The Bottom Line
Pros
- Better options for multiplayer mode; fun new games
- Strength and yoga moves can be combined to flow together
- Choose built-in or custom routines
- See calories burned for each game or session
- Syncs seamlessly with existing Wii Fit data
Cons
- Preset routines are brief and not intuitively named
- Not a substitute for more vigorous, sustained exercise
- Still too much click-through and too many extra screens
Description
- Updated edition of popular Wii Fit game
- Contains all Wii Fit activities and games, plus 15 new ones
- Includes preset combinations of activities
- Allows creation of custom workout routines
- Reports estimated calories burned for each game played, and for entire session of play
- Simple switching from one player to another
- Purchase with or without balance board peripheral
- Use your balance board to weigh your baby or pet
Guide Review - Product Review - Nintendo Wii Fit Plus Review
Like many others, my family and I enjoyed Wii Fit, but saw some drawbacks in the superpopular exergame. I didn't like the frequent emphasis on competition and ranking (this is discouraging for my young kids, who don't stand a chance against mom and dad in most games). And I hated having to page through screen after screen in between each activity, or to change from one player to another.
Wii Fit Plus contains some welcome improvements. It's now very simple to switch users as you play, and some new games are designed especially for multiplayer mode. And the system now allows for exercise routines, in which games and activities are linked together with minimal clicks in between. Unfortunately, this feature could still use more work. The preset routines are a mere six to eight minutes long, and they are grouped into four vaguely titled categories: Lifestyle, Health, Youth, and Form. To learn what exercises are in each routine, you need to click through from the categories to each individual routine. The good news is that you can group these routines, or any other combo of yoga and strength moves, together to make a custom routine.
In the good news/bad news category, Wii Fit Plus reports calories burned for exercises and for each session. It's great to have a report on what you're doing—but you may be disappointed by the low numbers. As I and others have noted, Wii Fit and Wii Fit Plus are lots of fun and a step up from sitting still on the couch, but don't replace more vigorous play and exercise.
But. Did I mention fun? Wii Fit Plus contains 15 new games and many of them are real winners. An obstacle course game had my kids collapsing in gales of laughter as their Mii avatars tumbled off the course and into the water below. In Bird's Eye Bulls-Eye, all of us flapped our arms like crazy (hello shoulder workout!), trying to guide our costumed Miis to a series of targets. And who wouldn't love a virtual Snowball Fight?
At less than $20, the Wii Fit Plus is a great deal if you already have a Wii Fit and balance board and are looking to upgrade. Once we slipped the disc into our Wii console, all our Wii Fit data transferred automatically—it was that simple.
