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E3 2007: Feet-on with Wii Fit photo

The Dtoid dolphin delight came up with this clever title, and I couldn't resist Chad's alternative "Hands-on" phrase for the Nintendo foot device. Wii Fit has to be the only Nintendo game that's ever made players start stripping and laying down on the floor, and I couldn't wait to jump on the Wii Balance Board that comes with the game. I only had time to play the non-exercise games, but honestly, I don't think I'd give Yoga a try in public or private even if I did have the time for it.

For a quick review of each of the small games, hit the jump for my first impressions. Or just look at how ridiculous the people in the pictures below look.

After taking your shoes off and waiting a full ten seconds or so for the Balance Board to get a good feel for your feet and distributed weight, the game selection screen pops up and Chad chooses soccer. Playing as a goalie, he has to sway from side to side to head-butt the oncoming soccer balls, while also watching out for spiky cleats slipping off the opposing team's Mii feet. The strategy for success involves keeping a solid rhythm going, which isn't as easy to get into as it is to lose your looping leaning motions.

I could tell Chad wasn't too into the game since he just wanted to play Super Mario Galaxy, but the game also seemed to have slightly delayed response times to his actions. Although, who can blame him? The majority of Wii owners who will buy Wii Fit will probably also buy the new Mario game, so why would you ever choose something as mundane as penguin walking over gravity-bending space gameplay? Chad steps off, now being slightly dizzy, and it's my turn to see what else this foot warmer has to offer.

My first game was Wii Skii, a winter sport that challenges you to gain as much downhill speed as possible to then gain the highest possible jump off the ending ramp. This complex maneuvering called for me to bend over and . . . wait for it . . . wait for it . . then stand up. Give me the gold medal and my shoes please, not even the greyest of gamers could find joy in this squat simulator.

Losing hope I tried the next game and my toes tingled at the sight of marbles. Picture Marble Madness or Super Monkey Ball, but with the balls on platforms that tilt with your shifting weight. Finally, something my feet can do to make my fingers jealous!

Simply leaning over like a tin-man only brought sloppy board sways, which is when my toes came to life and started using the Balance Board as a stylus mechanism. It was like standing on a giant Nintendo DS, with two touch sensitive screens to keep me busy. I traced out rolling trajectories from each ball to each hole, and as the levels went higher and the timer got lower, there were more and more balls to deal with on each difficult course.

To make gameplay even harder at higher levels, when a ball falls off the edge of the board, it returns back on top, but first spins the board 180 degrees quickly. During that half second spin you have to completely counter-act your current motions to keep the other balls from flying around. I'm surprised that such a simple foot game could require more than two sentences to describe, but I'm glad that Wii Fit has finally brought me a lot of fun, and I move on to the last game. Bad idea.

Last up is Wii hula hoop. It was great to beat my real life all-time record of two full spins, but my short happiness is doused out by some obnoxious Mii throwing another hula hoop around my head. This goes on until I've got five hulas spinning around me and I get so disoriented that I start spinning in the reverse direction. The hula collar begins to slowly release its death grip from around my neck and I realize this strategy will end the game quicker.

After that I step off the platform and Chad, Alex, and I all agree. It's time to play Super Mario Galaxy. Wii Fit is similar to Wii Sports in that, after a few nights of casual play at a friends house, you'll have had enough. Except Wii Sports was free, so let someone else buy it and hog Wii marbles all night. Obviously the Yoga and exercise options that I didn't get to try will completely outweigh the value of the games for some people, but if you're just in it for the gaming, then I suggest you just keep your feet walking past this package when it pops up on store shelves.


LAUNCH GALLERY (8 IMAGES)
Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo Photo
 

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24 comments | showing # 1 to 24

TheBrain's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 08:38
TheBrain
That's disappointing.
Johnny Blaze's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 08:44
Johnny Blaze
Gawd, Nintendo your like the father who forgets your kids birthday, but comes home drunk and says "Hey buddy! I got you a Present" It turns out to be one of those toys from a stacker machine. You just take it and smile all along thinking Dad your such a fucking screw up, but your my screw up... I love you Nintendo!!!
Kif 's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 08:50
Kif
I love how every "casual" game Nintendo is releasing requires you to buy more and more shit for your controllers.
perri's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 08:51
perri
I just want the board! Snowboarding would be awesome and Miyamoto hinted at it in an interview with IGN (I Think...it was IGN) anyway, I'd love to actually run on the spot in an FPS to run on screen. Too awesome.
iNFERN0's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:10
iNFERN0
None of your main-stream "casual" gamer friends are going to buy this...
Rockvillian's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:15
Rockvillian
Hope you all are ready to race soccer moms online in MK Wii. Once this hits, all of them will own a Wii, and I don't know ONE mother who doesn't find Mario "cute". Gawd.
Ritalin Twitch's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:16
Ritalin Twitch
Its cool to see someone in videogaming finally catering to the foot fetishist market.

Lets see this trend move foreward
TorpedoTed's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:17
TorpedoTed
I love nintendo, i own a WII, but this looks GASH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Rockvillian's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:28
Rockvillian
Actually I really want this, it'll be good training for the WiiFit Board+nunchuk+wiimote+zapper Battle Surfing game they WILL MAKE.
waves's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:30
waves
I smell a Segway game!
Mxyzptlk's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:31
Mxyzptlk
I can't even come up with anything witty to say, I'm still in shock over this damn thing's existence.
snowdog's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:36
snowdog
"Wii Fit is similar to Wii Sports in that, after a few nights of casual play at a friends house, you'll have had enough."

I still play Wii Sports pretty regularly, particularly Tennis and Boxing (although the latter is too knackering lol). When playing a 1 player game Tennis is very entertaining once you get Professional and above 1200 points.

People said that Wii Sports wouldn't be played after "a few nights of casual play" but it's more popular than you'd think. Who's to say that the same won't happen for Wii Fit..?

The most important thing about Wii Fit is the Wii Balance Board. What would you rather play...Pro Evo on the 360 with a bog standard controller and eye candy, or Pro Evo using both hands and feet to control the game with inferior graphics..?

I'd personally choose the latter.

The Balance Board as people have mentioned would be great for snowboarding/skateboarding titles as well as FPS games. I'm sure designers have already thought of a myriad of uses for the Balance Board, hopefully we'll see a few examples of it at E3 2008.

If Wii Fit is retailed at a reasonable price I can't see it going far wrong.
fetusmilk's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 09:37
fetusmilk
my nintendo power pad is way cooler than this thing
robotplague's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 10:21
robotplague
Looking at Nintendo's track record recently, I wouldn't be surprised if this thing takes off and becomes somewhat of a hit. I'm not really all that interested in it, but I don't hate it as much as a lot of other people seem to be.
TheHunter234's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 10:21
TheHunter234
Yeah, Nintendo saw the health and exercise craze that popped up after Wii Sports gained popularity in the mainstream, and they decided to capitalize on it. The balance pad really has potential though; Miyamoto probably saw the project as a way to try some crazy new experiments and make this new pad.

Wii Fit will probably be popular with the nongamer crowd, but I would really like to see how the full-body controls can be implemented in some serious games.
rdaneel72's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 12:14
rdaneel72
"Wii Fit is similar to Wii Sports in that, after a few nights of casual play at a friends house, you'll have had enough."

Are you serious? Wii Sports still gets lots play at my house. It is a perfect multiplayer game. Have you seen how many compies it SOLD in Japan?!?!?

They are going to sell millions of these games/balance boards. Everyone is so bitter at Nintendo finding new ways to make money.
mandlebaum123's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 15:25
mandlebaum123
Although now I only play it with friends or once in a blue moon by myself, Wiisports has a lot more legs than just a few nights. I love how people still refer to it as a tech demo, when it is so much deeper than it looks.
Orionsaint's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 16:29
Orionsaint
I can't wait till Jessica Chobot has to use the Wii Balance board and we get a closeup of her hawt toes. woot woot!
Orionsaint's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/13/2007 16:41
Orionsaint
I hear that Ritalin Twitch! Olivia Munn, Morgan Webb. Take off your shoes baby. Step on that wii board. Okay cameraman, get a closeup.
LarkOhiya's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/16/2007 10:33
LarkOhiya
Orionsaint. I hear 4chan has a board for that kind of thing. go there please.
TheStripe's Avatar - Comment posted on 08/20/2007 10:42
TheStripe
Wow, you guys are uptight. You act like you've never sucked toes.
Orionsaint's Avatar - Comment posted on 09/15/2007 02:49
Orionsaint
Thanks TheStripe. I know, these are fine females we're talking about, not men or even ugly fat girls. Get a grip homos!
guermogamer's Avatar - Comment posted on 07/10/2008 20:21
guermogamer
the dude is doing pushups but the on-screen character is a chick with a sports-bra.... hmmmmm

marketing at it's finest
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