans. But only if it changes to meet additional criteria. At the top of the list of things to change is putting in a more accurate evaluation system. Currently the Wiifit bases it's judgment of Obese, Overweight, Normal, Underweight, etc off of the user's BMI; it compares an ideal weight to height and does not consider normal proportioned more skinny or thicker body types as acceptable. Automatically this discourages a large proportion of users. No matter how effectively they implement their workout, their healthy weight can be deemed by the system as inappropriate. This system does not encourage prolonged use. Also, the Wiifit sacrifices the customization one might expect from a video game marketed as 'fun' for a one size fits all, unchanging screen from which one can select individual workouts. A future system needs the ability to create, save, and track full workouts instead of relying the user to make up a new one at every use. Lastly, the Wiifit fails to take advantage of the other huge difference between a modern console game and a Bowflex (or other infomercial machine): connectivity.

If there's one thing that discourages people most while seeking fitness its the lonely discouragement of thinking you're the odd man out. The thing is though, is that most everyone is the the odd man out. The odd mans out is the majority. If users who don't have the metabolism and genetics to become a Greek God (or Goddess... ladies...) only knew just how unashamed they should be, who knows some of them might actually enjoy a little exercise. The Wiifit made a halfhearted effort in this direction by showing all the users on a single Wii on the home screen with graphs marking weight losses and gains, but this mock attempt fails to connect people as needed for encouragement and instead just leads to envy. I'd like to see a friend system established, allowing you to send compliments to online friends for fulfilling their weight goals or at least some regional averages to showing realistic expectations; the other people rowing in your boat.